Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-12-05
From Mr Chicago Daiiy-News.
LEGAL MURDER.
Rock ISLAND, ILL.,, Oct, 25, ls45.

N"Sh SbhND1 AAsI oSt'1 - ASIcs
Mr.. Editor:-I hasten to lay before your
readers an account of the horrible tragedy
just enacted here. John Long, Aaron Long,
and Granville Young have this day been
hung according to law for the murder of Col.
George Davenport. Although the morning
was a rainy one, an Immense concourse of peo-
pie were seen assembling from every part of
the country, and at the time of the execution
| made an estimate, and should Judge there
were live thousand present-a promiscuous
assemblage of men, women and children,
At IL o'clock the guard formed in a hol-
low square before the Jail, and marched to
the gallows, where they were dismissed I'M
til after dinner. Music by the Green Noun
tain Boys, composed expressly for the occa-
sion. At one o'clock the guards again form
ed in front of the Jail, when the prisoners were
brought out, and conducted in solemn process
sion, with music, to the gallows. The guard
formed in a hollow square about the gallows,
while the prisoners assembled the scatfold and
took their seats with the sheriff. Several
other gentlemen also assembled the scaffold.
| say Other gentlemen, for the prisoners APP
peared very much like gentlemen. They
were well dressed, and up to this time, scarce
ly any emotion was visible in their counten-
ances. But after sitting awhile, a slight
paleness seemed to overshadow their faces,
as they looked upon the crowI, and upon the
apparatus before them. Strange would it be
if their hearts did not sink in that hour. The
sheriff advanced and read the order for their
execution; after which he remarked that if
the prisoners wished to say anything, oppor-
tunity was given. John Long then arose,
(the sheriff having unbound his arms) and
advancing forward, made a very polite bow,
and addressed the audience as follows. l
-,., a. H. e - l. -
his frequent repetltions, and correcting his
language, which was sometimes ungrammat-
ical and otherwise incorrect:
"Ladies aud Gentlemen of this respectable
audtence:-I appear before you a dying man,
about to be launched into eternity, and re-
quest that you will listen to what | have to
say before leave this world forever. N.Y.
self, my brother Aaron and my friend Gran
vile Young, you see brought before you "a
bout to be hung for the murder of Col. George
Davenport. | now say to you, gentlemen,
and wish you 10 receive it as the declara-
ton of dying man, that as for myself l plead
guilty, but these two men (pointing to the
prisoners) are innocent of the crime. ] wish
you TO receive this as the dying declaration
of a man. (Here he became much affected.)
| now tell you, gentlemen, that Robert Birch
William Fox, Theodore Brown and myself
committed that murder-though we killed
Mr.. Davenport Observation-Disclosures | wish
the people of Rock Island distinctly to I'M
derstand and depend upon it, that no other
person is guilty of that crime, either as ac-
csssory before or after the affair, and every
other man who is hung for that crime is hung
innocent. AS for me, gentlemen, | do not
fear to die; the fear Of death was never be-
fore my eyes; but l cannot bear to see two in
nocent men hung. Look at the evidence a.
gainst these men. Who was it! The evil
dence against Aaron amounts to nothing at
all. There was not the slightest evidence
excepting what was given by Birch, and l
do not believe there is a man within the sound
of my voice, who does not believe that Birch
perjured himself. The grocery man testified
that Aaron bought bread there, but when he
come to look at him, he said that he thought
the man who bought the bread was two o.
three inches taller. So you see what tina
amounts to. AS to Granville Young, upor
: whose evidence was he convictedl Is Mr.
t Bonny herel-(Here he looked for some tim,
4 among the crowd.) If Mr.. Benny is here. i
3 is my request that he step forward. IN
, was told Mr.. Benny was moi there.) Vel
: then, if Mr.. Benny is not here, II knock
CSC pages from my speech. That man Dor
7 ny has been held up before you, gentlemen
G as one Of the best men that ever lived. D,
G l now tell you that he is the chief anon
thieves and robbers, and was accessory bo'
before and after the fact, to tie murder
Miller. You may apply TO DR.. William
and MI. LOOMS, as witnesses to that fact,