Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1845-11-06
Execution of nlurderers.

o"hS. WIZ were SIioTt ffifc siHCOs VI
ed and convicted for the murder Of Col.
Davenport. suffered the penalty of the
law at Rock Island OH the Wednesday the
29th ult. The prisoners were brought on,
about one O'clock, preceded by band of
music and guarded by an armed force.
We take following from the Davenport
Gazette which was issued the day after
the execution:
The sentence Of the Court being read,
which was 10 this effect, that they seyeraIly
be taken from the jail upon that day and be
hung by the neck until dead. That the
body Of John Long be then delivered in
10 The hands Of Dr. Gregg Of Rock Island,
for dissection; iha, of Aaron Long TO DR.
Barrows Of Davenport; and that of Gran.
Vile Young TO Dr. Knox of 81 Louis. The
arms of the criminals were then unloos-
ed and they were each allowed 10 address
the assembled people. John Long spoke
first and very lengthily and after few
remarks from the other two, continued
his speech for about an hour. The bur
then of his remarks was his own gull.
and the innocence Of his brother and
Granville Young. He stated the true muir.
derers of Col Davenport to he Robert
Burch, William Fox. Theodore Brown
and himself, and declared that if death be
meed out TO any other person for tha,
murder il would be done unius,ly. Fox.
he said, shot Col ID. which, however.
was done unin,en,ionally. lie himself
brought up the pitchersof water for the
wounded man to drink. while Burch plum
dered him of his watch. He accused T.,
Bonney OF many crimes and rs being ac-
cessory to the murder of the Germans. for
which the Hodges suffered death, and
cited those present TO Mr. Loomis. pro.
prietor of tavern in Nauvoo and DR.
Williams of The same city as evidence of
hiscrimcs. Shall he be allowed to es.
cape and boy like Granville Young be
punished! 49,
The Gazette further remarks ,ha, as an
impor,an. par, Of his confession he stat
ed tina, he had desired of his counsel the
privilege Of confessing in court his own
guilt and freeing his brother and Granville
Young from all participation in the hor-
rible deed This his counsel refused be-
cause II tCouii crimiaafe himself. In
making this statemen, Long appealed to
one OF his counsel then upon The stand
who nodded his head in token Of assent.
We suppose tina. they did their duly az
taacyers by thus acting, bul did they acl
the part of conscientious and upright
men! Ii it subsequently be proven shai
Aaron Long and Granville Young ,oere
innocent If the charge Cor which they yes
terdav suffered upun the scatfold. and
which during hi remarks John 10 ,g so
vehemen,ly andsre peaiedlv protested IL
be the fact, what must he the feelings of
the prisoners counsel when ihev reh-c,
upon their inSlrumentaIity in Fastening
those young men to an uniimely grave!
He BETRAYED, in the whole Of his re-
marks The hardened and impemtent
wretch. He wished to be considered
hero i'll his las, moments-to step Of The
stage of action with proud bearing, tina,
it might be afterwards said tina, John
Longswas no coward.
The hour of execution having nearly
arrived prayer was made. and a, the re-
quest OF The prisoners. the I39lh Psalm
was read, and then the prisoners bid
farewell to those upon The scaffold. =
The necessary preparations then being
made, al one stroke from the axe Of the
Sheriff the drop fell. The rope attached
to the neck Of Aaron Long broke and he
| cell. This produced considerable confusion
amongst the crowd. and many betook
| themselves to flight, thinking tina, res
cue had been attempted lie was, how
ever, led upon the scaffold and the plank
upon which he stood Knocked from under
him. Some of the guns of the brave ri1e
company were found upon the field Of
confusion