Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-11-27
From the Chicago Citizen and Daily News
Confession and Execution Of the Davenport
Murdcrers.


John Long, Aaron Long. and Granville Young
have this afternoon been hung according to law,
for the murder of Col. George Davenport. An
immense concourse ofpeople assembled from every
part Of the country and at the time Of the
ton il estimated there were five thousand pres
eni-a promiscuous assemblage of men, women and
children
| At | o'clock the guards formed in front of the
jail when the prisoners were brought out, and con-
Quoted in solemn procession with music, TO the
gallows. The guard formed in hollow square
about the gallows, while the prisoners assembled
the scaioId and took their seats with the sheriff
They well dressed, and up this time, scarce
ly any emotion visible in their counenances.
But after sitting while, slight paeness seemed
to overshadow their faces, they looked upon the
apparatus before them.
| John Long confessed that he was guilty Of kill
ing Col Davenport, but said he wished those
present to receive as the declaration Of dying
man, his assertion that his brother Aaron and
Granville Young were innocent of that crime
Robert Birch, William Fox, Theodore Brown
and himself he said, killed Davenport, but did it
Internationally. He then called upon one Bonney
TO step forward, but being told Bonney was not in
the crowd he said it " knocked out $50 pages
from his speech" This Bnnney he declared was
the chief among thieves aud robbers. Aaron Long
and Granville Young then severay protested that
they were innocent When they had DONE John
Long again made speech, detailing some events
in his life and called upon all to take warning by
his fate. Up to 1910, he had never wronged a
man, but in that year he was persuaded to engage
in counterleting and from that he was led to the
commission of robbery and murder. full confess.
ion Of his acts and associates he said would impli-
catetwo hundred men in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri
and the Territory, but he withheld the confession
from regard for their families.
After he had closed, he returned TO his seat and
after consulting the other prisoners, said it was
their dying request that their bodies be given to
their friends, and not to the physicians Aaron
Long and Young nearly overcome with emotion
John quite calm and collected. The sheriff bound
their arms, put the rope around their necks, drew
the caps over their faces and led them forward
upon the drop. Taking the nxe, he severed the
rope at one blow, aud down went the drop, letting
them fall distance of four feet.
But now remained a scene most revolving TO be-
hold, and most horrible TO describe The middle
rope broke, letting Aaron Long fall, striking his
back upon the beam below, and lying insensble
from the srangling caused by the rope before il
broke. For moment not human being moved !;
all were Mortified and seemed rviied TO their pla-
ces. Soon however, the officers descended and
raised him up, when he recovered his senses, and
was again led upon the gallows, suffering intensely,
raising has hands and crying out, "rhe Lord have
mercy on me The Lord have mercy on me
You are hanging an innocent man. And (point-
ing TO his brother there hangs my poor, poor,
brother" But he needed him not.
shall never forget the appearance of that man,
as he sat upon the bench, large bloody streak a.
bout his neck, his body trembling all over while
preparations were making for his final fall But
there another act in this drama As he was
ascending the gallows, signs of m outbreak among
the crowd evident Some cried that's
enough-let him go;' while others gave expression
to their horror Just at this moment some cry
was raised in a remote part OF the crowd no one
knew what it was; some were frightened One
wing of the guard retreated towards the gal
ows-the tumult increased-a sudden panic sez
ed the immense crowd and they all fed precpitalev
from the place.
If the earth under the gallows had opened, and
Pluto himself had arisen from the Internal regions
with his horses and chariot il could not have cans.
ed greater CONSERVATION, or a more hasy aigbt
The guard were with difficulty kept in their places.
the crowd returned and soon all was qniet every
one ashamed of himself for having been frightened
at nothing. One wagon was found upset, but il
was supposed to be the effect, and not The cause of
the panic. The wretched victim of the law was a,
length despatched, and the crowd dispersed.