Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1846-02-05
A Tale of Sorrow.

blessed with family Of kind, inlelliren
obpdient sons. Pwo flhem-ihe eldes
and best beloved early received each hi.
/ portion, and took their several WAYS I,
distant portions of the country. inlen
upon establishing themselves in the worc
and carving out their own fortunes
They were each possessed Of All excellent
common school-Connecticut common
school-ednca,ion; aud we're well cacuIa
ted TO make III, ir way in the world
They departed with fathers and a
mothers blessing resting upon them. and
were remembered. with tears and earnest
and hopeful supplcalions before the
| throne of mercy, ere their first day S Jour.
| ney was ended
A period of nine year. rolled rapidly
| by and among the innnmerable changes
wrought during that time, was the reno.
val Of Major W. from The land OF
steady habits-slorlous, fnndIy remem-
bered. ever loved Conneciicut-,o the far
West-a comprehensive term. which
means any locality between Western
| New York and the Pacific Ocean.
He was man Of sterling character; a
true New Englander: intelligent. perseyer
ing. honest, shrewtl. and wlhal ll,,le
ambitious. The major dabbed much in
poiiIcs. and being good practical writer
aud speaker. IN year or two revolution
lied The county in which he was settled
Gratitude and political power rewarded
him first with a seat in the State Legisla.
IN and eornnI ,b III abo -. IT. H..
A better sheriff than Major W,
that county had never been favored with
During The first year Of his adminisira-
ton the salu,sry effects Of his persever-
ance and good coun.els were seen and
felt
Daring the second year Of his official
life, notorious yagabond known throuo h
The country az Bill Winchel.ea alias Caul
kins. alias Ford, and half dozen other
assumed names. after long course of
petty crimes. repeated convictions and
escapes, was at length charged with The
preparation of foul murder. A widow
who resided mile or two from The conn.
~ town, and who was reported wealthy
was found early one morning in June
lying upon the floor Of her barn. few
rods from her house, with her throat cut
and her body awfully manged with an
axe. Ii was known that Winchesea had
been al the house late the evening pre-
vious, and that he declared he would
lodge there tn at night. Soon as the muir
der was discovered search was made for
him, and he could no where be found
Suspicion naturally settled upon him, and
the hue and cry was given.
Sheriff W sent on, his deputies and
a strong posse. and accidentally receiving
information which led him 10 bslieve the
murderer had fled down the Mississippi.
he instantly set out alone in hot pursuit.
lie traced what he believed to be the
trail OF The miscrcan. do an as far as ST.
Louis, and there lost it entirely and gave
up the chase ~ fruiless. As he was
preparing In return. he was taken sudden
~ Ill OF a fever. and for many weeks Law
IN half delirlous and very critical state.
At the end Of that time he began to
convalesce, and ere long recovered SO far
as TO be able to return home.
During his absence. Winchelsea had
been apprehended, tried, convicted upon
proof so positive tina. the jury found a
verdict Of Guilty of wilful murder with
out leaving their box. and sentenced to
the ignominious death Of the scah'old.
Major W reached home on the
day appointed for the execution. Being
We, feeble. he begged TO be relieved from
the painful duty Of hanging the poor
wretch. and il accordingly fell rpoa one
of his deputies.
The hour fixed. upon for the dreadful
murder which tlislaw has legalized came
round. Al that noment a messenger ar
rived to inform Major W that the
deputy had fallen upon the scafrold in an
apopleplc fisand that the execution stay ed
his arrival. There was no alternative
The sheriff, though weak. totally unfit
for the terrible task, Eel, i, To be his duty
to promptly obey the summons. In a
few minutes rolling. heavy hum and an
unusual comnoton in the ranks Of the
thousands gathered TO behold the shame
lul death of a fellow creature. gave evi
| dence Of the arrival Of the sheriff. The
culprit was dressed for The grave, the fa,a
rope encircled his neck, the cap. drawn
over his face by the deputy before The fiji
took him, at his request, remained as il
had been adjusted. A brief prayer was
offered up to God in behalf Of the poor
wretch. whose las, minute had come -
The clergyman and the sheriff then TOOK
him by the hand and babe him farewell
All things were now ready. The va,
crowd were hashed TO brealhess silence
With sudden movement The sheriff
GU, the cord. the drop fell. and the mur
derer was hanging by the neck between
the heavens and the EARTH
A few convulsive struggles. and all wa.
over--iuslice was satisfied. The multi
iude dispersed to their homes
Blu, the tragedy had no, ye, reache,
lis close
! Af.er hanging the usual length o
time, the body was ecu. down. TO b.
delivered 10 the physicians for friend
the dead man had noLc-no not one.
| The sheriff remained 10 assist in this las
ceremony. One removed the shoes, an
another the long gown. and The sheril
himself pulled off the cap. The bod
was then lying face downward A ma
men. after ii was turned over. and in III