The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-09-22
AN EXECU ITO N.
A THRILLING TALE.

In BLackwood's Magazine is an article
entitled LIE Reyenant, purporting to be
Written by man who has been hanged
and is now alive. The writer confesses
that he is guilty Of the act for which he
suffered-forgery, and states the particu.
lars of his arrest, committal to Newgate
for trial, and his conviction of the crime at
the Old Baily Sessions for 1926. He then
proceeds TO describe what We're his sensa-
tions, after receiving the awful sentence Of
death. After painting, in touching colors,
the interview he had with Elizabeth Clare,
TO whom he was strongly attached, he thus
proceeds with his narratives:
ut was four O'Clock in the afternoon
when Elizabeth left me; and when she de-
parted, it seemed as if my business in this
world was at an end. / could have wish
ed; then and there, to have died on the
spot; | had done my last act, and drank
my last draught in life. But as the twi-
light drew on, my cell was cold and damp,
and the evening was dark and gloomy;
and | had no fire nor any candle, al
though it was in the month of January,
nor sufficient covering to warm me- and
by degrees my spirits weakened, and my
heart sunk at the desolate wretchedness of
every thing around me; and gradually
for what | write now shall be truth--the
thoughts of Elizabeth, and what would be
her fate, began to give way before sense
of my own situation! This was the first
.time-I cannot tell the reason why-that
my mind had ever fixed itself upon the
trial that | had, within few hours, TO 60
through; and as | reflected on it, a terror
spsead over me, almost in an instant, as
though it were that my sentence was just
pronounced, and that | had not known,
really and seriously, that | was to die be-
fore. had eaten nothing for twenty-four
Q1ours. There was food which religious
gentleman who visited me had sent from
his own table, but could not taste it, and
when looked at it strange fancies came
over me. Itwas dainty food, not such as
was served to the prisoners in the jail
1t was sent to me because was to die to-
morrow, and thought Of the beasts of the
field and the fowls of the air, that were
pampered for slaughter. l felt that my
own sensations were not as they ought to
be at this time, and | believed that for a
while / was insane. A sort of dull hum
ming noise, that Iocould not get rid Of,
like the humming Of bees, sounded in my
ears. And though it was dark, sparks Of
light seemed to dance before my eyes,
and could reoollect nothing tried to
say my prayers, but could only recollect
q word here and there-and then it seem
ed,tos me that these were blasphemies that
4 awas eittering; | don't know what they
were-I cannot tell what ] said; and then
on q asldden felt as though all this terror
WIS useless, and that would not stay
there to die, and | jumped up and wrench
ed at the bars of my cell window with a
force that bent them, for | felt as if ! had
the strength Of q lion. And felt all over
the lock Of my door, and tried the door
with my shoulder, though I knew il was
tplated with iron, y and heavier than that coi
% church, and grouped about the very
walls, and into the corners Of my dungeon
though / knew very well, if l had my
senses, that it was all solid stone three
Aet thick, and that III could have passed
through q crevics smaller than the eye 81
y needle, ] had no chance Of escaping
And in the midst of all this mighty exer-
toms faintness came over me, as if had
swallowed poison; and Il had just power
enough to reel to the bed place, where