Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-09-09
Execution Of Professor Webster.

Further Pdrtscniars.-In addltlon 10
the Teiegraphic report We published last
week, respecting the execution Of that unfor-
tuuate man, Professor WEBSTER, we add
the following particulars frem a Ne"
York paper:
On the scaffold, besides the prisoner,
were High Sheriff Evel eth, DR.. Putnam,
Mr.. Gustavus Andrews, deputy jatlor, and
Mr.. Galen Holmes, turnkey: As soon
as the prisoner had taken bis stand on the
drop, DR.. Putnam commenced conversing
with him, and continued SO during the read
ing Of the sdeath warrant" by the High
Sheriff. DR.. Putnam then shook hands
with Webster, and bade him FAREWELL
The prisoner sat down in a chair, while
MIR. Andrews and Mr.. Holmes bound his
lower limbs with leather strap. He then
shook hands with the two last named, and
bade them last adieu. .*-
The Sheriff then took him by the hand,
aud few words passed between them in a
low tone of voice. Mr.. Holmes then re-
moved the prisoners hat and together with
deputy Sheriff Rugg, p'sced the moose over
his head. While they were properly ad-
justing it, with the knot under his right ear,
his countenance, which until then had been
dea bly,, pale, became flushed and tears were
seen to fall from his eyes. A black CAM
brio cap was then drawn over his head and
face; and precisely Is minutes before 10
o'clock High Sheriff Eveleth stepped upon
a spring. the drop fell, and tho spirit Of
Jonn White Webster was ushered into the
pres,,eHee Of its Jndgs. The criminal drop
ned between seven and eight feet, probably
breaking his neck bone entirely off Du-
ring one or two minutes after he fell, there
was very pereeptible struggling Of the
shoulders, occasioned by the sudden contrac-
tisn of the muscles. His feet were also
draWa up once between two. and three
iacbes. With these exceptions there was
no Observable struggling. ~
After emaining suspended Just half an
hous, Drs. Henry c.. Clark and Charles
Stedman examined the body, aud inform
ing the Sheriff that life was extinct, that
officers SO declared it to the legal witnesses
and spectators; and at the same time thank
ed the witnesses IN the name Of the Com
,monwealtb, for attending and aiding the
ofice:s Of the law in the painful duty
which had just been performed.
A cheap black coffin was then brought
out, md: placed under the scaffold and the
body lowered into it. The rope was then
unlssed, and taken from his neck, and
the cover put on the coffin. 1t was then
70 moved to an apartment connected with
the jail, where it will remain until this eve
ming when, under charge Of sexton Of
Cambridge, it will be taken to the residence
Of his family, and from thence to Mount Aa-
burn; where it will be deposited in the
family vault
From aa early hour up 10 the time the
execution wus ended, people continued
gathering in the streets adjacen, to the
Jail, aid upon the roofs of houses in the vi
entity, from many Of which places it was
impossible to obtain even q glimpse Of any
part Of the gallows.
Al many Of the windows, and on the
tops ofhouses, several females were seen,
some Of whom stoed with burning sun
pouring down upon them for more than
two hours. The crowd wns very great,
and from those who had no possibility Of
seeing the galiows, loud noises and ex.
pressions, disgraceful in the extreme to
those who uttered them, continually fell
upon the. ears Of those who we're com.
pellsd. from duty, to witness the painful
scene which ended the life Of John White
Webster
The event will be communicated to the
family this afternoon, by Mrs, w. II.
Prescott, sister OF Mrs. Webster. p.
We are informed by good authority,
that no document purpor,ing to be a s'fur.
ther confession" was left by w ebster, bu,
that hedid leave several letters to differen,
persons, the contents Of which are no,
known.