Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-04-25
From the New Haven Register.

From the New Haven Register.
Hanging Scene with Hurricane AecoInpani rnent.
was travelling through the Southwest in the
summer of l849, and stopped for a few days at a
small town in the western part of Tennessee While
there, hearing there was to be hanging-to come
OFF some thirty miles Distant made up my mind it
would be good opportunity to see how such things
were done up in that part of the country The day
before it was to off. called up the niger, (as
good specimen of the African race as ever raised
wool crop his head, and told him to saddle nv
favorite horse. He needed no second bidding-and
soon found my noble Archy at the door, with a
pair of saddlebags his back containing in one
end a huge piece of bacon, and in the other corn
bread enough to balance it, A blanket was thrown
across the saddle in fact everything was ready for
Journey, and started on my way The day was
fine one and took it easily along. listening to the
music of the birds, watching the squirrels playing
about in the tree tops, and every and then ia
king my rifle from my shoulder to have crack at
deer or wild turkey In this way the day wore along
and towards night found myself entering the town
Of. The place was full of people, come to wit
ness the hanging | made out to procure single
and put up for the night-having tied my horse to
stable door, where he could enjoy the delightful
odor arising from bin of oats in the dam distance
making up my mind that he might survive until
morning on expectation-I put my boot under my
head, and went to sleep. | was awoke in the morn
for his after proving to his satisfaction, that it
belonged to me- put it and its mate in motion, and
started for hotel After loafng about until about
ten o'clock, started on my horse to ride about one
mile into the forest where the hanging was to take
place. Arriving there, found cord, with q moose.
attached to the limb of large white oak tree It
swinging in the wind, some fifteen feet high and
under it scaffold, with trap. was erected, from
which the wretched man was to look his last upon
this world. There large crowd already assem-
oil oil
rode seventy eighty miles and brough camp fur
niture with them. All busily engaged. talking
about the that to off little expecting
that they were to see quite as much as they did.
Pretty soon the prisoner appeared riding in a cart
drawn by two mules. He was seated on his coffin,
engaged in conversation with two ministers of the
gospel and guarded by body of about fifty
men, armed with muskets, rifles, sc. He was taken
out Of the cart and led to the foot of the tree where
his feet bound. was seated my horse.
close to the scaffold but he spirited animal,
and was fearful he might hurt some one as the
people were crowding quite close upon me-so rode
off some rods and fastened him to swinging limb,
and went back on foot. My attention was ta-
ken up with the prisoner. The sheriff was engaged
in binding his arms, when suddenly heard a loud
crash followed by terrific peal of thunder, and a
flash of lightning that, for a moment, blinded me.
On recovering my sight, found the upper part of
the tree laying the ground, with five six per-
sons Frustrated under it. All was confusion. Trees
were falling in every direction, were cursng,
and women were screeching. The guard closed a.
round the prisoner and started for large corn field
some distance Off Imagine the confusion that must
have existed in a crowd of five six thousand per-
sons, all on horseback Except the writer) Horses
were plunging about the rain was pouring in tor
rents, and the lightning played about heads
til it seemed as though each one wore crown OF
fire. In five minutes | found myself alone-not a
human being in sight. Trees were falling in every
direction, and there was actually being obliged tC
face the storm. to be able to watch and dodge
the falling trees never imagined what hurri
cane in the forest was before. could not get out
the woods, for dare not turn my back for fear Of
being crushed by the trees, which were torn up by
the roots though they had been reeds Tree fel
against troe until the ground was literally srewed
with them. What situation that for city
born boy. There STOOD holding on to a small grut
to keep from being blown away. My hat had gone
will leave the reader to judge how far, can't tell
never found 1t, my hair streaming in the wind
and the rain pouring in my face. 1t may be fun fo
one to imagine my condition. but it was death to me
The storm continued for half an hour, perfect tor
nado, when it lulled little and took advantage o
it and put for my horse who I was lucky enough t.
| find unframed but may be there wasn't hard kno
tied in that bride. out with my hunting knife
made two pieces of it in double quick time jump
ed upon my horses back, and be being badly sea
red as his rider. didn't need much urging to max
him go. The first jump he made, his fore feet caugh
in grape vine, and found myself going at the rat
of twenty miles an hour, and bound for the middl
of large mud puddle which I succeeded in reach
ing, Striking plump in the middle,) after remark
ably short passage from horseback. got up AM
was not long in putting that portion of my person
on which wear my boots in motion. and soon caugh
my horse, mounted: and put for town, though for
! ty imps after | heard but one man spea
on the way and that voice rung in my ears long al
ter -" Say, mister arM your horse carry double ?
did not stop to ascertain the fact and foun
mVSnf q hotel. scared than
was my first, and think it will be my last, goin
to see man hung. IF anybody has desire to wit
ness such thing let them pass through one seen
like the above, and think it will be pretty apt
cure them.
l will just say that the man was taken back afte
the storm and hung, but warn't thar. GRUB.
The .sAtlantic" Steamer.
This fine vessel, whose machinery, it will be re
membered, got damaged on her voyage from Liver