The southern press., 1851-08-13
From the Baltimore Sun.
Execution Of the Cosden Murdcrers at Chcs-
tertOwn, Maryland.

i From the Baltimore Sun.
Execution OF the Cosden Murdcrers at Chcs-
tertOwn, Maryland.
CHEsTERTowK, August 8, 1851.
Asseperationsof of Innocence Thrilling Incident--
/ AsSererati0ns of Ipnocence-FinaL Scene.
This being the day fixed for the execution Of
Murphy, Taylor and Shelton, convicted of the
murder of the .Cosden family, in February last,
the deep interest felt in the inhuman butchery
brought to this place large number of persons
from various adjacent counties of Maryland and
Delaware. There were, also, scme few here
i from Baltimore city, who came down in the regu-
lar line of steamboats, the day previous. Three
steamboats--the Portsmouth, Port Deposit, and
Dupont-brought large numbers Of persons
from along the line Of their river routes this
morning. A troop of horse, from Queen Annes,
Captain Belts, also came to town this morning,
which, with two companies of troop of this
county, under Captains II. Beck and Y. l. Wal
lace, and three hundred armed citizens on foot,
j under command of Col Jamos n. Ricaud, uiado
quite an imposing acquisition to the population
Of this quiet town.
4 | have regularly visited the prisoners since
last wrote you, and have had every facility af.
forded of gaining whatever information was ne
cessary, both in reference to the statements of
the prisoners and of their religious sentiments
and feelings
The prisoners each had some of their male
relatives visiting them last night, for the purpose
of taking their final leave, and receiving such
directions as they desired to give in reference to
the disposition of their clothing, &C. The
reverend clergy then eounseled and prayed with
them, and some Of the legal gentlemen con-
cerned in their trial were with them to late hour.
The same feeling in regard to their eternal
condition. stated in my last letter as characters
ing them, was still manifested, and each adhered
to his formar oft repeated declaration OF in
nocence
visited the jail early this morning, and ascer-
tained that they had rested quiet md well DUR
ing the night Murphy, indeed slept soundly.
In passing to the different apartments where
| they were confined, [ found Abraham Taylor,
Nicholas Murphy and William Shelton, awaiting
their doom with the most astonishing apparent
indifference-Sh perhaps, being rather more
depressed than usual. The clergy were early in
attendance; but, though Murphy and Taylor
professed hopes of the future, Shelton preserved
his usual cold and calous appearance.
| Revs Messrs. Petit of the Methodist Episco-
| pal church; Jones' Gordon and Flowers, of the
| Episcopal church; and Valient, of the Methodist
Protestant church, have been untiring in their
religions attendance to these men. The Rev.
Mr. Majors, Of Delaware, eloquently appealed
to their religious feelings to day. Shelton re-
maned cold; Murphy shouted praise to Almighty
God, and prayed for his wife and children; and
| Taylor declared confidence that the Almighty
would take care of him. but wept at the idea Of
leaving his wife and children.
| have heretofore given you some idea of the
age Of these men, and cf their families, and need
not therefore repeat Che matter.
The officers undertaking to array the prisoners
! for the execution, when the white robe was
placed on Murphy, he remarked-T suppose
! that is nv last dress, but some one else ought
to wear it." and the black cap being placed on
his head he said, with quite sneer-'Well, |
suppose am dressed now"
They were properly robed-bands tied, with
elbows pinioned-were marched to an open pas
sage way; Shelton was in the advance, and, upon
Taylors approaching him, Taylor impored him
| to tell what he knew Of the matter, and to state
conversation that is supposed to have taken
place between Shelton and a man named Drum.
mord, some time previous to the arrest, but Shell.
ton positively adhered to his oft repeated de-
claration, that he knew nothing to say, and that
he was innoeent
/ The prisoners were then walked oyt of the
Jail, and placed upon chairs in an open wagon.
| The clergy were Immediately in their rear, with
some of the counsel, and several representatives
| of the press hollow-square guard Of three
| hundred footmen surrounded them, in the order
of the procession, with troops of horsemen in
the front and rear. The crowd was dense all
along the line of march, but no interruption oc-
cured. Col Ricaud managed the civil police ar
rangement most admirably. Col. Kemp had di.
rection of the military battalion, and done his
duty well.
Arriving at the foot of tie mound on which
the scaffold was erected about mile northwest
Of the town, Capt. Beck's troop advanced and
cleared the dense crowd of people from immedi-
ately around the scaffold.
At ten minutes 10 10 o'clock the condemned
were seated upon the scaffold, surrounded by
the ministers of the law, the clergy and the rep
resentatives Of the press Mr.. VIM. Cosdon,
father of the person who, with his femily, were
murdered, and for which these men were about
TO be executed, came upon the scaffold to take
leave of them. The old gentleman wept most
bitterly, and said TO them, "you know my son
never done you any harm !" whilst the culprits
protested their innocence, and announced that
they forgave him and all others for the part taken
in their conviction.
The Rev DR.. Johns then offered solemn
PRAYER 10 Heaven in behalf Of the culprits Rev.
Mr.. Valient admonished them 10 caution In leav-
ing this world without clean conscience, and
was followed by the Rev. Messrs. Petit and Ma
jors, also in regard to their souls eternal interest
The clergy then retired.
Mr.. Ricaud asked the condemned if they had
anything to say.
Abraham Taylor promptly rose, and stepping
TO the other side Of the scafiold from where he
had been seated, briefly addressed the multitude,
saying, that in view Of the few minutes now
only between him and eternity, he felt comreled
still to aver his innocence that his life had been
sworn away by the man Shaw, who turned
States's witness; declared that he had not seen
Murphy for about five years previous to the ar
rest, and that he never knew or saw Shelton until
he met him in jail, after the arrest; and expressed
his hope of going TO a place of rest in the fu-
ture. He spoke without anv apparent embar.
rassment and with much physical and mental
selfpossession.