Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1852-09-10

any that had yet appeared, came forward
and prepared TO act the part of doomster.
1t was now past midnight, there was no
sound audible save the omnous ticking
of the judges watch. Downie became
more and more alarmed.
For Gods sake, gentlemen said the
terrified man, let me go home. prom
lse that you never again shall have cause
for complaint
Richard Downie, remarked the Judge,
you are vainly wasting the few moments
that are left you on earth. You are in the
hands of those who must have your life.
No human power can save you. At
tempt TO utter one cry, and you are seized
and your doom completed before you can
utter another. Every one here present
has sworn solemn oath never to reveal
the proceedings of this night; they are
known 10 none but ourselves and when
the object for which we met is accomplish
ed, we shall dlsperse unknown to any one.
Prepare, then, for death five minutes
more will be allowed, and no more.
The unfortunate man in an agony Of
deadly terror raved and shrieked for mercy :;
but the avengers paid no heed to his cries
His ievered trembling lips then moved as
II IN silent prayer; for he felt that the
brief space between him and eternity was
but a few more tckings of that ominous
watch.
Now exclaimed the Judge.
-Four persons stepped forward and Sci
Zed Downle, on whose features a cold
clammy sweat had burst forth. They
barred his neck, and made him kneel be-
fore tie block.
Strike = exclaimed the Judge
The executiOner struck his axe on the
floor; an assistant on the opposite side
lifted at the same moment a wet towel, and
struck 1t across the neck of the recumbent
criminal. A loud laugh announced that
the joke had at last come to an end.
But Downie responded not to the up
roarious merriment-they laughed again
/ but still he moved not--they lifted him
and Downie was dead
Fright had killed him as efectuaIly as
if the axe of real headsman had sever
ed his head from his body.
1t was tragedy to all. The medical
students tried to open vein. but all was
over; and the conspIrators had now to be-
think themselves of safety. They now in
reality swore an oath among themselves,
and the aflrighted young men, carrying
/ their DISCUSSES with them. left the body of
I Downie lying at the hotel. One of their
number told the landlord that their enter
/ talnment was not yet quite over, and that
/ they did not wish the individual that was
! left in the room to be disturbed for some
hours. This was to give them all time
! to make their escape.
! Next morning the body was found. Ju-
/ dlclal inquiry was instituted, but no sails
/ factory result could be arrived at. The
1 corps of poor Downie exhibited no mark
| of violence, internal or external. The i'll
/ will between him and the students was
/ known it was also known that the STU
! dents hired apartments III the hotel for
I theatrical epresentatlon-that Downie had
| been sent for by them, but beyond this,
/ nothing was known. No noise had been
/ heard, no proof Of murder could be ad-
duced. OF two hundred students at the
College, who could point out the guilty or
suspected fifty Moreover, the students
were scattered over the city, and the
magistrates themselves had many Of their
own families among the number, and il
was not desirable to go into the affair too
mlnutely. Downie's widow and family
were provided for-and his slaughter re-
mained a MYSTERY, until about fifteen years
after It's occurrence, a gentlemen on his
death-bed disclosed the whole particulars,
and avowed himself to have belonged to
the obnoxious class of students who muir
! dered Downie.