The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1852-12-18
Sentence Comm u.cd.

ScAxLAs, who, at the las: term Of our Circuit
Court, va. found guilty of n,urdSr in the trst de.
gree, and was senlsuced TO be hung en- the :ilh
last ,has had his sentence osmau.ed by the Gov
error TO Imprisonment FOX life. He left Ottawa,
with ex-Shsriif Goods,l, for Alton, On Wednes.
Day mornin: last
From Seanlan's own statement, the following
particulars Of bis lie are gathered up:
He was bern near Waterford. in ID. western
part Of ireland, where the lrshwas still ve.nacuar
nal where the Roman Catholic religion prevailed,
lie Acknowledged hiuselfa Romanist 10y birth
lie could neither read nor write. For a time
be KEEP! public house IN the old country In
1878 be emigrated TO Canada. where lie par.
chased farm, aud, in company wiki another
man, built a distillcry, aud commenced dis.iliing
Dat. said hs, Il am very sorry for H. His part
Der ruu tie concern in deb. aud inyo.rel Scan!aa
tosome amount.
lie doe, not know at precisely what time be
came to be States. For time be worked upon
tie canal this side Of Chicago, where he WAS con
silersd tfasty fellow, and always having some
property. After this, he moved to Marshal. Co.
a; What lime is not precisely known. About SIX
years ago he was married to lis last lie, who
Was widow. Previous TO this be had thee
wiYcs in succession, with WHOM hc had been
always prosperous in business.
With Ibis woman he did net live SO harmon.
ously. a; the time vi their last interview. lie
says he followed her from the house, wanting 10
have her stay with him. But she would not,
"N ell, then, said let us part good friends and
let me have kiss, and then .he jawGd me- and
picked up stick aud struck her single blow,
znd ..lled her"
Bat You did not mean 10 kill herr
""oh no. am sorry 70. it, struck her q
single blow.
when "a, at Lacon. Mr. Fowler (Presby te.
rian minister al Lacon) came to see me oF;en. He
was "a good man and hope God will bless him,
and believe he will. II WAS better f1r me at
LAcon God seemed near to nae there. did not
want to come away. 1t was my lawyers deinss
they have got all my property
Scanlau often regretted, and very seu.ibly. the
folly Of his lie in negloeting religion the cha,ch.
nnd the instruction of his children in religious
knowledge and tia; he should always have lived
f1r this world lie often dweli with strong c..
preston upon his good lack in life 10 securing
property, and upon he being hard working
honest, lsbOrins man.
lie was thankful Tor the visits # I minister.
and listened atteniively and with sarnes;ness TO
tho great truths Of the gospel. II was = mystery
to him how lie should be LEFT ~ commit such q
crime, aud now that he was condemned and lis
r--r--'- - . 800, S'. 900 ~aH1 OI.'e. Ir
was not at all willing to 90 to Alton. lie would
rather die" Yet he did not wsh to be hung.
aud fel! that it VAS hard thu. to terminate lie;
but that, II hat mus; he, he 1hoald give up his
soul TO God, and trust in hs mercy, nddp. "aul
believe he will have mercy on me-" lie en-.
deavosej to be psatent for all HE error. pal sa.
anl would often pray G.I to hare mercy on lie
soul
Seaman nov not lar iioH sixty years Of a;r.
lie has bcsn.a stout, tall, vigorous ulan Always
scmsw hat incorporate, yet not aliowu. shisAey
to 81; the upper hand q Lin. lie isIow feeble
ard would seldom get Up f,Om bis cell, during
the day.
In that be Killed lis wife, be was unfortunate.
Many brutal hu.band la, done vha; b. did,
without fatal result. His is striking instance.
ia which the indulgence of sinful passion las led
ia fatal event 1t was not 90 much the wh.tey .
. lis brain, as the habit of being uuconiroll.by .
lDgry, that made this unhappy man murderer