The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-08-18


At the midsummer assizes, held A. ID.
1921, at Cheltenham, England, one Thom-
as Street, was transported for sheep steal
ing. Great, therefore, was the surprise Of
the criminal officials of the place to find the
identical Thomas arrested for stealing
clothes from hedge, in the spring of the
succeeding year. He had escaped from
the hulks, wherein prisoners sentenced to
Transportation were confined. But what
intatuaton led him back to the very scene
where recognition and the punishment of
death must ensue. Here was a mystery
which the quidnuncs could in no wise faith
ON.
However, Thomas Street, already con-
victed of shecp-stealing, was no less guilty
of the second charge; he was tried, found
guilty, and condemned to the gallows,-
the Judge remarking, with a bengnant
smile, that to such an offender no hope OF
pardon could possibly be extended.
Now there was something remarkable in
the earnestness with which Street protes-
ted his entire innocence of the second crime.
1t was remembered that he confessed the
sheep stealing, and, indeed, were it not for
his own confession, it was thought at the
time he might have escaped But though
he appeared perfectly careless OF life, he
protested soemnly, and with many serious
oaths. that he had never touched the clothes;
that he had returned to Cheltenham to full
fill very different mission, and that, though
perhaps he deserved hanging for his past
misdeeds and Intentions, his execution on the
present indictment would be judicial mur-
der
The chaplain urged him to confess
the sheriff, the turkeys, the doctor, CDR.
Homer by name) all followed suit, and I'M
plored him, as all hope was over, to save his
soul the additional and useless guilt OF per-
Jury. Still the prisoner was impenitent; he
laughed at the chaplain, smiled at the sher-
ilf and turkeys, but grew strangely when
ever DR.. Homer ventured to address him on
the subject.
He also possessed an immoveable belief
that he would not be hung. On the very
night preceding his execution, even while
he heard the hammers of the men engag-
ed in erecting the scailold, he assured
the turkeys in confident cherry tone, shat
Il reprieve was already on its way from Lon
don.
The morning came, Street was still self
possessed, as smiling, as jocose as ever
He attended chapel, but the good pas
tors eloquence failed to excite any terror
or remorse in his breast. He even sketch
ed very tolerable caricature, on the inside
cover of his prayer-book, OF man hanging.
The prison officers with one voice, declared
that they had never seen such GOODNESS
not stolid insensblitv, but downright
confidence of escape, in all their past ex-
perience. TWAS odd. Could it be insani-
ty!
Insanity or not, the death bell has begun
to toll; it is quarter to twelve, and at noon
ESQ said the Judge,) Thomas Street, an es.
capped convict, was to be hung by the neck
until he was dead
We shall now permit DR.. Homer, from
whom we received the story, to tell II IN ms
own quaint way, merely remarking that the
doctor is large headed, saturnlne man
slow of speech and greatly addicted to en-
phasis.
"Well, sir, when chapel was over, the
prisoner was requested to prepare hlmsei
forthwith for execution. He appeared u
grow a little anxious--shall say apprehen
sive AS the final ten minutes Jagged away
He even begged the sheriff, my brother,
said the doctor pompously, .'to delay flna
proceedings for an hour" OF course tn,
request was inadmissable, and the turnkey
were ordered to expedite his movements
Still the unhappy man seemed not to abat'
whit his ineradicable confidence in
rcprieve. the door opened he starte'
abruptly from his seat, and cried" Wen, ma
ii comet" In all my melancholy eXpe,rl
ence, said the doctor, folding back III
hands religously, as he SPOKEN all tn
painful scenes in my professional attendance
no extremity on the part of condemne
man, struck me SO mourntully as the infat
uated hope with which Thomas Street Pt
acoy from himself the sober certainty OF HI
fate.
The deathbell tolied sadly overhead; an
in spite of u stout resistance, at two min
u,esbefore twelve, the prisoner was brough
forward on the scafiold. Even then his eye
/, strained up the London road and he declare
firmly that she saw a horsen'an 9aaopp,ng ore
The crest of Leighton Hill" an emlnence
about mile and half from where we stoo'
He went further, that he heard the TRAMP
inc of the hoofs, and that it must be q RI