Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-11-29
@ensral gntelligents.


rator, intends 10 petition Congress once more for
the necessary funds 10 make balloon trip from
New York 10 Europe. Mr.. Wise is man of great
practical experience. He is cool and self-possessed
and lays claim TO all the necessary enthusiasm TO
ssput the thing through" The idea that the Atlantic
can be crossed, and that successfully, by balloons
has long been entertained. Wise says the distance
between New York and Liverpool can be done in
forty-eight hours. Mr.. Wise has made nearly one
hundred ascensions, and from experiments made
during these ascensions, he has demonstrated that
there is within two miles of the earth a current Of
air constantly blowing from west TO east, at
of speed varying from forty TO seventy miles an
hour With this speed, the distance between New
York and Liverpool would be done in little over
forty hours Mr.. Wise does not suppose that
balloons will ever play very prominent part in
commercial matters, although he thinks they
would prove an invaluable auxiliary 10 our Post
Office department. The European mails, he
thinks, could be as well carried above water as
through tin balloon as in steamship. For
less than one-half the money which Congress
gives Mr. Collins, he agrees TO put on line of
balloons between the United States and Europe,
that will do the distance in one-fourth Of the time
consumed by the Baltic or Arabia. All Mr.. Wise
asks TO test his experiment is $4,000. With this
amount loaned 10 him, he would immediately con-
struct balloon whose buoyancy would be equal
to hundred tons. Wises plan is eminently
practical He does not intend 10 fight the winds
with steam, as some OF our Missionaries do, but To
take advantage of the currents of the wind.
II he should start from New York with south
west wind, he would coniine himself, by means of
a drag rope, TO the surface of the ocean. Should
the wind change, he would up with his drag, and
seek region where fair wind is always blowing.
Wise has the right idea of things, and f ever the
ocean is crossed at the rate of seventy miles an
hour Wise will be the man 10 do it, There is one
advantage about balloon trip that will commend
itself to everybody, there will be no sea sickness
nor any bad weather. Should storm set in, all
you have TO do is to throw little ballast, and
rise 10 the region of eternal sunshine.
We hope the idea will be allowed to develop IL
self All that Wise asks of the government, is an
appropriation OF ten thousand dollars which is
thirteen thousand dollars less than Congress fooled
away on Pages electrical engine. Again we say,
give Wise chance. If mails can be sent from
New York to Liverpool in forty hours the sooner
we go into the arrangement the better
[Al5any Knieke5ocker
Execution of Fogarty, at Erie, Pa.-On
the 25th instant this wretched individual, who
has been twice respited by executive clemency
suffered the extreme penalty of the law in the
Erie jail-yard.
His conduct since the trial had been exceed
ingly variable, sometimes indicating guilt and con-
triton, at others reckless indifference and bru-
tality. On Thursday evening he retired at about
eleven o'clock, and slept well through the night.
In the morning he partook of breakfast, with his
brother, and, when the latter evinced some feel
ing, at parting, he begged him to cheer up, for,
said he, iii will be all right shall very soon be
taking three skips over my own cofiinw Al about
nine o'clock, his sister and female cousin were
admitted 10 see him, and the scene was affecting
in the extreme. After they had retired, and pre-
cisey at ten o'clock, the sheriff, in the absence of
the district attorney whose duty is made by the
law, read him the death warrant, and concluded
by informing him that the day and hour fixed by
the governor for his execution having arrived he
mn ct nra for OH
little feeling during the reading of the document
which sealed his fate, but thanked the sheriff for
his kind treatment Of him during his confinement,
and asserted his innocence of the crime for which
he was TO suffer.
When the officers approached to clothe him in
the white garments, the last that he was ever TO
assume, his spirits seemed to fail him, and he beg
ged that the cap, at least might be omitted for the
present. He was, however informed that il was
necessary to comply with these details, and ac-
cordingly submitted TO being clad in the entire
suit, the halter being placed about his neck and
coiled in the bosom of his shroud. He continued
much affected for some minutes, constantly call
ing upon God TO aid, asserting his innocence,
avowing himself "a good Catholic" and ejaculat-
ing the names of his father and mother He wept
necessarily, at this stage of the proceedings, and
expressed pity for his brother and other friends
who would suffer more than he.
Here the cap was drawn over his eyes, and the
prisoner exclaimed: @Wake me to-night--remem-
The signal was now given, and at precisely IL
o'clock Sheriff Candee, with a single well directed
blow, severed the rope that held the drop, and the
justice of the law was indicated.
The rope permitted fail of about six feet which
must have been sufficient to cause almost imme-
diafe death, though some convusive action ofthe
muscles and stertorous breathing continued seve-
raj minutes. Drs. Hill, Baker, and Howell ex-
amined the body, and found the pulse accelerated
TO 100, diminished TO 60, and again raised 10 1875
within ten minutes after the fall of the drop. II
then futtered little, but finally ceased entirely at
fifteen minutes past twelve. After hanging for
twenty-five minutes, the body was cut down,
placed in coffin, and delivered TO the friends OF
the deceased.
Thus has been expiated one of the most fend-
ish crimes ever committed in this region. Though
the wretched culprit died protesting his innocence
the evidence against him was too clear to admit
much doubt of his guilt. The effort to clear him
was a strenuous one, and the court compimented
his counsel highly the strong defence set up for
his client. Hs was then, at the solicitation of
many who were interested in him, respted by
Governor Seymour, whose kindness Of heart
would not suffer doubt to rest upon the justice
of the conviction, but the case was too clear and
the law had its course. The murderer sleeps with
his victim.
Extradition Case.--A well dressed young
men about % years of age named Alexander Hell