Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-06-18
a. True Sketch.

!
..rL-a ATrue Sketch. ~
The following faithful picture. drawn by Jane
! Fl. Smith, Esq, associate editor Of the Whining
ton Free Press actually transpired in our own cit
of Raleigh. We well remember the isoulthrillin
cries and narrowing shrieks Of the heart-brokei
mother. We stood near the gallows as the unfor
tunate victim prepared for the fatal drop, an,
warned the multitude around him to beware o
strong drink-the foul demon that had brough
him to his fearful end Anxiously he looked for
and seemed to expect the approach of o courie
bearing the Governors reprieve; and, writhiDg IN
der terror and suspense, he would cry-"It is hard
it is hard for one so young to die feloD's death
OH whisky, whisky! cursed whisky. it has ruinet
! me- The last FIVE minutes Of his time had come
the Sheriff adjusted the rope and death-cap; the
fatal cord was cut; and poor Madison johnson
hung between heaven and earth, the disgraced and
lifeless victim of strong drink.-Ed SPIRIT of the
Ags.
In the days of my boyhood, / knew young
man who was in the eighteenth year of his age, or
thereabouts. The healthy blood flowed in his
veins, and he bid fair to live many years. But al
though nurtured by tender parents, and taught to
avoid evil practices, he mingled in evil company
and at last he began to drink liquor. His father
who kept grogshop, ascertaining that he drank
to excess forbid the clerk from letting his have
any, on pain of being discharged. A few days af
ter this order the young man entered his fathers
shop, and demanded drink of brandy.
"Your father has positively forbade me letting
you have any" said the good-natured clerk. a4
II don't care what he or you says, either, I"
shouted the young man; for his passion was becou-
ing ungovernable
"You can't have any liquor from this place,
sir"
Il cannot"
"Not drop
Then I'll have something else," said the young
man, fercely; drawing pistol from his pocket and
pre- enting it at the frightened clerk.
"Give me liquor7
"I'll die first
Then die,-I1l have liqu0r!"
A report--and the clerk fell corpse on the floor.
The murderer was arrested. Mad with the effects
of brandy, he ragged the more as those around en-
deavored to pacify him. He became the sole occu-
pant of dismal dungeon-the felon's home, and
too often the poor drunkards home The uufor-
tunate youth was left alone; alone with his own
conscience, and with no eye to watch the opera
tons of remorse, when he became sober, but the
eye of the Eternal.
The awful day of his trial is at hand. He is
put upon his trial, and pleads Not Guilty.
Counsel use every stratagem to clear him; but, az
ter patient investigation, twelve honest and cspa-
BILE men pronounce him guilty of murder. The
Judge with sad heart and an unyielding sense
of duty pronounces the dreadful sentence Of death
upon the doomed man. He is remanded back to
his dungeon-home, where, cut off from hope in this
world, he might prepare for eternity.
The revolving wheels Of time bring the fatal
Friday; the crowds of men are gathering here and
there-every pulse beating wildly. The law will
be enforced. But what grefstricken group is this
who are vending their way to the Governors man
sionS They are making another soul-moving ap-
peal to the Governor. See they are kneeling at
his feet, and are pleading for the first pledge Of
their early love. The wild streams of the heart
broken mother ring out clear upon the air, and
reach even the cell of their beloved But there
is voice far louder than the terrific wall Of that
mother Justice thunders to the officer, "See thou
pardon him not. Blood for blood" Hope Is fed;
all is lost! ., -...,s.-.- -.
With the crowd we hasten to the prison. The
time has come to proceed to the place where the
horrible tragedy shall terminate. Behold himl o
God. save me from scene so Overwhelmingly sp-
palling He comes out of his Shiny cell dressed in
the habiliments of the grave. His mother-his
once beloved mother-is there, waiting to give him
one parting embrace. He kneels down and asks
her to forgive him for breaking her poor heart be-
coming drunkard, and consequently, murderer.
Weep, ye angels over scene like this! Oh youth
of America, be warned by his confession 1t was
that did it all The Sheriff proceeds to the fatal
spot-followed by an agitated crowd After
short prayer, the criminal ascends the scafold the
rope and cap are adjusted; short pause, and then
dull, heavy sound falls upon the air, and the still
ness of death comes over the assembled multitude
Justice says, "i am satisfied" The victim was
slain. Rum had done its work.