Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-04-20
MisteIIanD.
Execution OF Jewell--ThrllIIng Mar
rntive---His Dying Speech ON the
scaffOId.


The dark curtain has fallen-the dismal ira
gedy is ended-and the real actor iD.thal sad
and tragic drama Of life. which opened 50 fear
fully with the death Of Mitchell, has followed
bis murdered adversary izto the mysterious
world of shadows. David Jewell was execu.
ted in the jail yard yesterday, at Eve minutes
OF two o'clock. We visited the Jail about nine
o'clock in tie morning. and found even at that
early hour, crowds Of interested and excited
observers gathered round the outer walls, most
numerous about the entrance on Ross street,
where the deputies were to be admitted. One
or two companies Of citizen soldiery had been
stationed here, and guards were picquetted un-
der the walls Of the Jail, inside of the iron
railing which separates it from the street. As
the day advanced the crowd increased to such
an extent, and filed the street so compactly,
that it was impossible for those whose presence
was required in the Jail, TO effect an entrance,
and the military were forced 10 charge bayo-
nets, and form a'square around the GATE
Entrances were afterwards effected without
difficulty, and perfect order maintained.
The prisoner had farewell and final inter-
view with his family on Thursday, between the
hours of one and two O'Clock, p NJ, his bro
ther IA clerk in the House Of Representatives
at Washington, alone remaining until fve.--
Several ministers were also with him during
:he day and night, among whom we recollec;
the names Of the Rev'ds. M'Gowan, Douglass,
Brown, Dempsy, Nevin and Carr, Offering
him the eonsoling hopes Of our religion and
comforting him with their sympathy and
prayers He suffered acute mental agony, not
sleeping any during Wednesday or Thursday
nights, and during that time scarcely touching
food. He prayed and wept much, and offered,
in his changed demeano', evidence of contti-
ton and repentance. He was engaged during
the morning in religious exercises, and had
touching interviews and melancholy farewels
with few Of his friends, among whom, and
commercially moVed, we noticed bis eloqent
and devoted attorney, Mr.. Darrah. d.
At half-past eleven, files of soldiers were
marched into the yard, and stationed around
the gallows: and shortly afterwards the depu-
ties invited by the Sheriff, numbering three or
four hundred, and the jury which convicted
the prisoner, were also admitted. The Sheriff
then briefly and apparently addressed those
present-reminded them of the solemnity of
the occasion, and Of the sad scene which was
about to be enacted; hoped that strict decorum
would be observed, and felt confident, from the
gentemanly character of the representation
present, that the hope would be fully realized
The Sheriff shortly afterwards (about one
o'clock entered the cell of the prisoner, and
Informed him that the time had arrived when
it became his painful though necessary duty to
remove him to the scaffold. The prisoner re-
ceived the communication with firmness, evin-
cling only in his twitching lips and slight
shiver through his frame, the power of that
great mental anguish, which was inseparable
from bis situation. He submitted himself qui-
etly to the hands Of the executiuner; and as
that grim funCtionary, grim and hideous, even
for hangman, knocked off his irons and pin.
ioned his arms, he turned his eyes towards
heaven in silent reverie, broken only in brief
reproof to the hangman, who was discharging
these incipient duties of bis terrible Office,
with calous disregard to the feelings, physi-
cal or mental, Of the victim. u
At twenty minutes past one, the condemned
prisoner was conducted into the yard, leaning
upon the arms of the Sheriff and DR.. Glenn.
He passed on to the scatfold, mantaing a
most singular degree of frmness and serenity.
lie camly assembled the scaffold, preceding
his supporters; and walking forward, and
turning his white face he was intensely pale
upon the spectators, he spoke to them in a
clear firm voice to this effect: su !u
My friends: As the Sheriff has been very
kind to me during my incarceration, l have
desired him not to execute me in person. In
accordance with this request, another person
has been engaged for the purpose" He then
uufolded the following written address, and
read it distinctly the Sheriff holding the scroll:
To NE People Of Pennsylvania: '4 .'''
am about to die, and l desire to leave on
record dying mans declaration; Of course
they will be received for what they are worth,
but 1 will say this of them, that they are not
made for the purpose Of injuring any one; they
are made for the benefit Of my fellow citizens
and for the purpose Of rescuiDg my name from
the black and ignominiOus catalogue in which
misled and excited public seek to place it,
which position detest as much as any Of you.
I feel that am no murderer-that ] have
been ujustly punished that | have had the
..I O III. " H. ! D.