The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-13

appearing much refreshed and better prepared ss
| t6e chose.
and would here say that In all my watchiags with
the sick, dying. and condemned never left any oae
| more tranquil Ia mind and apparently more ready
ode, than the unfortunate youth who was so soon
| to suffer-
As early as eight o'clock people began to gather
about the jail yard and on the green and muoh anx
iety was manifested BY many TO get look at the
prisoner and the scsfold, which was surrounded by
large piece Of canvass which shut IL from the view
Of outsders No excitement was apparent, and
| good order generally prevailed The preliminary
arrangements were conducted in an admirable man
by Sheriff Parnelee and his assistants, and every
precauti0n was taken to secure the fulfllment Of
the law.
Soon after nine o'clock the Grays, Captain Jones'
and the Bluee, Captain Bssell. under the command
of Colonel Arnold, arrived the ground, and were
stationed in and about the jail ySrd to preserve
der The police and number OF special constables
| were also in attendance.
Attea o'clock, those having tickets were admitted
There were inside, including the military and the
| officers, about two hundred persons. The number
outside amounted to about one thousand large por
| ton Of whom were boys.
A few minutes after ten O'Clock Jennings left his
cell in company with Sheriff Parmelee and Father
O'Bren, the latter having been with him constantly
since six o'clock in the morning.
Enrobed in his gown, and with q paper cap upon
his bead, he ascended the scaifold assisted by the
sheriff and priest, when the prisoner Joined in
prayer, manifesting considerable emotion. He spoke
TO no one but the priest, and seemed absorbed in
| deep thought.
was adjusted, and after shaking hands with the
priest and sheriff. he burst into tears and groaned
aloud. The priest then left. The sheriff followed,
and as he placed his foot on the last step Of the
gallows the fatal spring was touched. and the pri-
soner was launched into the presence Of his God.
In about thirteen minutes after the drop fell, his
pu Sc ceased to throb and he was pronounced dead
ny the physicians.
The body was soon after taken down, and taken
into the prison and delivered up to his friends for
The only disturbance that occurred during the day
| was an attempt on the part Of a number of out
Gers to rush into the building after the execution
but tsey promptly driven back by the military
and order was Immediately restored, and the crowd
| soon dispersed.
ton we copy from the Palladium, the editors of
which paper were present.
Before leaving the CELL Jennings begged to pre-
sent to Sheriff Parmelee one Of the two books he
held in his hand. Some discussion as to which
should be given, arose, which ended by Jennings
himself selecting the Bible, and leaving the other
prayer book, for Mr.. Bryan. The mournful cortege
door, In the following ORDER
Sheriff and Deputy.
Father O'Brien, Prisoner, Father O'Gorman.
Undertaken and Assistants.
The prisoner was habited in q shirt, over which
was thrown light BLUSH sack or gown tied at the
waist in the manner of a robe de cfan,bre. He had
on light socks, and new black leather slippers, with
no cravat. While going out the prison door he was
somewhat agitated, and wept 90 much as to use
handkerchief. 1t was impossible to notice his step
rs he walked up the stairs leading to the scafi0ld,
as one clergyman supported him on one side and an.
other from behind.
Immediately on reaching the platform, 10 innings
and the clergymen fell on their knees. The prison
| er was violently excited, sobbng audbly. He soon
seemed more quiet and turned his attention to the
| crucifx in his hands. When prayer was finished,
they rose, and standing together, Jennings read q
| prayer from manuscript, in 50 low and broken q
tone as only to be audible to those upon the plat
form. They then fell upon their knees again, aud
Father O'Brien repeated prayer or litany descrip
tive Of the crucifxion.
led like lamb to be crucifed," jennings responded
from time to time, Have mercy on me, y Lord!
have mercy ON me-" Rising the prisoner turned
and sat down upon chair, and deputy tied his
awful position more than ever, and gaxed intensIy
| downwards upon the operation. BY the admonish
ing Of bis clerical friend, be- however, was induced
to tasten hiseyes upon the cruciix yet we saw him
| look with trepidatiOn on the work below. When
this was done, the party all rose, the knot ad
justed, and the cap pulled down. Father O'Brien
took him by the hand to bid farewell, and the
repeating, /" God bye-be With me to the last" The
clergymen Immediately went down and knelt by the
| foot Of the scaffold.
sheriff Parmelee now took leave Of him, saying
GOOD bye, good bye!' Az the Sheriff turned from
him, he began to cry out violently, saying, "Good
bye oh dear Lord de-" These were his last
words, for a. he said them, even thus the Sheriff
had hesitated before the last step Of the stairs,
attendant removed the block that supported it, then
he stepped upon it-and so, crying with fear, but
making no confession Of his awful crime to public
knowledge, Michael J. Jennings was swung Off from
time into eternity, at 2li minutes past 10 A. NJ,
July ii, 1854. Unfortunately, in his fall of some
six feet, the knot came farther forward than it
should, and strangulation commenced, but the neck
noticed the fingers interscing themselves in pain.
Medical men gathered around the body, dangling in
the hot sunlight, and found that his heart beat dis
tinctIy.
At g minutes past 10, his pulse indicated forty.
seven beats per minute. In H. minutes from the
time he was swung or pulsation ceased; in "a min
utes he was cut down. and his body returned to the
jail. The mourninl ceremonies were all performed
in the glare Of hot sum- that rendered 1t extremely
uncomfortable in the Jail yard where some two hun
\ dred gentlemen were present as witnesses Outside
the crowd was not as large as we saw present when
| Foote and MCanrey were hung, in 1850, and were
mainly quiet. One man, however, att smpted TO
wrest a musket from q member of the Grays, but
was himself arrested, and committed.
The body Of Jennings was placed in coffin this
morning and given up to his friend, Mr.. Pencdgrast,
Jr, who placed II in hearse and removed il. Far
Their than that could not ascertain Of its disposal
| Our thanks are hereby rendered to Sheriff Par
melee and Mr. Bryan for the facilities courseously
and literally granted us in obtaining materials for
this report.
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