Georgetown weekly news., 1854-11-09

AGAINST Tie laws Ol MS COuutfN. L eiD1llkS
had sworn false when he testified that he
/ Tooan) had went to the claim to kill Fen
nell | have lived forty-seven years, fellow
citizens-nO | am not a fellow-citizen-
| fortv-seven years without committing mur-
der: and if | did kill man who would 9TH
erwise have killed me, | die innocent of
murder. The court, jury and district attor-
nev had treated him as murderer for de-
Tending his own life Everything had been
aoainst bim-nothing in his favor. He had
! been prosecuted. He upbraided one Of the
/ witnesses who had sworn against him, but
at the same time acknowledged the truth Of
what he had sworn Gentlemen, yGu are
all on the bread road to Hell. | was once,
but now I am going to Heaven as sure as
YOU are on the way to Hell.
The prisoner had spoken at considerable
/ length. though lie had stated that he would
not be able to do so. lie went on repeat
inc. in en- unconnected manner, what he had
said before-stating some things in man
ner quite inconsistent with the foregoing
portion of his speech. Sheriff Buel inform
ed him that the hour appointed for the exc
cution was at hand. Logan stopped speak
/ ING, and turning to Rev Mr. Taylor, re-
marked: ''We had better spend the remain
der of the time in prayer" The prisoners
were then placed on the drop, the ropes put
about their necks the long white shrouds
put on, and the black caps drawn over their
/ faces Meanwhile, Logan uttered an inau-
dible prayer; Lipsey remained silent and
motionless. Rev. Mr.. Taylor addressed the
/ Throne Of Grace in an eloquent, appropri-
ate and solemnly impressive manner, when
the drop fell. By an accident as unaccount-
able as it was impossible to prevent, both
knots slipped-notwithstanding they had
previously sustained a weight of four hun
/ dred and fifty pounds each, dropped six and
half feet the distance fixed for the prison
ers to fall.
Immediately after striking the ground
beneath the scaffold Logan pulled the cap
/ from his eyes to see if Lipsey had come down
with him. then rose to his feet, and with lit
/ tie assistance, (his feet having been untiedl
re-ascended the scaffold Lipsey had to be
carried up, though he had not been serious
ly injured by the fall. No disturbance was
created by the fall, except that nearly the
entire crowd seated on the hillside involun-
/ tariy rose to their feet The prompt action
ol Sheriff Buel and his Deputies in the
premises prevented the least manifestation
Of excitement further than was exhibited
/ by the movements OF some hundred or so Of
spectators, who fled precipitately from the
scene Of execution
The ropes were speedily re-adiusted. AT
ter the cap had been drawn over his eyes,
and Just before the rope was to be cut Lo-
gan asked the time Of day and demanded to
/ see q watch. The cap was raised and a
watch presented. He remarked "Ah, you
/ have twenty minutes yet-if it was two
/ O'Clock | would demand my liberty under
! the law, and turned away with muttered
laugh that we could not have expected to
witness coming from dying man.
Lipsey required support to stand up
After being placed on the drop the second
time. he said in a suppressed tone as il to
himself, Il don't think I'm murderer at
heart" Just before the rope was cut he
said: BE quick as you cant am fainting
! am Just gone" These were his last
words. Logans were: Lord Jesus receive
my spirit" A brief prayer from Mr.
Taylor, and James Logan and William
LlPsey passed into eternity, at the fall OF
the drop, with scarcely struggle They
renamed hanging half an hour, and having
oeen pronounced dead by Drs Taylor. OF
/
were taken down and placed in their COZ
fins.
Lipsey has left a written confession. He
said in prison that he belonged to a good
iamiiy-that he once conducted himself
properly. bat that liquor had brought him
to a terrible end. He was a young man
about twenty-five, we should think. I.o-
gan, also, has left awritten confession In
prison, he seemed to labor constantly under
the impression that something would trans
pre- to prevent his execution He was for
4 ty-seven'years Of age, stout. hale and hearty.
After the bodies had been placed in their
respective coffns, Sheriff Buei addressed tbe
multitude with few well-timed and annro-
pirate remarks, thanking them for the strict
order and silence that had been observed
and expressing his sincere regret that anac-
cldent had occurred which no human Wis
dom could have averted. He hoped that
he might never again meet those before him
on similar occasion.
Great credit is due to Sheriff 13uel and
his indeiatigable assistants. for the evceod-
lngly orderly and deliberate manner in which
every preparation had been made. and in
when the entire proceedings We're copduct-
e. 1t was by far the most orderly and qui-
ct large body Of men we have ever seen. col
lected together. The prisoners had been
treated throughout with the utmost kind
ness; and the preparations made for their
execution had been made with singular care.
and desire to lender the mode of their
death as easy as possible, under the law
which directed that they should be hanged
by the neck. AS before stated. thew died
with scarcely struggle bodily suffering
was not added to their mental anguish
We are informed that Logan's wife and