Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-05-24

aSful and solemn reinbutlon OF be life 70
come, lie received with q cheerful and thank.
fOl heart The religion: instructions impaired
to him By tbs clergy Of this city. ADd other
Ries:.as OthumAnity. He confessed his guilt
and the many sins Of his life, and seemed
deeply penitsnt over bis misspent and wasted
existence. And We may charitAbly hope that
bis penitence has been aVaiIing with Him. who
gave his life ransom for Us all, and pardoned
even the thief aud murderer on the cross. Ksef-
er on the contrary -clung TO the hope Of life and
contrary to all advice, relied upon the chances
Of executive cIemency till within few days.
A man Of 2redominsting and abOunding pas
sion and impulse, one in whom the animal pro-
pensities seemed 10 control with unchecked en-
ergy, braced and braVed himself against the
convictions Of conscience and the oVerWhelm-
ing evidences Of guilt, and found fault with
Justice which condemned him to ignomy and
death. But during the last few days, and
when all hope Of pardon had fed, bis spirit
has been broken the strong man with no mo-
raj forces to sustain him, has become trem-
bling child; he who but few days ago, with
blinded conscience, and hardened heart, SEEM
ed insensibe to human punisbmenis, has now
under the awakening influence and dread of
impending and inevitable death, thrown him
self in almost the helplessness Of despair upon
the much abused mercy of Him whose mercy
endureth forever and who came to save even
the chiefof sinners. Let us hope that poor
KeeTer's repentance vas sincere, thought il
came at the eleventh hour
But we are reminded that the last second OF
time is come and the executiOner's hand is
uulifted-may have fallen-and even the souls
Of the criminals beyond either the power Of our
homes or cur fears And so it is for now
while we write, hurried and sOrrOwing messen'
gers have come to tell us that all is over. The
drama is closed upon the condemned. Theil
bodies are mangled and their spirits have gone
10 that bourne from whence no traveller eel
returns and to that tribunal where human
int. roositiou comes not, and where stern and
,ut,exible justice fixes the awards of eternity
on5 .attles the destinies of the immortal soul
We Oatbe; the following as the incidents
connected with the execution;
Al eight O'Clock most OF tiSSe clergy OF the
city. and the friends aud relatives OF the con
demned. assembled at the jail. Religious ex
ercises of solemn and affecting character
were observed, iu which the prisoners tool
part in deep feeling, and Propriety. They
seemed resigned to their fate. and expressed
readiness and preparation for death. MaddeE
said he was happy.
Shortly after the more public religious ex
ercises commenced in the Jail by reading ant
singing the beautiful hymn, commencing
There Is fountain 6lled with blood,
Drawn from Immanue's velns,'
The Rev. Mr.. Curtis, then read a portion @
the a3rd chapter Of Luke, from the 23rf t
the 43rd verses inclusive The Rev Mr.. Rob
inAOn, then offered up prayer. and was follow
re ed by the Rev. Mr.. Miller with the hymn CON
mencing,
'Wh. can read my title lear
Rev. Mr.. Curtis closed the religious cxerci
es with prayer.
During the progress of the religious exc
cises there we're several Interruptions by tn
crowds and rabble from without. Made
took very friendly leave Of the ladies OF tt
Sheriff's family, bidding fare well to each' az
saying in conclusion, 81 hope TO meet you
in heaven. To his friends Keefer said, "a
is we'll with me- and earnestly ezhOrted the
ell to prepare for death.
After this hey were both taken out oil the
cells, and ledt the cell Of their fellow prlso
:. er. Roman, Of whom they took an atfestlona
U, farewell, exhOrting him earnestly to prepare
= meet his God, after which, few minutes pa
. nine o'clock, accompanied by their friend, th'
- were taken by the Sheriff to the place OF ex
at cutiOn, which had been prepared within 7
aD. enclosure Of the Jail. They moved off vi
va. a firm and unWavering step, but Keefer' wh
i've he began to ascend the steps Of the sCaffOl
few faltered and trembled. While the Sheriff "
M. fastening the rope around the neck Of eac
,em they made various exclamAtiOns-G feel tha
40 am going to heaven, de-, DC. Kssier's i
mr.. saying was, Into thy hands, 0 God, ] CONN
Ter. my spirit When he bad adjusted the rOE
wa snd placed the caps over their heads. the sh
riff descended from the scafOld, and the dl
: /, cell at twenty minutes past one. The ro
lad By which Madden was suspended broke N 7
lad. fall. and he vas precipitatsd on his back to
ina lower platform. He was soon raised BY
re- Sheriff and his assistants and sgsin taken
an. The scafold. After The rope had been rel
ider Iiusted, be exclaimed twice. sudibly. DO
the murder me, gentlemen and then. with
land steady movement, stepped of the scaiEt