Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-08-10
EVENING STAR.
THE EXECUTION OF ANDRE.
TFrom Harper's Magazine for August

the scenes haIlowed by the sacred memories
OF the Revolution. We visited Washil. ston's
head quarters at the little village of t ppan !;
| 'he "Seventy-Six House." where Andre was
confined, the place where he was executed
| the grave whore he was buried, and whence
he was exhumed. We eonvcIscd with a ven
| erlble old lady who gave him four pe aches Oh
tho morning in which he went forth to die.
= lie tanked me with sweet sinile,'' he said,
- but some how or mother he didn't seem to
have an appetite. He only bit into one OF
| en-"
Standing by his grave, we could SEQ across
The broad Hudson, the very place he was ar
rested by Van Wsrt, Williams and Pauiding,
and the cleaning of the white morument
erected to their memory; the place where
Washington stood when Andre went forth 10
| die upon gallows.
The following account of Andres execution
| Is one OF the most minute and interesting that
| we have ever reads 1t was furnished by Mr.
4. Haesalbarth,~oE kockland County, the ais
| yay OF whh;h ke is engaged III writing. Ii
| was taken down from the lips of a soldier OF
Colonel Seduthan Baldwin's regiment, a parI
OF which WIS stationed short distance from
| where poor Andre suffered.
One VI our men whose name was Armstrong,
| being one of the eldest and best workmen a
| the trade In the regiment. was selected to
make his coffin, which he diG and painted il
black, as was the custom at that period
At this time Andre was confined In what
was called the old Dutch Church, small
stone building with only one door and closely
guarded by SIX seLtinelS.
| When the hour appointed for his execution
! arrived, which WAS at o'clock in the after
| noon, guard of three hundred men were
| paraded at the place of his confinement
| KIND of procession was formed by placing the
guard IN single file on each side of the road.
In front were a large number of American off =
| GERS of high rank ON horseback. These were
| followed by the wagon containing Andres
| coihn, then a large number of officers ON foot
| with Andre III their midst.
The procession wound slowly up mOder-
| ately rising GROUND about quarter of a mile
TO the west. On the top was d fed without
| any enclosure; and on this was a very high
gallowS, made by setting up two poies or
cIotehes, ana laying pole on the TOP.
Inc wagon that contained the colin was
| drawn directly under the galIows. In a short
thne Andre stepped into the hind emo of the
| wagon, then on MS coffin took off his hat and
| ltld 1t down then placed his hands upon his
! hips, and waikea very uprghtly back and
| forth, as far as The lengJh o. the wagon would
| permit, at the same time casting his eyes up
| to the pole over his head, and the whole
| scenery by which he was surrounded
He was dressed in a complste British uni
| totm. His coat was of the brightest scarlet.
| faced and trimmed with the most beautiful
green. HIS UudeI clothes, vest and breeches
| were light buff; ne had long and beautiful
| head OF hair, which, ag eeable To the fashion,
was wound with a black ribbon AID hung
| down his back
Not many mirUteS after he took his stand
upon tAe coffin, the eXCcutiOner StepDed into
the wagon with a halter IN his hand on tire
END q which was what the soldiers in those
days called q " "hangman's knot which he
attempted 10 put over the head and around
the neck of Andre; but by a sudden move
| nent Oh has hand this was prevented.
Andre now took IF the handkerchief frorl
bis neck; unpinned his shirt collar, and d.
ilberately took the cord of the halter put +
over his head, and placed the knot diiec.iy
under HI right ear, and drew 1t very snug
To his neck. He th n took from his coat pocket
handkerchief, aud tied 1T before bis ewes
TINS done, the officer who commanded spoke
in a rather loud voice, ard said:
His arms must be ted
AudreW at once drew down the handker
chief which he had tied over his eyes. and
drew from his pocket second one. which he
gave to the cXecutl0ner, and then replaced his
handkerchief.
His arms a. this time were tied lust above
the elbow, and behind the back
The rope was then made fast To the pole
overhead. The wagon was very suddenly
drawn trcm under the gallows, which together !
with the length Of the rope, gave him 2 most
tremendous swing back and forth but in a
few moments he hung entirely still.
During the whole transaction he seemed as
little dauntcd John Rogers was when ho
was about to be burnt at the stake, although
his cCuntenance was rather pale.
lie remained hanging from twenty 10 thirty
minutes, and during that time the chambers
of death were never sJiller tn an the multitude
he Srlrr Hol n~lo
gwen TO cut the rope and take him down with |
out letting him fall This was done. and the |
body carefully laid on the ground. |
Shortly after the guard was withdrawn and /
pectatOrs were permitted TO come forward To |
view the cOrpse; but the crowd was SO great |
mat II was some time before 1 could get an /
opportunity. When was able to do this. his /
coat, vest, and breeches had been taken off. |
and his body laid IN the coffin covered by some 1
uhder clothes. The top of the cUfin was rot
put on.
viewed the corpse more carefully than | |
had ever done that of any human being be- /
fore. his head was very much on one side,
In consequence OF thel manner in which the
halter had drawn upon his neck His lace an.
peared to be greatly swollen and very black,
resembling high degree of modification /
1t was, indeed, most shocking sight t. be-
hold
There were, at this time, standing at the
foot OF the cothn, Two young men of uncommon
snort stature. They were not more than four
feet high. Their dress was extremely gaudy.
One Of them had the clothes Just taken from
Andre hanging on his arm. took particular
pains to learn who they were. and was il
formed that they were his servants, sent up
from New York to take care of his clothes
but what other business L did not learn.
L now turned to take view of the execu-
toner, who was still standing by one of the
posts Of the gallOws. | walked near enough
to him TO have laid my hand upon his shout
der, and looked him directly in the face. He
appeared to be about twenty five years of age;
hls beard Of about two weeks growth; and
his whole face covered with what appeared to
Inc to have been taken from the outside of
greasy pot: Amore frig ghtful looking creature
l never beheld. His whole countenance BE-
spoke him TO be fit instrument for the busi:
Less be had been doing.
remained upon the spot until scarcely tWel-
ty persons were left; but the coffin was stiIl
beside the grave, which had been previously
dug.