Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-06-20
ct was Rum that did It"

"It was Rum that did it."
We do not publish the-following extract
for the purpose of augmenting the miser-
les Of those unfortunate females who are
already tied to drunken husbands, but
simply with view of warning others, who
are yet to seek partners for life, to beware
of joining hands with men who show the
slightest disposition to indulge in the in
toxicating owl. Dear young ladies, will
you be advised by friend, to read the fol-
lowing narrative, and form within your
own bosoms, a fixed determination, that
through the mercy of God, you will never
be caught in such fatal snare that you
will utterly disregard the pretensions of
any man who evinces the least fondness for
spirituous liquors, and shun his company as
you would an enemy, until he reforms. The
language which heads the present article,
were the dying words of a guilty culprit,
who had pcrpetrated one of the most fen
dish acts, in drunken frolic, known to
the law. Yea, under the maddening in
huence, he had imbrued his wicked hands
in the blood of her, who but few months
previous, he had pledged himself to pro-
tect But alas for this poor woman in
stead of finding husband, she found him
to be her cruel murderer. The writer in
noticing this sad occurrence remarks:
There was no organ, with its swelling
notes dying away in heightened aisles, to
open the services there was no anthems
ofjoy and praise with which to continue the
worship of God there was no benediction
sweetly breaking upon the ear of devout
worshippers, as they rose from cushioned
seats to leave the house of prayer but the
service was imposingly solemn, and it
sank deep into the hearts of an we-stricken
assembly.
1t was the Court of Death There
stood Justice, stern Justice, in the person
of the executive law, and in his hand the
warrant which commanded him to revenge
the injury done to the peace and dignity
of society there were the men of God,
devoutly asking offended Heaven to purify
the blood-stained soul of the trembling
victim; there was the platform, the gallows
the rope, the drop, and observed of all
there stood the cringing, shivering outcast
who was to expiate his crime by yielding
up his miserable life as the last lesson ht
could read evil doers The criminal was
the preacher, robed in frock of white
girt by a black sach, and on his brow the
fatal cap. During this dressing for tht
grave, the distracted man cried out
Great God 0 my God what an end
have come to! Merciful God, look dowr
on me! 0 Lord, have mercy on my soul
It was rum that did it -!
L o his dying moment did that terrified
man proclaim that his murdered wife di'
not offend him in anything; that he love-
her, and yet under the Internal spell Q
rum had he imbrued his hand in he
blood that hand with which three shor
months before, he pledged her his low
and protection
We have never read of more harrowin
scene than the death of Dairy. He shrieke
; with terror, and his cries for mercy wer
J piteous. But he had been guilty of on
. of the foulest murders on record, and b
. must die; the safety of society demande
t his life. He could not escape his fate, an
4 he stood with halter about his neck, an
r. the hatchet was raised to sever the col
! which should launch him with his sins fu
l. blown into eternity, and there, lookir
s upon the terrible past and the dreadf
future, did he raise his voice and utter ii
n fearful warning against the use of intoxic
u ting drinks.
- Will the world hear and heed the wor
9 of this despairing man 20, that | shou
n come to such an end 1t was rum tn
did it! Will those who daily put an en-
my in their mouths to steal their brair
\ listen to this voice from murderer's gray
10 Tell them to leave liquor alone; it b
a been the death of me Weeping al
A. groaning, as the grave opened beneath
m feet, he screamed, God help me 7 &c
forgive me ! Christ assist me to pass Il
70 struggle !
ID Thisis no fancy picture, but drawn, VIC
re for word, from the scene in the prison.
m 1t was rum that did it.'-Sermen
al Buffalo,
bo TEMPERANCE.-The friends of Temperal
have great cause for congratulation and
joicing at their success, during the past ye
ne Look at the difference on Sabbath da,
o. formerly you could not walk square wi
ng out witnessing men and half grown b.
d, reeling and rioting along the public stree
/ desecrating the day with their blasphem
IA and horrible oaths-but now, what a chan
~ ~ we see no more rioting no more ours
'e and swearing-the day is a holy day
rG days shall thou labor and work, but
use seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy G.
and thus it should be, day of rest and n
II itation for the wearied soul and body.
Of total abstinence is so beneficial one day
the week, what good thing it will be W
prohibition becomes general all over
'ou iand.-Philadelphia Mail.