Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-06-07
Do1NG,s BOU TOWN.

| tNS sew"
Of people Of all ages, c~olors, sexes and stations
had assembled around the prison yard to wit
ness the awful spectacle of a human being,
full Of life and strength, suffering death upon
the gibbet to expiate the crime Of murder
The fearful preparation Of the r~epulsive gal
lows had evidently been gone through with
IN the morning, the scafFold was erected, ard
every minutia performed, nay, the very rope
itself was already tied TO the beam whence an
immortal soul was soon taHbe launched into
eternity.
We entered the Sheriff. office at aboGfa,
quarter past II o'clock, and the most heart
rendiug means and sObs We ever heard f!om a
human voice fell upon our ear, interrupted every
now and then with heart moving appeals to
those present not 10 separate the mOurner
from him whom the grave would So soon hide
forever from her sight-her loved though err
ring and unhappy husband! It was the voice,
| thew were the cries and sobs, of the uufors
| tunatc wife of the wretched man whose race
was so near at an end! D, those cries, those
tears, thew would have melted a heart Of
granite! We thought then, and We say now,
| that, not for The whole Of the place, honor and
| profit attached to the Office of Governor Of
Louisiana, would we again have those hearts
crushing means ringing in our ears! They
would forever Danish sleep from our couch
Poor wife Poor Widow! Poor Mother!
The unfortunate Wilson himself, in the
dreadful hour. came forth and attempted to
console her, but in vain, and the officers, with
all the kindness and sympathy possible, per-
formed the melancholy duty. 1--WE will here
bear witness 10 the praisewOrthy manner in
which the Sheriff and his officers tried to temper
justice with geotleness and meFcy.)
Having bid his wife a last adieu, Wilson, ae-
companied by the priest, who had been with
him all the morning, marched out, dressed in a
long white robe, with white gloves on his
hands, and assembled the steps which led TO the
platform with a firm and lunwavering step
Once upon the scaffold, he devoted some time
to prayer, and then addressed the crowd at
some length. His voice was as clear and as
full, and his words were as well chosen as
though he had been addressing a meeting of
friends upon some common subject, instead Of
being, as he was, with the Ioathsome rope al
ready around his neck, and standing upon the
frail plank which alone interviewed between him
and the grave.
The substance Of HE remarks were, that he
had been charged by common report with haV~
ing killed one man besides the one whose
death he was about to expiate by the forfeit of
his own, but that the report was unfounded--
that he had never taken the life Of a human
being before, and that, in this ease, it was in u
fit of passion, and not premeditated. He also
stated that be had honorably served FIVE years
in the U. s. army, and been honorably dis
charged. when he married, and, a short time az
ter, re~enlisted for the term which was about
to terminate so unhappiIy. He said, besides,
that he had made his peace with God, and was
perfectly resigned to his fate; that be. from his
heart, forgaye all who had ever injured him, az
he prayed God forgive him. He brought his
address to a close BY iwploring sympathy for
his poor innocent wife and child, and hoping
that all present would be spared a fate as un~
happy as his. He had previously stated that
Wilson was not his name, but merely an as
sumed one. McCann is his name.
His speech was listened TO with q profound
silence and produced quite a sensation on the
crowd assembled; still, it was spoken without
the slightest attempt At effect or the seeming of
anything approaching bragadocia. Never, in
our life, have we witnessed a man dying on the
gibbet, in so dignifed and courageous a man
ner. He met bis fate calmly and without falter-
ing-indeed, it may well be said, that no died
with the fortitude of a christian.
AT - O'Clock precisely, the priest (who had
never left hin) gave him his blessing and a
last embrace, q glass Of water was handed him,
Of which he drank a little, the Sheriff and an
officer shook hands with him, the white cap was
drawn over his eyes. the moose adjusted, and
he was launched into eternity.
The fall evidently broke the spins, for be
scarcely moved at first, and about three MINI.
les after, be drew himself up convplsively two
or three times and than remained motionless.-
Twelve minutes afterwards, a physician felt
his pulse and pronounced life extinct. A plain
black coffin was then brought under the acaf~
foId-his body was lowered into ID few min.
utes after, and justice was satisfied and the law
avcnged!!!-Batoa Roags Gazette.
NaksnG House.-This delightful resort, one
hours drive, OF forty minutes steaming from
where eight hundred guests can be