Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-04-05
Execution of a Murderer.

A SCENE Under THE GALLows.-John Fifz-
Gerald. who deliberately murdered his own ftther'
lis mother. and his brother. some months ago.
wn. hung at Auburn, New York. on Saturday
last, during a snow storm. III he AUBURN hhe''
ean saws he passed the previous night in pro-
found sluinber. end on Saturday morning dress
cd himself with scrupuous care. For time
bef,,e leaving his cell he laughed heartily at The
crowd on the outside who were exposed IT, the
snow Storm The American further says:
One snid TO him John, if the Governor should
come in now and commute your sentence 10 iin.
pri,onment for life, would you like III" No,slr.
he replicd: Il would step right out and pull
hemp in preference. ! haa ra'he' To- n""B '""''
go to prison for life''
A dactor present asked him if he had any OBJ
lection to giving up his body to be deseeted! we
were shocked nj the inquiry.bu he replied with
lond laugh mo. sir,' You would look pretty
cutting up my body!'
II was announced to him then that clergy
man wished TO see him. He replied-"lt he
comes in here he'll get my fist-thats ALL What
GOOD can no do me now 7" | don't want him.
An earnest appeal was made to him forgive his
L.o,bor lie replied THAT he had kind words
only for those who had been kind to him since he
had been in prison" lie utterly refused to for
give his brother! I'm
,ha,s all Won can do Can't you arrange the
hanging SO that | can touch it oft myself! l
want to die; Pm tired of Jail life, any way
The sheriff entered the hall, and said that the
prisoner requested that not word should be ut
tered after he was brought in. and that the exc
cu,on should proceed in silence. Prior to this
he had knelt down in prayer with the fev. MIR.
| Ives manifested much emotion. and shed tears.
Still he &C uld not forgive his brother, or ack-
| nowledge the horrible atrocity OF his crime.
The prisoner entered the corridor arrayed in
gown Of white which covered him from head to
feet He had on a pair of dark pantaloons and
eater boots. He was placed under the moose
amid profound silence. lie was apparently cool,
! firm. and bore himself bravely at that dreadful
moment While deputy was adjusting the rope
about his neck he took umbrage at something
that was done, and exclaimed: "Gentlemen,
| don't tortue me hung me. if you want to ~ And
| then he added, to some ono near him, I'm a
pretty hard boy"
lie turned to Mr.. Morgan and asked if choro-
| form could be administered to him. The reply.
of course. was in the negative. He never spoke
again. The white cap was drawn over his head,
the rope was put around his neck. The victim
was readv for the execution. The spectators
stood hrrathrss. His arts were pinioned, and
his wrists tied together. He stood firm and un
moved. He did not quail, even at that awful IN"
mrh. ,.Ne noticed that his fingers twtched a
little md that he twirled his thumbs some, but
| there was NJ exclamation, no prayer, no SOB, no
sigh 10 repentance.
At precisely six minutes past O'Clock, the
rope was cut, and Fitzgerald was twitched, with
violent jerk. about three feet from the floor
/ The hoist must have broken his neck. He strug
gled very little. y few convulsive movements
about the chest were alone visible. In less than
six minutes the physicians declared him dead
and after hanging the required time he was cut
down and his body given over to the charge OF
his friends.
The heriess rrckessness of the prisoner was
| preserved almost to the very last moment, ant
his hrmness never deserted him. During Tho
morning he danced and sang in his cell, ana NJ
one would have dreamed that he know he wa
| within few hours of eternity.