American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1856-01-24
ESTABLISHED IN 1925
Execution Of Three MurdereTs at
Uafnwatla


We 6ud in the Lafayette Courier, Of FRI
day evening. a brief mention Of the execu-
ton Of the murdereTs. RICE. DRrsnLL, and
STOCKING. The Courier says.
AT ten minutes past two O'Clock, this p.
NJ. Stocking. Rice and Driskill were duly
executed by the hands OF the Sheriff, Thom-
as Jefferson Chissom-the first named for
the murder Of John Rose, and the two lat
ter for the murder Of Cephas Fshrsnbaugh,
We have only time this evening estate
that We Witnessed their execution, which
was done in due form and promptly. Nei-
ther of the miserable culpEits. had any COM
fession to make. but on the contrary, each
protested his innocence to the last-even
upon the scaffold.
Such stoicism-such utter indifferencs
to the fate that awaited them, was, perhaps
never Witnessed before. Each washed him.
self. combed his hair. and dressed himself
with as much composure as though, they
preparing to attend some festival occasion.
Stocking even cOmposedly read the news
items of the New York Evening Post, after
his arms and legs were pinioned for the
scafold, as though he We're waiting the
arrival Of an omnibus TO convey him to.
some pleasure party. After the drop Of
the fatal scaffold, scarcely muscle OF Ell.
ther of the victims moved, to indicate the
dying struggle.
Stocking, Rice and Driskill are dead
justice has been vindicated, and the world
moves on as though nothing had occurred
to interrupt its progress. A large crowd
was in town. but only about forty Witness
ed the horrible tragedy. "A,
From the voluminous details OF ofincidents
given by the Journal, we quote as follows
At IL O'Clock they were asked if they
were ready for dinner. Rice replied yes,
l am hungry Driskill said that he Wait
ted "a good old dinner, as it was the last;
he didn't want to die hungry He remark
ed to Rice, well get supper somewhere
else, Abe The dinners were brought in
and despatched with great heartiness. AZ
ter dinner. each of them in turn, washed
and dressed himself for the final moment
They could not have made their toilet
with more deliberation and GOODNESS il they
had been going to afrolic.-Driskell, when
washing. remarked tbiongh the window,
near which he was standing, to some one
outside, that he was getting agood ready.
In putting on his shirt, Rice discovered that
button was missing. ..Drisksll told him
to sew one on. Rice replied that he had mt
time. Driskill nonchalsntly rejoined that
there was IAN hour yet He compliment
ted Rice with looking id ftarcby'
Rice, as he finished, observed. We'll, gen :
tlemen, reckon there was not willing
er soul to die than am Stocking said
nothing, but conducted himself fas be did
throughout, } with great dignity and firm
ness.
The sheriff then proceeded to adjust the
, fatal ropes. Rice requested that stool
which had been placed for his accommo-
dation on the scaffold. might de removed,
and on his request not being immediately
complied with, be removed it hiuself. He
then knelt down, inclined his head foreward
remarking that he had "seen men hung .
BY which we understood that he regarded
that as the proper position. Driskill on OBJ
serving it said. "a5e. are you going to
knee?' Rice answered eyes" He then
turned to Stocking and said. "Stook, which
way is the easiest to die-kneel or stand?
l want TO die the easiest way" Stocking
replied that he should stand unless be
thought there was danger of the rope brea
king. The sheriff assured him there wa,
no danger. He therefore stood up. but
Driskil kneeled. The caps were then
drawn over their faces, and at twenty-five
and half minutes after 2 o'clock the boil
was withdrawn and the culprits launched
into eternity!