Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-01-17

saw tucncCAfCo D1 cdlIluClH2 me-. Il CuCCl-
fully give up my life. AS my last words /
solemnly swear that / never murdered man
woman or child, so help me God"
Rice spake to the following effect:
"Gentlemen, my name is Abram Rice; you
all know me; l came here in 1910 am now
going to die, Idle for men who were towards,
| was at Farenbaugh's on the night OF the
murder. I'll tell you all about it. LOngley
and Clark came to me the day before. and
asked me to buy some powder and shot
They said they were going to the ice house,
where there was a We, aud as some
other fellows might be there they wanted to
be prepared. Clark went with me and we
bought five cents worth of powder and ball.
/ afterwards met Longley and Clark 1t Hag-
gerty's | asked them where they were going.
They said to the ice house, and asked me TO
go along. We met Driskill at the swing
bridge. It was raining and he had an UNI
brella. We all went to the ice house. The
rest wentin, but | was too drunk toclime the
ladder. [ laid down at the corner Of the house
and Nent to sleep. They walked me when
they come down, and said they were going
out to Wild Cat. They said there were wo-
men there. Driskill wanted to take me back
home, but / insisted in going along. When
we got to the other side Of the wide water,
Aou-iCN DTODOScu W CAduHC CodlSg ALQ Sofu "A
l would act the cripple that we would have
no difficulty in getting in. l agreed. We
went up to the door and knocked. Faren-
baugh, | suppose it was, gotup and opened it.
The boys forced me in. There was a low
fire. / sat down in a chair by it Had no
sooner done so than | heard a pistol. IL APP
peared to be behind my back, mex TO the
door. 1t was all over in a minute. We star
ted to run, asked the boys what itussnt~
but got no arswer. We psTr7t Tn1[ SD
Aliens, and I came home
is the truth. l am going &c die.
coward, but die innocent of either murder or
robbery. / forgive my enemies and hope
that God Almighty will also forgive them.
l leave my love TO all"
Driskill said that Rice had said all he (Dris-
kill) had to say. He hoped that nothing
would be published about him but the truth
for the sake Of the feelings of his friends.-
Much had been published about him that
was false. He, too, fOrsaye all who had
wronged him, and hoped God would forgive
them also.
Rice then inquired il the Prosecuting At
torney, MIR. Naylor, was present, and on being
told that he was not, he expressed his regret,
as he had something to say to him. He said
+. that in his trial he stood no chance. al hate
to speak it." be remarked, but l think the
: Prosecutor took unfair advantage Of me. He
went around to all the other prisoners to get
: all the facts he could against me, but he ne
= yer came to me to ask me anything. / know,
too, that some of them told him that | was
innocent. Why was l put ON my trial first,
then ? It's unfair to try a man right off,
And / think %juryrnen ought not to be called
from the country. They ought to be men Of
education. A countryman would say to a
. man in the street, Do you know Abe Rice p
Yes, he Is a bsa man; he once tried to kill
, me- and he SLOWS that 10 bias his minds-
\ 1t is very hard to get the right kind of Jury
= men, l know. There are so many ignorant
/. men,
! At the request of Dr:skill he then made a
statement in regard to conduct in one of the
! jurymen on Driskills taial towarls his (Dris-
kills. mother, offs most outrageous character,
which, for good reasons, we suppress publish
, ing, but which certainly deserves investiga-
! ton. He concluded by again bidding good
+ bye to ALL" and turning to the Sheriff said /:
r "Hon. Mr.. Sheriff, / am ready"
The Sheriff then proceeded to adjust the
6 fatal ropes. Rice requested that a stool
which had been placed for his accommoda-
, ton on the scaffold, might be removed, and
. on his request not being Immediately COM
/ piled with, he removed it himself. He then
knelt down and inclined his head forward,
remarking that he had sseen men hung" by
: which we understood that he regarded that
as the proper position. Driskill on observing
, : it said, "Abe, are you going to kneelT'-
Rice answered 'yes-D He then turned to
Stocking and said, "Sock, which way is the
easiest to die-kneel or stand? ] want to
die the easiest way Stocking replied that
4 ne gnOUlQ stand unless he fh0UOhf fhQra xvoa
danger of the rope breaking. The sheriff
assured him there was no danger. He there
: fore stood up, but Driskill kneeled. The
. caps were then drawn over their faces, and
at twenty-five and a half minutes after two
, o'clock the bolt was withdrawn, and the cul-
prits launched into et%ernityi None of them
, gave evidence Of protracted suffering. A
slight spasmodic action was observed in Rice
) fora minute or two, but, as far as wc could
; see, neither Stocking or Driskill moved
The necks Of both were evidently broken
! After hanging for twenty minutes the physi-
clans present examined them and pronounced
them dead. The bodies were then taken
down and placed in collins, and Rice and
Driskhl delivered to their friends. Stocking
was buried at the expense of the county.
Rice was q years of age, and was born in
Corydon, in this State. He was a timer by
trade. Driskill was a native of Harrisburgh.
Pa, had just entered his 23d year. Stock
ing was born in New York, and was 80 years
old. They were very bad men and undoubt-
eddy deserved to die.
The courage with which they met their ter
rible and ignominous doom, is the only cir
cumstance which entities their memory to
any degree of respect.