Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-06-18
I.ATESu'NEWS.
Execution OF Return ,. VI. Ward.


he Toledo tohiol papers give accounts OF the
hanging of Return j. NJ. Ward, on Friday last.
for the murder of his wife:
Precisely at IL clock Ward issued from his
Cell. attended by Father O'Connor and Sheriff
Springer. chairs were placed ON the plat
form Of the gallews, in one OF which he took his
seat. the priest aud an attendant occupying pln-
oes at his ,de.-The house was perfectly still as
he took his place. The prisoner previously 10
being brought out Of the cell, was dseadtully eN-
tied his pulse running As high n l20 I" 10 per
minute; and for a half hour before leaving II he
was occupied with the priest saving his pra, ers.
and bidding good bye to a few friends who visi-
ted him, A. they appeared and took places on
the gallows, one could have heard PIN drop.
His limbs were secured 10y Col. Lathrop Of Syl-
vanla. Ward was dressed ina white robe,
white pants aud white slippers. with cross n
round hi~ neck. which lie held in his hnnd.-lle
wore white kid gloves, and ,rcmhled violently,
but seemed more composed as the priest wills
pered n few words to him. Sheriff Springer thnn
read the death Warrant fer Wards execution,
and the certified copy of the from the
Court I" which tho prisoner listened with great
attention.
Wards dying speech was simply the raving of
an over excited and broken down mind. lie was
so thoroughly uu>nung that his words were
more hk" the workings OF insanity thpn intelli
genoe. lie occupied the platform in sitting
position for nearly AN hour with the two priests
by his side, aud spoke and prayed at intervals
lie continued this for some time, and then refer
red To his wite thus i hope TINT this will be
warning 10 many men. hope that there will
never be any more crime in the world. On |
killed my wife, That enough made up my
mind that if | could not have her nobody else
should. have always been II Woodworking man.
give my body to the preachers. and my soul TO
-. Ah let me sec | give my body 10 tho
preachers aud my soul 10 my maker i'-lle then
muttured ucoherenly for II few minutes. and
concluded by saying he had just as leave tell all
his sins : not.
The moose WINS put about his neck Ivy shtr.
if Springer. He kissed one of the priests, and
arose to his feet saying. II am not afraid to
die" He turned to the Sheriff and addressed him.
springer, you did not have 50 much fuss about
that fellow mt Cleveland, did you'll II ON this I'M
til the fall he was praying. utcring the contes-
sion, and mutiuring incoherrnt sentences The
cap was drawn over his face by the Sheriff, and
he repeated II prayer after the priest. His last
words were: 40; my God am thine thou mt
Nine
As he said these words. and at precisely five
minutes before l2 O'Clock, the bolt wns drawn
and Ward dropped straight down, mud hung mo
tionless-- only one slight motion of the foot aud
all was over. The crime was exriated Ward
was dead We Immediately left the place, and
the incoherent rawlings, the nervous aud excited
appearance of the murderer on the gnows, and
the still white form Of the slowly swinging body
none of those who were pre- sent will ever forget.
After the body of Ward had hung till life was
extinct. it was taken down aud carried 10 tho
Catholic Church, where great crowds OF people
visited il.