Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-01-11


On Thursday, al O'Clock in thu afternoon the
three sisters of the doomed man visited him for
the last time. The interview was a very affecting
on. Donnelly, chained and confined within the
bars of bis cell, could only reach forth his hand
through tbeg rates 70 hid them farewell for ever :.
They conversedt osesher in tears for great wh ils
but the conversation was not permitted tobe pri-
vate. Constables, armed with loaded mus kets.
stood by. When, at last, the moment arrived
when Donnelly aud his relatives must part for
ever, and he reached forth his hand to press his
sisters for the last time, the excitement was too
much for him, aud he tainted away His two
youngest sisters were carried ont of the jail in
fdinting condition They departed in the after.
neon train for New York Their father was too
enfeebled to come. Several of Donnelly,s friends
from Washington Were there TO take charge Of
hts body. IL was his desire that he should be
executed inside of the prison, but the ceiling was
too low to hang him without much NEEDLESS suf-
fering. -....- .f..as Z ea --. .a...r -.r
About four O'Clock the workmen put up the
gallows In the yard adjoining the jail The
windows of the Jail were blinded with blankets
to hide the sight from the condemned man But
he could hear the noise Of the hammer and saw
In his cell as the carpenters fitted the frame to-
gsthrr. Mingled with these sounds came the
merry voices OF the schoolboys at play, who, Just
freed from their tasks, were laugh hing and shout
ing with childish glee, under the walls Of tue
Psikap.
During the afternoon Donnelly tainted again.
and he was very low-spirit.d the rest of the day
His confessor was with him frequently during
theday. He did not sleep at all that night; NOR
Phine was administered to him, and in the early
morning he fell into a doze, which lasted about
an hour ...
The Courthouse and Jail were guarded by the
military during the night.
His coffin arrived in the afternoon train and
was conveyed into the court house DonnelIy
hoped Oh Thursday to see the young lady of
Washington to whom he was engaged to be mar
ried Heretofore he refused to see her until he
was free las he expected to be pardoned,) but on
that day lie wrote a telegraphc dispatch request
ing her to come and see him before he died
Doanelly's friends, fearing the consequences of
the interview, telegraphed to her relatives not to
allow her to come. This fact, however, was not
communicated to him
In the morning, he met Rev. Drs Cummings of
New York, and Jungkel and Young Of Prince
ton, Catholic clergymen, with whom he joined in
devotional exercises. Rev. DIR. Cummings ad-
ninistered the communion, and Donnelly was
invested with the scapwIar. He appeared to be
very devout. The noise Of theshammers of those
who were preparing the scaffold erected in the
prison yard heard distinctly at this time, did not
seem to affect him. At the conclusion Of these
exercises Donnelly retired to his cell, and there
remained with his confessor, occasionally visited
by his friends, awaiting the hour appointed for
his execution. By his sentence, he was to be
hanged between 10 a. IN. and D. m. The Sheriff
decided to take him to the scaffold at IL O'Clock
The scene in Donnelly's cell just before he was
led out to be executed was one which indelibly
ssndi off It'd.
held 1t. In this narrow apartment, the grated
door Of which was thrown open, Were the pris-
oner and the clergymen who attended him Ia
Pers Were burning on the table. Donnelly ap-
peated to be- at times, engaged In prayer at other
times he conversed cheerfully with those who
Were with him. His face, though very pale
wore singular expression OF resignation. He
was dressed in suit of black bToadcotb, the
same which he wore on his trial with an EN-
b-oidered shirt, and collar turned over a black
neck-cloth. 1t was while arraying himself in
this suit that he remarked to one of the consta-
bles, with smile, ''These are Donnelly' grave
clothes" The hair OF the prisoner, which was
very black and glossy, had been permitted TO
grow very long and hung in curls about his neck.
He wore whiskers and a slight moustachs His
features were regular and handsome. with the
exception of his lips which were thin and press
ed together tightly. One of the priests was
dressed in his clerical costume and n. Id in his
hand d small crucifx The grated bars of the
cell, the pastures of devotion of those within the
>ott light shed by the tapers through tie other
wise gloomy dungeon, and the circumstances
which surrounded the young man-he would
have completed his twenty fifth year had he liy-
ed, on the Goth CT May next-about to be led out
out 10 expiae upon the scaf0ld the terri ole crime
or whioh he had been convicted, ali conspired to
make the scene most Impressive one.
At haif-past eleven O'Clock he took a small
quantity OF brandy He took from his pocket
several letters, which Were directed in envelopes,
and gave them 10 Messrs Newton and Cozzens.
two or his friends. To the latter he said as he
handed him d letter, ~ give that to her upon your
arrival at Washington" Soon afterwards he
partook Of bowl OF coffee and glass of bran
dy; after which he wrote brief letter 10 dis
tdnt friend.
Al five minutes Def IRE twelve clock DonuelIy
was led into the prison yard, into which a Inn
tied Dnmber of spectators had been admitted
hundreds of people from th- tree tops ana house,
in the vicinity looked down. The xiDb.t-a rude,
structufe-stood Al one extremity II the yard u
consisted OF Two wooden pO.is and d cross beam
and puily, over which passed rope 10 one rna
Of this were attached several weie hts 1852 lbs i
which, when permitted TO descend, womd drag
up the other end to which the was To be al.
tach.d On Either side OF the prisoner who was
not pinonrd, walked the clergyman who had
been with him. and the officers. As soon as he
had reached The platform under the galiows, hr
kn-lt, the spectators removed their hats, and
Rev. DIR. Jungkrl offered prayer. DonneIly
then arose. aud spoke for nearly two hours, ad-
dressing himself TO his - friends of New Jersey
Washington y
His speech Is considered the most elaborate
and eloquent that was ever delivered under the
circumstances. He referred feelinyiy TO the
death he was about TO snff.r for a crime Of which
he was wholly innocent. file thanked his old
schooiinates and friends who had gathered about
him in his last hour, and prayed that every bless
ing of God might attend them through life
The most remarkable portion Of his speech Is
that, in which In reviewing the evidence In his
case hr accused other paftes of the murder. He
said
civilian w. Smith, the proprietor OF the
Seavew House, stands before God with The brand
OF a perjured sinner on his brow, more than Dom
nelly does. have some questions to put to that
man ] am not carried away by the realities of
my position. but have some questions to put to
that man, which must be answered before he
leaves this world. In the west passage OF the
Seaview House there were tracks OF bloody
foot Donnelly, the alleged assassin, could not
not have made them, for he was not in that part
OF the house. Albert :. Moses was not there on
that morning. Who do we know was there that
morning in his bare feet? Who do we know
was there in his shirt and drawers that morning
w illiam w. Smith,
His speech consisted, for the most part, of
lame attempt to demonstrate from the evidence
that he was unjustly cOnvicted-that the witness