White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1858-07-22

ne VIII Oecome so weak, we will have to
carry him bodily to the gallows. Music
music at once, before his legs fail him
altogether"
Two drummers and fifer took their
places before the prisoner, and struck uI
the Rogue's March. A few score of ruff.
fanly men with muskets and bayonets
fell in behind him, and partly dragging
and partly pushing their prisoner along,
the procession, with Harrison at their
head, mounted on his iron grey charger,
took their way to the spot selected fol
the execution.
Then ensued such scene as we freely
confess we are unable to depict. Some
fifteen or twenty individuals, mostly ne
groes, ran along on each side of the pro-
cession with lighted torches, and more
than two-thirds of those who were assem-
bled at the encampment, having been
previously informed of what was about
to take place, at the first tap of the signal
drum hurried away from every quarter Of
the field, to take part in the procession.
The old field was alive with some three
hundred individuals, eagerly hurrying
along, jostling, cursing, and pushing
each other i'll their eagerness to get po-
sition near the prisoner. With yells and
fearful osths, intermingled with cruel
jests and heartless laughter, the multitude
rushed along to the scene of sacrifice.
The spot chosen for the execution, was
about two hundred yards to the north
east of the Colonel's marque in the open
field. Harrison had ordered that he should
be hung upon magnificent oak, that
stood nearly two hundred yards distant
from the margin of the swamp. A rope
had already been thrown over one of its
branches, and the moose hung to within a
few feet of the ground. ready to be fast.
ened around the neck of the prisoner,
while the other end rested upon the
ground at the base of the tree, near which
stood a savage looking man, to whom
had been allotted the task of drawing
him up.
Oh, how lovely and beautiful seemed
the glorious night to the victim led to
slaughter. Brightly above him shone
the unclouded moon, shedding halo OF
light upon the beautiful world beneath
where nature held her Sabbath. Never
had earth seemed more dear, or the smile
of creation more lovely.
The prisoner seemed not to hear or to
heed the deriding voices that Knocked him
in the fearful hour, when the rage Of man
should have been still, and left him to
communion with his Maker. Yet his
thoughts seemed not to grasp at eternity.
His bright and watchfui eye told that he
still chung to his hope and fondness for
life.
He gazed coolly and contemptuously
upon Harrison, as that unfeeling wretch
turned to harangue the noisy and brawl-
ing crowd He offered no resistance when
the callous executioner fastened the fatal
moose around his neck, for his pinioned
arms deprived him of the power to strug-
gle he turned in his tracks, and followed
with his eve the movements of that i'll
favored individual, as he retired and stood
with his hands outstretched, and grasping
the opposite extremity of the rope, ready
at the given signal to launch the prisoner
into eternity. Coolly Michael gazed upon
him, with perhaps nearly as much indif-
ference as though measuring the proper
tions of brawny OK. He was tall,
bony, square faced and red whiskered
giant, standing some six feet six in his
socks, and with the proportions of Her
cules. No doubt he had often taken part
in similar scenes, for he stood with a
calm, stolid and unrufied coGntenance,
his brawny arms resting upon the rope,
some six inches above his head.
Having finished his harangue, Harrison
turned, and drawing his sabre, called out
to the hangman-
Tighten away now, my boy, and
give the. devil his due p
Then came moment of intense silence.
Even that drunken and brawling mob, so
loud in their cries but moment before,
stood hushed and mute. The hangman
advanced his foot-his huge hands were
clenched around the rope, which already
began to tighten under his grasp, and
already he began to feel the weight of his
victim, when his arm fell to his side
and his knees gave way under him, and
he dropped lifeless corpse upon the
ground, as the report of well aimed
rife rang upon the ear from the margin
of the swamp in their front.
Then was heard a rustling as Of the
wind among the tree tops-then the tram
ping of feet-then the clanking of sabres
rafting againstfheir steel scabbards-and
with the comma and to "charge! % uttered
in tones that fell upon the ear like thunder,
fearfully there doomed out from the shad-
ows of the swamp, long dusky line Of
horsemen, with Gathering hoofs and glea-
ming sabres, rushing in swift, and noisy,
and deadly array upon the terror-stricken
and pale checked tories, who screamed
for mercy, and fed wildly and blindly
for some place of refuge. But the avenger
of blood was upon their track, and the
destroying angel lowered above their
camp, and pointed to the swords of Ma
rion's men. The war-cry Of "Carolina
and Independence r. coupled with cries
of mo quarter to the tories 20 rung ter
ribly on their guilty ears. In vain they
fed for succor 70 their camp fires, where
many of their comrades stood with their
weapons by their side. The rides of
"Marion's men," leyelled from the shad-
ows around. were aimed with fatal accu-
racy upon the jewellers around the fires,
and had ALREADY be0un thu work Of death