Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-09-28

in kanawha Circuit Court Of Preston $. Turly.
for the murder of his wife. Turly has been for
many years u Minister in the Baptist Church
The last kanawha valley Star has u long account
Ut the execution of the murderer, from which we
make some extracts:
On Friday, the Eth inst, Preston 5. Turly ex-
plated on the gallows hs crime-the murder Of
his wife. lie was the first white man ever exc
cuted in kanawha county, and it was n scene that
will long be- remembered. Aside from the mourn
ful sulemnites usually attendant on such u scene,
it presented many striking features, which, we
presume, have seldom if ever been before Witness
ed.
During the morning, the Prisoner was perfectly
calm and collected. having spent n portion OF the
previous night in company with Rev. Messrs.
Smith, Brown, Clarke and Dorsey. lie shaved
himself, dressed himself with care, and was much
more calm than those who were about him. Up
to the moment Of his leaving the Jail, his whole
conduct was more like one about starting on n
journey Of n few hundred miles. than that Of one
who was about 10 bc visited by the dire penalty Of
the law, and To take the fatal leap into n dread
eteruity. Still. it did not seem to he the conduct
IF the hravalo, who wished to gain eclat, although
his yanity-his predominating tr%ait-may have
had something to do with it. lie said 1t was the
result Of his calm conviction, that he had made his
peace with his Maker.
The prisoner was very strenuous IN the wish that
his aged father and mother. and his own three lit
tie girls. who had come to town the evening before,
should go to the gallows and witness his execution.
although ii was their intention to return early in
the morning. This was so far oyerrulcd 10y friends,
that his two eldest girls, who were old enough to
have the scene impressed upon them through life,
remained at Mr.. Kclly's. Having BID his fellow
prisoners farewell. precisely ut 10 o'clock, he WAS
led ont Of his cell, when he kissed his children,
and took an ahectionate farewell of them exrlaim-
ing, 1T is hard to bear, that | cannot have my
-. -: I'LL 4 - A.. -: = = -
his children go To the Eallows.
At ! minutes past 10, he entered the Omnibus.
in which were seated Sheriff Slack, Jailor Kelly,
and others. The prisoner, in passing from the
Jail to the Ferry. bowed to many of his former
friends, and appeared to DO the callncst individ-
VA in the company.
At IS minutes past 10. the prisoner assembled
the galiows with a firm step, and took his seat, ac-
companicd by the Sheriff and the clergy. Rev.
Mr.. Brown then repeated the first line of the
Hymn, when | can read my title clear with u
request that all who could, would join in the
singing of it. The prisoners voice was one Of the
most prominent in the asscmblage. The Rev. Mr..
Smith then read Il portion of the 18th chapter of
Lnke-the parable of the return of the Prodigal
Son. The Rev. Mr.. Brown then prayed. to which
the prisoner for a lime responded, but afterwards
seemed to engage IN prayer by himself.
The prisoner then past IL. stepped to the
front Of the platform, and after a few moments
delileration, made one of the most effective and
affecting addresses. that ever proceeded from the
mouth OF II criminal. lie charged his present CON
dition. mainly to rhishy; although he said there
were other causes, vet, he said, that was the rri-
mary cause. Whisky was the cause Of his com
hitting the deed for which he was now about to
suiler--whiskv was the cause Of his now being
compelled to separate from his three little ones
from his aged parents-from the world; it had in
carccratcJ him in Jail for $ months and 9 days,
and in a f.~ tpnnnpta il xrnu1l ha the cnuSa nf
his being tied to that rope. lie had been n har-
dencd sinner. but he trusted, by faithful and fer
vent prayer to God, he had gained a hope. Many
who were there present, he said, had heard hlm
preach, and he hoped they would take heed tothis
his last sermon. lie said he freely forsavc all
whom he had offended, and no hoped the same
~clemencv would be extended to him. He said he
had made II Confession. in which he had told all
of his sins that he could recollcct; some he could
not recollec,, as So many had been committed when
under the influence of liquor. We do not pretend
to give his precise words, but only a brief synop-
sis. lie spoke about three,fourths of an hour.
After speaking. he requested that "Jerusalcm,
my happy home might be sung he said that
many present had sung it with him on more hap
py occasions. lie started the tune himself. While
singing, he called his aged father on the platform,
threw himself upon his neck, interrupted his sing
ing only long enough to say Farewell, y and then
continued to take the lead. His mother, with his
little daughter came forward at his request, and
he shook hands with her. and took his little one
in his arms, kissed it, and all, without seeming to
be Interrupted. So also, with n brother. They
all left the ground before he fell. He also, while
singing, shook hands with some % others. Among
them, two of the brothers of his murdered wife.
lie had a smile on his face most of the time
There were but few dry eyes on the ground during
this scene.
When they ceased singing, he turned about, and
said, Sheriff, ! am ready to die He then took
his station upon the platform, and when the fatal
rope was fixed about his neck, the fortitudc OF his
spirit did not seem to falter, although his body
quailed. a slight shudder ran through his frame,
lie continued to make appeals to the Almighty, in
a fervent and excited manner; just as the Sheriff
desc nded the steps. he exclaimed, "Cut the rope
quick. that | may go to Jesus lie then said
Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" and repeated it
az far as " Lord Je-," when, precisely Mt IL o.
clock, Sheriff Slack touched the spring, he dropped,
and the spirit of Preston S. Turly passed to the
tribunal of an offended but ~forgiying Deity. He
died with scarcely a struggle.
The body was allowed to hang 40 minutes, when
it was taken down. put in a neat coffin, and con
vcyed to his fathers residence. lie was buried on
Saturday. We understand there were about 300
persons present at the funeral, and that it was n
very affecting scene. Turly was Sc years OF age
on the Goth Of July.
From three to FIVE thousand persons were pres
ent, and we never knew SO little confusion where
50 large a number of persons were present.
SALE.-"Blenheim." the estate Of the late An
drew Stevenson, in Albemarle county. Va, has
been sold to a Mr.. Harris, of New York, at 1913