The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-01-12
The Exscxtion or DonneIiy.

FROM the detailed descriptions In the New York
papers, we copy the following account of the exc
cntion OF James p. Donneily, at Freehold NJ j.. on
frlday last, Tor the murder OF Albert s. Moses
on the morning of the execution the sun rose
upon as iosety Gay a. was ever experienced In
the month of January. Before seven o'clock. the
.arloas roaos and avenues leading from Freehold,
we're nned with wagons and vehicles of all descrtp-
uons niied to oyerfowing, with persons anxious 10
penoid the last act in q drama which has excited
universal interest throughost the entire Union
~ was rumored that the Sheriff intended to exhib
!, tue body OF Donnelly after the execution; hence
.he great rush OF men. women and children 10 the
hitherto quiet and secluded village of Freehold
thousands who had not an opportunity of being
present during tho trial determined to take the
| taste for the horrible.
AT 81 O'Clock the clergynen visited Donnetly
ior the purpose Of administering to him the rite ~
sne molly eommunion The exercises were first
commenced with prayer, which was followed with
,he imposing mass OF the Catholic church. Then
followed the sacrament of the Lords sumner In
which the prisoner participated with evident deyo
tlon aud much feeling.
The clergy, with the exception of tn. Rev Mr.
Jacobus, then took their leave of the condemned
until the fatal moment tor the execution should
arrive. N ''i'1ia
AT e% o'clock the friends of the prisoner. to the
NUMBER oil over dozen, were admitted to the cell
Tor the purpose of taking last farewell The In.
| tersiew between Donnelly and those who had been
acquainted with him from his yhood Was an ar
tremeiy Affecting one indeed. lie shed tears copi-
uus.y,.nahked tnem all for their kindness in terms
neat and elegant, and then leaning upon the arm
OF MS orother-in-law, Mr.. Cozens, walked an and
down the corridor for the purpose of calming his
ee!ings previous to the fatal hour that was than
Iast approaching. While thus linked arm, in arm
with his relative, hc handed him lettsr d;rsctea
20 the young lady in, Washington to whom be was
| engaged to be married, saying: "When Won get
Washington open this and then give 1t to her.
s.c ne Could say no more. His eyes were suffused
| win tears, and once more deep DESPAIR took nos
| session of his soul. 0'~ pug
Shortly after this the jailor, Mr. Van Doran. en-
| tered the prison and saluted the condemned TIL.
Jalior, man OF the world, and also in years, was
moved to tears at the afectionate reception aiyep
MIN by the prisoner. "God bless You 7, said Don
| nelly; 'you have been kind to ms, and ven shall
have your reward for it hereafter
eoon after II o'clock Donnelly retired to his cell,
and attended to his toilet with scrupuIous uicety
His hair was brushed with the incest precision
and he carefully busted his coat: then he partook
OF little brandy, having tasted no food since the
previous evening, and walked around the prison in
company with DIR. Finel, and baee each of his t,l
low prisoners cheerful farewell He warned
them to seek the paths of virtue and to take warn
ing BY his untimely end. Then re-enterina bis
cell, no engaged in prayer with the clergymen and
continued with them until the Sheriff came ar fem
minutes before II, to announce that his hour had
arrived. -'
few minutes before noon the proces,ion
| emerged from the side, door OF the Jail into the
| yard. The Sheriff came first supported bv his
deputy. He evidently very much lisliked the
duty which the law bad imposed upon him. Then
| came Donnelly, supported by the clergy, reading
the service for the dead Ths doomed man was
bareheaded, and neatly attired in black. He walk.
| ed firmly to the gallows, and got upon the plat.
form without assistance; but his face was blspch-
| ed, and his eyes red from weeping. Turning to
| the assemblage, after a few moments spent in de-
votion, he addressed them in a clear, firm voice.
4 liza nrh Io, ,kaIf hr.,r
| Towards the close, the excitement under which he
| had labOred gave way before the cold biting air
| and he became somewhat hysterica. The latter
| part of the address consisted of broken ejacula
| tions and prayers The Sheriff suggested that he
must be brief. He turned around fercely, and
| exclaimed, ''For Gods sake let me have my time
| don't hurry ME II stand here and speak till
| o'clock tomorrow morning" He Thought Gov
Newell, in conveying to a dying man the an
nouncement that he could not interfere, ought no,
| to have quoted Shakespeare. Then he would
| break out into "Receive my soul, oh sweet Jesus
| receive the tears of myself and of my family t.
| drop at thy feet oh Jesus; / know that I have
| sinned deeply, sweet Jesus; Lord / implore thy
help: offer up to thee, oh Christ, this sacrifice
| you see my heart; you are my judge; I am limo
/ cent: in few moments will have to plead my
| cause before you have no fear; Christ will sayt
| the chief of sinners; oh have mercy, have mercy
| have mercy upon me-" The miserable man. as ht
uttered these broken words, shook almost as in al
| ague fit.
| Having kissed his friends and the priests, ht
| folded his hands and lifted them up, saying 'Gut
bless you, my friends; You believe me Innocent
Farewell, OH my dear relatives, and those who are
| now sorrowing afsr off, And oh, that pure. angelic
| creature who is at this moment on her knees i'm
ploring for my salyation-on her beuded knees ts
| impere God to sustain me; she will never belivs
in my guilt; oh, no my dear Lizziel Good bye
sweet love; you will that my remains repOse il
Oak Hill Cemetary, in my own loved home. Fare
well to you ALL" He then knelt down and kissed
l . g. L.
gallows and cried, ''Oh God and hav, got to die
| oh, what horrible DEATH What terrible fate
Oh God, help mel'
| The Sheriff then put the rope around his neck
| when Donnelly turned around and said fiercely
"lIow am l TO die; am l to go up or down; tell
| me, l am not afraid. will know You shall tell
| mel" The Sheriff replied, IL would rather not p
Donnelly then assisted in adjusting the rope, by
lifting his long, black eurls out of the way. While
his arms were being pinioned, he groaned aloud
As the Sheriff about to put the black cap over
! his face, Donnely objected, and begged that his
face might not be covered. The Sheriff slipped the
black cap his face and placing his LETT hand
on Donnelly's shoulder said:
.James p. Donnelly. do you live?" As he spoke
| these words, with his right hand lie brought the
axe across the rope, the weights FELL and Donnelly
was dangling amid air.
His neck was not broken and he evidently suffer
| Ell much, the knot having slipped around to the
back of his neck and the cord catching above in
| stead of below the Adams apple. While suspend
|
| He moved but little. A few convulsive witches
were all that could be seen. lie was swung up at
five minutes to two In the afternoon, at five minu-
ties past the pulse at the riststopped at nine mimi
| ted past two the heart ceased "a beat The body
hung half an hour and was then taken down and
then placed in the coffin. His brothers-in-aw con-
| yeyed the remains to New York by the afternoon
| train. The hearse was followed to the depot by a
large concourso ofspectaors, but everything passed
| of without disorder. Donnclly was at the time OF
| his death "a years, months and 13 days old. lie
was young man of promise, being ex cellent
| anatomist, slsliful linguist and might have ri
| sen In the world; but habits of dissipation, dis
obedience OF parents and evil company wrought
| his ruin.
FUNERAL OF LoSSELLY.
The funeral of Donneliy took place from the
house of his parents In Boerum street, Brooklyn
on Saturday. The New York Express of Saturday
| evening says:
The body reached his house on Friday nigh, but
the fact was not generally known until this morn
| Ing, when a large crowd congregated near the
| house, in order to get view of tho corpse. But
few, however, were gratihed, rs only his acquant
ances were admitted TO tho house.
The features of the deceased, like those of all
who have suffered death by strangulation, wer,
much disfgnred; the eyeballs were forced almos
from their sockets, the lace was swelled and of
darkened hue, and altogether the remains present
ed a sickening appearance. The family were al
present, and il was sight pitiful to witness thei
denobstrations Oh Sfiei. ihcy Wo"" iooa ih,'
the cofTiu, and then away, overpowered by their
emotions, while the men present were hardly es'
affected.
At II O'Clock the coffin was placed in the hears
and about twenty carriages were well Allied will
Dsnnelly's relatives and friends. Then the cor
tege moved away, followed nv immense con
course Of people, whose sympathetic feelings beiD
/ aroused. denounced the execution Of the unfortu
nate man, and expressed q strong belief in his in
ncceucc. t
The funeral pnssed crer Fulton Ferry, and a
the rum er .rrnad while the body was being car
ried to the grave, the excitement became intense
hundreds pressed around tho bearse to get a ,ool
at the cofins J%E 1T. =
The procession moved mp broadway, and III
cofn placed IN the receiving vanlt of the fie'
enth street Roman Catholic burying ground.
is feared that the father cannot long survive th
great blow which has fallen upon him; and tl
health Of his daughters, 1t is said. is sadly impai
Il cd -s