New-York daily tribune., 1858-09-29
EXECUTION or CLARK.
Con, .pondenee Of The y. Y. Thbuus.


DANvrtE, Pa. Sept. .. lS5S.
Yesterday took place the execution Of William J.
Cark Tie morning dawncd gloomily and cloudy,
and about oc'ock the ram began to descend and
continued necessarily until late in tbe day. But not
with.tanding the pouring rain, aud that the execution
was to be private several hundred persons collected
from the surrounding country 70 witness the panisi-
rrept Of the vretched man. \ large number OF per-
sons saw the erection Of the scaffod in the morning.
when about @, o'clock the ail-yard cleared, and
the anxious crowd compelled to remain the outside.
At about 10 O'Clock the military were called ont and
stationed around the walls Of the jail. Several minis
ers visited the prisoner In bis cell and engaged In re-
rgious exercises in which be- took a part. At
II O'Clock he was brought from his cell accompanied
hy the sheriff and the ministers, and sscended the
.ctiiod with firm step. H. then delivered speech,
which 'asted till five minutes before - O'clock declar
ing lis innocence, and accnsing the witnesses who
appeared against him at his trial Of swearing falsely.
Ills voice strong throughout. except when his
coffin brought and placed beside the scaffold.
when ii became tremulops. After he hal flushed the
10th chapter Of Job read by one of the ministers
and prayer was offered and, ut the request Of the
prisoner tie hymn:
Rock Of Ages eef toy ne.
Let me hide myself n thee &C.
was read and in tine singing of which he ioned
heartily, and with unaltering voice. The cap was
then drawn his head, and hs were pinioned
behind behind him. at -four minutes past II clock tie
rope adjusted, and at precisely six minutes past
II the platform fell and the body OF the murderer
hang Suspended between the heavens and the earth
and his soul was launched into eternity lie died
easv bis shoulders shrugged little at first but after
the lapse Of six or seven minutes his body remained
perfectly still. His last words were ! am an inno-
cent man." The crime for which be suffered the
murder of his wife. which committed in May,
1851 by poisoning with arsenic. The evidence against
him was wholly crcumstantal, bat conclusive. And
although he has always declared his innocence and
sealed il with hi. dying BREATH there few who be-
leve him to have been innocent. His accomplce aud
paramour, Mr.. Twiggs, who convicted and
sentenced for the same crime awaits her punishment
which take place the 22d Of Oct next unless the
clemency of the Executive nterposes. She con-
fined in her cell at the time of the execution of CLARK,
and, when the drop fell screamed and wept bitterly.
This the fret execution which had taken place in
this county, and It created intense feeling. The crowd
which had assembled around the prison seemed con-
scious ofthe awful solemny Of the affair." and almost
every countenance was picture Of horror. The coffin
with the corpse, placed the pavement in front
Of the prison. for the purpose of giving the anxious
tbrong gaze at the pit'abe sight. A few gratiied
their curiosity but great the impotence of the
multitude that the guards not able TO keep them
from rushing forward, and the coffin closed and
the corpse taken away for burial During the long
confinement of the wretch he was visited By large
number Of persons, and always seemed cheerful and
composed, and awaited bis fate with iortitude Ill.
paraleled in the annals of crime.