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


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 he accused other parties of the murder He
said
civilian w. Smith, the proprietor of the
Seaview House, stands before God with the brand
OF peTJured sinner on his brow more than Dom
nelly does. l have some questions to put to that
man j 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 a 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 know
was there in his shirt and drawers that morning
wv 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
ses were perjured, the prosecution prejudiced,
and the Court not impartial. The Governor too
was handled without gloves, and the refusal of
the Court of PardOns to commute his sentence,
was ascribed to political motives. When speak
ing OF the conduct Of Smith, the Judge, and the
beside himself He briefly alluded to himself as
"a poor young man, brilliantly educated, the
hope and support Of doting father, the idol of
his sisters, about to be sacrificed by perjury to
appease the law'' On one or two occasions he
tonchingly alluded to his friends, but his speech
was mainly a reiteration Of the same story. 1t
ldSteQ ABOUT TWO hours ana ten minutes. Toward
the close, the excitement under which he had la
bored gave way before the cold, biting air, and
he became somewhat hystericai. The latter part
Of the address consisted of broken calculations
and prayers. The Sheriff suggested that he must
be brief He turned around Hereby, and ex-
claimed, "for Gods sake let me have my time
don't hurry me IL | stand here and speak till
O'Clock Tomorrow morning
He thong hit Gov. Newell, In conveying to a dy-
ing man the announce ment that he could not in
terfere, ought not to have quoted Shakespeare
Then he would break ont into % Receive my soul,
oh sweet Jesus receive the tears Of myself and
Of my family to drop at thy feet oh Jesus; Lord
implore thy help; | offer up thee, oh Christ,
this sacrifice; YOU see my heart; you are my
Judge; j am innocent; in a few moments l will
have to plead my cause before you have no
fear; Christ will save the chief Of sinners oh
have mercy, have mercy, have mercy upon me"
The miserable man, he uttered these broken
words, shook almost as In an ague 1T. Having
kissed his friends and the priests, he folded his
hands and lifted them up, saying, " God bless
you my friends; you believe me innocent. Fare
we'll, oh, nv dear relatives, and those who
now sorrowing afar of And oh, that pure, an
gelic creature, who Is at this moment on her
knees imploring for my salvntion-on her Blended
knees to impiore God to sustain me; she will
never believe in my guilt; oh, no! my dear
Lizzie. Good bye, sweet love; YOU will see
that my remains Tepose In Oak Hill Cemetery, In
my own loved hame. Farewell 20 you all ~ He
then kneit down and kissed the cricihx. When
he arose he looked up at the gallows and cried,
"Oh God and have got to die! Oh, what