Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-12-30
A Warning to Youth.

A Warning to Youth.
We have rarely seen such terrible warning
to youth to beware of bad company and evil
habits, as the following description of the exc
cution of a young man for the murder in New
York on the 18th.
he was but twenty years of age. The muir
der for which he suffered the penalty OF the law
was committed in October, l847. Mr.. Swan
ston and his wife were walking on the corner of
Tenth avenue and Twenty first street, when Mrs.
Swanston was rudely jostled by three rowdies,
and upon her husband expostulating with them
on their conduct, one of them drew knife and
stabbed him so that he died almost Instantly.
Rodgers was identified as the murderer, tried
and convicted Every effort was made to obtain
reprieve on account Of his youth, but Gov.
King refused to interfere, and the sentence was
duly executed. The following account of the
closing scene We condense from the New York
Times
8" On Thursday afternoon he took final leave
of his aged mother. The scene may be imagined
and needs no description. He spent the night
in walking the corridor, sitting by the stove,
and retiring occasionally into his cell to pray,
attended by Father Duranke Of the Sixteenth
street Church, who passed the night with him.
He was then in the charge of Deputy keeper
Fnlay. About three clock he lay down upon
the floor of his cell, and soon fell asleep. The
keeper awoke him at six o'clock, when he re-
newed his degotons, and at eight O'Clock was
taken to a little room in the Female Depart
ment Of the Prison, which had been cvnverted
into Chapel. Here mass was solemnized by
the Rev. DR.. Neligan, of st. Joseph's Seminary
Fordham, assisted by Father Duranke. The
father, two sisters, two brothers, and brother
in-law OF Rodgers were present. After the GER
emony he took leave of them, The scene, by
those who witnessed it is said to have been most
heart-rending. On returning to his cell he de-
cline1any refreshment. The reverend Fathers
Curran, of st Andrew Church. and Sanguin-
etti, of the French Catholic Church, in Canal
street, now joined him. and, with the clergy
before named assisted him in his devotions, all
other persons being, at his special request, pro-
hibited from entering his cell.
At ten o'clock third sister-the same to
whom he repaired at Woodbridge, N. j., the
day after the commission of the murder-arri-
we'd at the prison. She did not see him, as he
refused to be disturbed. The matron of the
prison, Mrs Foster, conducted her to her room.
At late hour the mother of the wretched youth
arrived. Overcome by her terrible grief, she
was unable to walk, and was borne to the same
apartment by two policemen.
At the time appointed the Deputy Sheriff, de-
puted for the Office, entered the cell of the con
demned and pinioned him. Rodgers said he
was glad the hour had arrived, and assisted, as
far as possible, in the preparation for his death.
The procession was formed, the Sheriff and his
deputy leading the way. Rodgers followed,
with firm step, between two of his reverend
advisers, Father Curran and Sanguinett atten-
ding. Rodgers held a crucfx in his hand, and
on the bosom of his shirt small cross of plated
gross, gsven him by Father Sanguiuett, was
fastened. He showed no trepdation. Even
when he joined in the responses of the service
for the dying, when the priest knelt, and he at
tempted to kneel and was unable to do so be-
cause the rope around his neck restrained him,
he did not finch for one instant. He looked
sickly, the consequence of thirteen months con-
fnement in narrow cell, but otherwise he
might have been supposed spectator rather
than the chief actor in the scene.
At twenty-five minutes before II o'clock the
rope was cut. For nearly a minute he swung
around and vibrated to and fro, from the force
of the ascent and the corresponding foece of the
fall. Then he commenced to struggle, and for
eight minutes his quiverings were fearful. lie
SO far loosened his right arm from the rope that
pinioned him, that he was able to thrust his
hand within his shirt bosom, where he tore at
his heart, as if there was the seat OF all his
pain He had probably no oonsciousness-the
doctors said the action was merely muscular and
involuntary but it was sickentng to behold
After eight minutes his pulse ceased to beat
After hanging forty minutes, he was lowered
and deposited in plain stained coffin. Hi.
brother and u male relative-his brother-in-law
as was understood the yard while h,
was suspended, and received his remains. anC
then terrible scene occurred
His mother, sisters and brothers were in til,
9 prison awaiting the custody of mis- remains. Or
the coffin containing the body being brougt in
to the outer yard, they threw themselves upon
it, and the spectacle that followed was too har
rowing fer description. The face OF the de
ceased, which was horribly contorteed, was ex
posed, but they bent over it, kissing the swollel
lips, from which the tongue protruded, till 6na
ly one after the other tainted, and the oldes
habitaes of the Tombs had to retire unable t,
bear the scene."
A miserable old fellow, has hit upon an ex