Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-04-12
Execution of Four Murde,ers.

The sentence of the law was on Friday carried
into effect at Baltimore upon four persons convict.
cd # murder. viz: Henry Gnmbri Marion Crops
Peter Corrie, and Cyphus. alias Stephens color
cl man The execution took place in the Jail yard
to which but n few persons were admitted, but an
immense aseemblngc OF people gathered upon
hDuscstcps and other Pmincnces in the neighbor-
hood to witness the Dir eadful sight. short
ric' of exercises took plnce on the scahold. The
,mrtings were made with deep feeling on each
side, and all retired but the doomed men. In u
brief instant the rope WAS drawn and the trigger
Yielded. and the drop fell with startling force from
the great weight it ha sustained, and the unhap-
y, men were launched upon the broad and nncer-
tain abyss beyond. a few short struggles with
lie, the bodies became motionless and all was
over. Upon the gallows Gambrill nsseyeratcd mis-
innocence: Crops merely sad Good bye ALL
Corric said nothing; and Crops, it is stated left
in the hands of the clergy, with request that it
should not be opened until after his death, note
written Mt 3 clock in the morning. in which he
states: 1T was me that shot Riglon, but have
rcprntcl otit." There was no disturbance during
the sad scene.
After the bodies had been taken down there was
rush by those inside the yard for piece of the
rope with which the artes had been hung. Ina
short time all four of tt EN- were cut into small
pieces to satisfy the Gag err crowd. y superstition
exists with many people that the possession Of n
piece Of the rope with which person is executed,
art, MS charm to protect them from evil. Even
the cords with which the hands and arms OF the
mon were bound were carried off.
In view of this melancholy drama, whose last
scene is thus enacted the gallows, the Baltimore
American remarks:
These men did not leap from their cradles
nrin"d ruifans. The growth of tho tender nurs-
hing into the trucuent desperate was slow and
gradual and if their lives written it would
nut he difficult to trace each step in their down
ward progress. The probable absence Of parental
restraints free intercourse with wicked associates
and Us they advanced in life. habitual attendance
nj the low drinking shop and the filthy hrothcl.
and at last-as the graduating school ot niamy-
the political club. whose hidcous ms. gnin were
the blv the knife and the revolver. Whatever
may have been the natural evil Disposition in any
given case whatever absence OF salutary control
while these criminals were yet unharLen,d in vice
suppose few good men will doubt that the
climax OF degradation and wickedness was only
reached in the iniquitous political associations OF
our day.
There are multtudes of young men in this
community to whom the events of to day should
he AN eloquent and solemn warning. They fur
nlsh plain commentary upon the truth, that the
way Of the transgressor is hard From the first
departure from the proper course each step IN that
preceded. while the return to n better path Is
porl euully growing more and more impossible
1c gradations in II life of wckcdness, especially
in cites are we'll marked from the first stolen hour
spcn, on the street corner, with rowdy compan
ions, though the cnbroon,. the bar-room. down to
the condition of the armed bully. Let yourg
man become iamlized with the revolver. and
there is but II step between him and the halter.
lie who habitually murderer in everything but
the act, md the act only waits for an opportunity
and little more whisky than usual