The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1859-06-30
Execution or m,chnel Re.vd,c..


On Friday lest Michael Besuden was hung Ia
the Toledo Jail. for the murder Of Antoine Upst
in July, 1857 Whisky and iewd woman.
with whom Besudien lived, were the exciting
causes which led to this sad result. The BLADE
thus DESERVES the scene at the gsllows:
rHE LAST acENE. gh
In the north corner Of the Jail, chairs wets
placed fronting the gallows. which. with the
gallery along the second tier, accommodated sbous
hity persons. including the physiciaus re epostefs
and Others invited as witnesses.
AT precisely orc o'clock, Beaudien, attended
by the priests. was taken from his cell and
walked ia his Usual manner to the scsffoId
stepping upon which, he kneeled down with his
oack 10 tue witnes5es, With the priest at his aide.
The latter prayed In French, ard the prisSnef
repeated the words In 4 low tone. Beaudien
wss dressed In suit OF white coat and Pants;
Alter . few moments spent in this manner he
arose. AfeF kissing the platform when the
priest had kneeled, he Immediately took hold Of
the rope and kissed |, twice
Sheriff kingsbury, after making few remarks
IN regard to the solemn duty he was about 10
perform, proceeded to read the death warrant ;
during the tesdiug, Beaudieu stood upon thS
drop. Being asked whether he had arythiny To
ssy he ereplied he had nothing to say, In paftics
ular' "lf u Is Gods pleasure" said he, ~
should thus die, am willing TO please him.
tie then said tow words to the sheriff. In low
tone (not audible) to those in front. His arms
Were then securely bound by the Sheriff aud
Deputy Sheriff Merrill, and white gloves were
drawn upon his hands-the priest meanwhile
talking to him. Then he. stretched his hands de
II the gloves seemed strange to them and tho
cap was drawn over his face, not q word being
spoken IN the meantime. The rope was thef
ADJUSTED about his neck and all those around
him stepped off the platform. Nothing then
was heard but the suppressed whispers of ths
CROWD ana 'ho low voice Of tho priest in prsyer
NOT limb trembled in the white figure alone
on tue Atal drop; he stood perfectly motonless
moment. when the spring clicked q heavy
thug followed aud the body Of Beaudien
swung still and lifesss from the fatal rope.--
There were only few slight motions Of the
chest end hands visible. Beaudien had suffered
the extreme penalty Of the law!
The drop fell al thirty-nine minutss mast one
O'Clock; there was but little motion OF any kind
TO be seen in any part Of tho body, and il soon
hung mot'onlo:s white figure. in CHASTITY con-
,tas' 70 the black beams Of the scsfold: rem
dered more so by the dim light Of the corridor
coming in with reluctance al the high, barred
WINDOWS The physicians in attendance care
tuiiy examined the body from time TO time, aud
when ~ mad swung nineteen minutes, thev
agreed that life was positively extinct. Aftef
hanging nearly half an hour the body was cut
down and placed in the coffin. r-1f
We never saw such an exhibition Of GOODNESS
III any man as Beauden exhibited on the scaffod.
Not muscle quivered, not finger trembled.
the cold grey look OF his eyes in his last mo.
menss assumed dispairing sor, Of estnestnsss
before the cap shut ou, the outer world from hina
forever but his voice was quiet aud unchs nged,
and to all appearance there was no particle Of
fear in his composition. His death in this re.
spect presented a strong contrast to that of
Ward. - -
We were informed that when INTERCEPTED a.
to confession. he replied, tha, he had confessed
hlmselfto the priests and that was enough. The
words spoken in a low tone to Sheriff Kingsbury
on the scuffold. were to the effect that he had
given his body to the priests and he desired TO
have decent burial in the Catholic cemetery.