East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-11-17
EAST SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, NOVEMBER II, 1889

las been carried far enough; 1t Is getting
late, and my wife aud family will be
anxiou, about me. If / have been too
strict with you in time past, ] am sorry
for it, and assure you / will take more
care in future"
"Gentlemen of the jury" said thu
Judge, without paying the slightest atten
ton to this appeal, consider your yer
Dict if you wish to Getire, to So"
The jury retired During their alb
sence the most profound silence was
observed; and except renewing the soil
tary candle that burnt beside the Judge
there was rot the slightest movement.
The jury returned aud recorded a yer
diet Of "Guiltym
The Judge solemniy assumed large
black cap, and addressed the prisoner;
"Richard Downie! the jury have unani
mously found you guilty Of consprinq
against the just liberty and immpnitie'
of the students Of Marischal College
You have wantonly provoked and insult
ed those inoiIcnsive lieges for some
months, and your punishment will as
surcdly be condign lou must prepare
for death! In fifteen minutes the sen
tence of the court will be carried into
cifcct.'
The Judge placed his watch on the
bench. a block, an axe, and n bar of
saw-dust, were brought into the centre
of the room. A figure more terrible
than any that had yet appeared, csme
forward, and prepared to act the part OF
doomster.
1t was now past midnight. There
was no sound audible, save the ominous
ticking of the Judges watch. Downie
became more and more alarmed
"For Gods sake, gentlemen" the said
terrified man, "let me go home. l prom
Use that you never again shall have cause
for complaint"
"Richard Downien remarked the Judge
''you are valnly wasting the few moments
that are left You on earth. Iou are IN
the hands OF those who demand your
life. No human power can save you
Attempt to utter one CRY, you are seized,
and your doom is completed before you
can utter another! Every one here pres
ent has sworn a solemn oath never TO re-
veal the proceedings of this night; they
are known to none but ourselves; and
when the object for which we have mo,
is accomplished, we shall tiispersc, IN
known to any one. Prepare, then, for
death; another five minutes will be all
lowed you-hut no more"
The unfortunate man, in the agony Of
| deadly terror, raved and Bhrieked for
mercy; but the avengers paid no heed to
his cries. His tevered, trembling lips
then moved as if in silent prayer, for he
felt as if the brief space between him and
eternity was but few more tickings Of
that ominOus watch.
''Now" exclaimed the Judge.
-Four persons stepped forward and
seized Downic, on whose features a cold,
clammy sweat had burst forth They
barred his neck, and made him knecl be-
fore the block.
"Strjkc!n exclaimed the Judge.
The executioner struck the axe on the
floor; an assistant on the opposite side
| lifted at the same moment wet towel.
and struck it violently across the neck of
the recambent criminal. A loud laugh
announced that the joke had at last come
to an end.
Bat Downic responcd not to the up.
roarous mcrrimont.
They laughed again: but still he NOV
cd not. They lifted him, and Downie
was dcadl
Fright had killed him as effectually as
if the axe of real headSman had sever
cd Lis head from his body.
1t was tragedy to all. The medical
students tried to open a vein, but all was
over; and the conspirators had now to
bethink themselves of safety. They
now III reality swore an oath between
themselves, and the ailrighted young
men, carrying their disguise with them
left the body of Downic lying in the
hotel.
One Of their number told the landlord
that their entertainment was not vet
quite over, and that they did not wish
the individual who was left in the room
to be disturbed for some hours. This
was to give them all time to escape.
Next morning the body was found
Judicial inquiry was instituted, but no
satisfactory result could be arrived at
The corpse of poor Downie exhibited no
marks Of violence, internal or external
The i'll will between him and the students
was known; it was also known that the
students had hired apartments in the
hotel for II theatrical representation
| Downie had been sent for by them; but
beyond this nothing was known. No
noise had been heard, aud no proof Of
murder could be adduccd. Of the two
hundred students of the college, who
could point out the guilty or suspected
fifty? Moreoeer, the students scattered
over the city, aud the magistrates them
selves had many of their own families
among the number, and it was not desira-
bic to 90 into the affair too minutely.
Downie's widow and family were pro-
vided for, and his death remained mys-
terry, until about fifteen years after its
occurrence, when a gentleman, on his
death-bed, disclosed the whole particulars,
and avowed himself to have belonged to
the obnoxious class of students who muir
dered Downic.
E5"Is not gaining great victory
the most glorious thing in the world?n