The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-04-09

bodies and felt the pulses. There was a sensation
about Cyphus heart and he was allowed to hang
minutes longer. After an another examination the
physicians pronounced him dead When the bod
les were placed in the coffn it found that Cor
RES was the only neck which broken.
When the Deputy Sheriff went to put the rope
around GambrilPs neck, it was found to be too
Shorthand few moments spent in untyng the
rope at the foot of the gallows and readiusting it,
In the fall the knots of the ropes around the necks
OF Cropp and Cyphus twisted and failed to strike
the ear. In the case of Cropp it came up over his
ctin, and as consequence did not break his neck.
The knot of the rope of Cyphus a little to the
left of the chin. They were both strangled which
was the reason of their showing evidence of life
some minutes after Gambrill and Corrie were dead
w hill on the scatfold Gambri earnestly en-
gagged in prayer-his lips could be seen moving,
and before the front of the fatal cap which shut ont
the world from his view, was drawn down, his eyes
were raised. just as the Deputy Sheriff quilted
his side, preparatory to leaving the scafold he
heard to say, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit"
While the rope being adjusted around the
necks OF the prisoners, they all engaged in
prayer, while from the heart of almost every per-
son in the yard petition ascending that God
would have mercy upon them.
THE FOUR CoFFINs.
The collins were all made of the best material and
finished with silver plated screw heads and handles
Two of them designed for Corrie and Gambrill of
polished mahogany, highly finished and lined and
cushioned with white silk Cropp's and Cyphus'
were OF poplar wood, finished in neat and unosten-
tatious manner. None of them bore any inscrip-
tion whatever, except Corrie's, which had on it a
silver plate with border engraving representing
a cross and chapel. Within this border was in
scribed the simple words "Peter Corrie-aged 26
years."
When the bodies of the unfortunate men had
been suspended some fifteen minutes, their coffins
were brought from the Jail into the yard and placed
within the enclosure at the foot of the gaows. They
| were soon after taken up and placed immediately
under the suspended bodies in readiness to receive
them when the time arrived for cutting them down.
THE CUTTING DOWN.
| Alter having hung by the neck for twenty-six
minutes all four of the bodies were simultaneously
gently lowered until their feet nearly touched the
bottoms of their respective coffns Drs. E. S.
| Thomas, II. p p. Yates and o. S. Mahon examin-
ed the bodies to if life had departed The pulses
OF all were silent. slight futtering about the
heart of the negro Cyphus was however clearly dis
coverabe. The bodies suffered to remain
suspended few moments longer, when another ex-
animation was made by the medical gentlemen and
all were found to be perfectly dead Upon the an
nouncement of this fact the Sheriff, assisted by his
deputies and several police officers, proceeded to
lower the eorpses into the coffins with the ropes
| still around their necks. The hands and arms OF
the deceased were then freed from the cords which
bound them, and the ropes around their necks
severed. The shoes and boots were removed from
their feet and the bodies properly adjusted after
which the lids were replaced on the coffins screw
ed down and the collins were carried back into the
cells within the prison.
| DISPOSITION OF THE BODIES
After the bodies had been removed to the cells
occupied previously by the deceased they were al
! lowed to remain there until one or two o'clock.
when they were taken in charge by their friends
| and the following disposition made of them: The
body OF Cropp was taken to Mt. Olive Cemetery
and deposited in vault; that of Gambrill was re-
| moved to the residence of his father, Thos Gam
bril-, corner of Pine and George streets; while that
| OF Corrie was conveyed to the residence of his
brother, DIR. James Corrie, on German street, from
whence it will be buried to-day at 10 O'clock
Gambrill will not be buried before Sunday morning
| The remains of CyDhuS left in tho oalla
Jail until late hour yesterday evening, when they
| were removed to the house of the mother of the
deceased, in Cider alley.
Elijah alias Bony Lee is now confined in the Jail
| in room, the windows of which overlooked the
scafold After the prisoners had passed in sight of
Lee, he turned and walked to the extreme limits of
his cell, much excited from what he had Just wit
messed. few minutes elapsed, when the dull
heavy sound, Occasioned by the fall of the galows'
drop, struck upon his ear. Instantly he felt a
burning sensation about his head a sudden feeling
OF stupor over his body, and Immediately the third
finger of his left hand became paralyzed and as
stiff and cold as marble DR.. o. s. Mahon was
called to attend him. who administered the proper
remedies. The opinion was that laboring under
great mental excitement the sound of the fall,
caused shock to the nervous system, which pro-
duced rush of blood to the head resulting in para
lyss OF part of the hand. An hour after the occur
renee, he seemed much relieved, owing to the ap-
plication of the necessary remedies.
CRoPP's CONFESSION.
At nine O'Clock, just few hours before the exc
cution, CrOpp wrote the following confession which
he sealed and directed to the Reys Messrs Hildt
and Brooke with the injunction not to have it open
ed till he dead
''Dear Sirs: 1t was me that shot officer Riedon,
but have sincerely repented of it.
''MARIoN CRoPP."
Corrfe is said to have written letter revealing
all the facts connected with the murder of Rgdon,
but yesterday burnt it up, saying that he had now
became piOus and would not now iniure his neigh
Dor: he was to die upon the scafold and would not
allow any others to suffer for the crime 1t was
intimated to him by some Thursday that
Marion Cropp had made confession to which he
replied, "That he did not believe it.
STATEMENT OF HENRY GAMBRILL.
The Patriot gives the following statement which
purports to have been made by Gambr on Thurs
dav night:
On tomorrow and the time will have arrived
when shall suffer an ignominious death-and now,
in full view of that fact, well of deep sense
OF the terrible responsibility resting upon nv i'm
mortal spirit if shall go into the presence food
with any other than the naked truth upon my soul,
feel it due to my afflicted family, to myself and to
the public, to publish to the world my diving state
ment 'of all my connections with the unfortunate |
murder of officer Benton"
On that night, left my house in company with |
Richard Harms, Houck, Davis, Mcpherson, and |
others, without having the least intention of com
mitting violence against any one, and without any
understanding or knowledge whatever with any of |
the party to do any wrong-having no firearms
myself and not knowing that any of the party had
any. We went to James Morgan's. After staying
there a short time conversing with Mr. Baer and Mr.
Miller, we all left Morgan's together and stopped
at Mr.. David Cross in Biddle street, and sang
few songs. We then went to Mrs. Green's and
commenced singing there; when Richard |
Harris went into Mrs. Green's house. ! re-
member on the pavement talking with Henry Lam
caster about getting Harris and the others to 90
away, which intended to do. In a moment or two
John Isenhardt got into Mrs. Green's house
through the window, which so alarmed the inmates
that Mrs. Green's son ran into the street and called
Rurl opdH d., ba;,o
close by went at once into the house and arrested
lsenhardt, and as they bringing him out, Off
GERS Rigdon, Benton, Taylor and Brown came from
the direction OF the avenue, which is near to Mrs.
Green's. Officer Benton caught hold of Isenhardt
when David Houck interfered, whereupon Benton |
let go his hold on lsenhardt and seized Houck Off
Ger Brown then assisted Benton and these two Off
GERS were carrying him away, when Richard Harris
came out Of Mrs. Green's house, bareheaded with
a pistol in his hand, which he was about to elevate
when ran up to him and said, "what do you in
tend to do with that weapon? put it away and 90
into the house for your hat" Harris made no re-
ply but put the pistol behind him and went back
into the house.
l then left Mrs. Green's pavement went along
Biddle street till | came to PENNSYLVANIA avenue.
down which turned, and kept on the right hand
side. When | got nearly opposite Orchard street |
met Sergeant Walters going up the to-
wards Bidde street, and Just as passed and within
few feet of him, heard the report of pistol and
Immediately turned round, and noticed that Wal
ters had also stopped. then saw Richard Harris
running down the avenue on the other side near
the curb-stone. Sergeant Walters hailed him,
when Harris answered (st running fast cup at
the corner" | saw Harris turn from the avenue
into Orchard street, and run up that street. Ser
geant " alters then continued up the avenue and |
kept on my course home, going down the right
hand side of the avenue till little above St Mary's |
Court, when crossed over to the other side turn
ed into Franklin street from the avenue kent along
the north side of Franklin street. and when between
Green and Paca streets fell in with BENJAMIN Hotz
and Mr.. McPherson who were little ahead of me; |
they asked what the noise meant and | replied |
Isenhardu is drunk. | then crossed over to the |
south side of Paca in company with Mr. Mcpherson |
and whilst crossing Paca, just at its intersection
with Franklin street, called ont to Holtz whom |
had just left, and who still on the north side
of Franklin street, when Holtz came over and |
joined again.
! continued towards home, and when arriving at
the corner ofFranklin and Eutaw streets, McPher-
son and Holtz left me- and | went into nv own |
house, five houses from that point in Franklin |
street. Soon after reaching home, and whilst eat |
ing piece of watermelon in my bar-room officers |
Watkins, Brown Norwood, Mcdonald and Malo- |
ney, entered, and some conversation took place be-
tween them, when Watkins asked Brown if he |
could swear to him, to which Brown replied no.
Watkins said, then we have no business in here
and they all left.
anxious to know what had happened, put on my |
coat and cap and went out. On the corner of |
Franklin and Eutaw streets / saw Mcdonald and |
Maoney, who had but little while before left nv |
house, evidently in search of some one and asked
han hiatt fhaxyrn h.,a -