The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-12-05
trrom esr 9,.. csn I 3 !, ]! .c!sogrssspceasnr. Z Z /

fsmstnins executions has - yet bssn Learned s
-''s' ].
From ess s,s osn : /, s ,csoss,sssgopaen..
y iss ,Se m,,s. .Ia dssisas.e e ground
ecntion, were set In motion from fheir res,'s1 -
tive BARRACKS ats A. NJ. and d thew - 49, 80
Held, were placed In position under fhs s,s,ss -
,ion Of Col Smith. according to The publishes
valry were stationed In single file rifhin ~ -.
enclosure, with orders TO allow no one q, s.s
except at the main gate. = =.
Captain lds Hunters compsny 81 Exesutlye
pany was composed Of citizens Of Jeffsrsc,,
county, and Instructions were given II a. i,
separate the crowd who might enter The ca,e
SO that those who were Identified mieht IS
placed on the eastern side of the square whiis
those who were notsknown were 10 be placed
on the western side Of the square and nert ~
the main read The AIexaudtia Hlfies Cant,
Marye and the Valley Guards, Capt Gibbons
were stationed as senfinels to keep the crnyrd
within the appointed liszits.
The gallows WIS placed 70 yards from the
southern side of the square, and euui-distant
talon OF Cadets of the Virginia Military In.
siitute, acting as Infantry under the command
If Major Gillian, occupied the side in front nf
the gallows, towards the south and flfty fee,
from i. The oattalion was flanked by two II
thanked by eourxny a, tRichmund Eravs
commanded by Capt. Elliott, and company r
an, as 9y capt Gary of the First R-gi-
iheht OF Y tirginla volunteers. The position Of
these two companies was arranged as TO riy We
an oblique fire towards the scaffoid. The Val
ley Guards and Alexandria Rifles were direct
ca 20 raiIy on the TANKS of these two compa-
MES II necessary, in obIique position with ref
erence to those fianks -
At IL O'Clock, the escort of the prisoner NOV.
ed from the Jail. Capt. Scott's company of
in front. and the other in rear of The nrocess
sion The wheeling Rifles, Major Loring. the
Montpelier Guard, Capt. Williams. in column n
OF piaIoons. We're in advance of the prisoner,
Young Guard, Capt. Rady, and the Winches-
ter ContinentaisA in the same order in the rear.
The Petersburg Grays, Captain Scott. were On
the Hanks OF the prisoners wagon. After
reachlng the scaffOld, these companies were
distributed to their respective stations. The
escort was commanded by Col August. The
General commanding, Taliaferro, with his
stan, occupied the ground in rear Of the Cadet
Battalion. The reporters of the newspapers
were in the southwestern corner of the field.
while the sheriff and his attendants the Nav
or of Charlestown and his Council the Prose-
cutting Attorney. and the medical faculty,
Immediately surrounded the scafiold. -
The arrangements being completed, and the
prisoner having been led to the scaffold by the
sheriff and jailor, and the white cap placed
over his face, Che facing the seu1h,) the signal
was given to the sheriff by Col Smith that
the military arrangements were ready, where
upon the Sheriff descended from the scaffold.
and with one blow of his hatchet severed the
cord, and the drop fell, landing John Brown
into eternity. So perish all those who attempt
insurrection, or invade the sovereignty of the
State of Virginia.
After the medical faculty had satisfied them
selves that he was dead, the body was taken
from the scafiold, and placed in a coffin and
returned to the wagon, and, under the escort
Of the Petersburg Grays, and a section of Capt
Scott's cavalry, was taken back TO the Jail
After this escort had passed the main gate,
the military We're put in motion, and repaired
by companies to their quarters.
1t is proper to say that the unfortunate cri-
minal behaved with the utmost cooluess.
throughout the trying scene that terminated in
his death upon the ga!lows. When it was an
nounced to him that the hour had arrived, he
said he was ready, and that he only desired to
take leave of his fellow-prisoners. To each of
them he presented aquarter of dollar, desir-
ing them TO keep them rs memorials of himself.
To Cock he expressed himself in the language
of calm and cutting reproof, saying that he
had been guilty of a gross falsehood in what
he had said and published respecting his con-
nexion with himself, and denying unequivo-
eally that he had ever advised him to come to
Harpers Ferry. The minor villain quailed
beneath The eye of his sierner and more
strong minded associate. The spot on which
the gallows was erected commands view
of one of the most fertile countries in
Virginia, and Mt that time it was lit up by
az glorious a sun as ever made the morn
ing beautiful. The surprising loveliness OF
the day and the landscape, attracted the atten-
tion OF the prisoner. i'll spite Of his terrible
situation, and he called the attention of the
sheriff and jailor to il. When he arrived al
| the gailows, he dismounted from the wagon
with the agility of boy, and walked up The
steps with a. firm and steady step. While the
| officers were adjusting the moose, he bowed to
| one or two OF his acquaintances whom he saw
around the scafold, and when some delay was
| occasioned by the bad management of some
part of the programme, he requested the officer
| to be as speedy as he possibly could He SHOOK
| hands with the sheriff and lailor and express.
ed his gratitude for the kindness he had re.
ceived at their hands. He made no speech.
p.
From the agent of the Associated Press.l
Al the door of the Jail an open wagon with
| pine box, in which was a fine oak coffin, was
waiting for the pris 'ner. He looked arouu(
niZed, and, walking down the steps, was assist
| ed TO enter the wagon. and took his seat Oh
| the box containing his coffin along with Jailol
| Avis He looked with interest on the fin,
| military display, but made no remark. Th,
| wagon moved of rs soon as he had taken his
seal, fianked with two files OF riflemen il
| close order. H
GA reaching the field the military had al
| ready full possession, and pickets were sta
| toned at various points. The citizens wer,
| kept back At the point of the bayonet from
| taking any position except that assigned Them
nearly u quarter OF q mile from the scaffoid. =
Through the determined persistence of DIR
| Rawlings, of Frank Lesiie's paper, the ordel
| excluding the press was partially rescinded
and the reporters were assigned a position
| near the Generals StG.E. The prisoner
walked up the steps firmly and was The frs
1 man on the gailows. Jaitor Avis and Sheriff
| Cam mpbeilstood by his SIDE and after shaking
hands aud bidding an afectionate adieu, III
| thanked them for their kindness. They thes
fa RI
| his neck. Mr.. Avis asked him to step forward
on the trap. lie replied, lyon must lead me
| as cannot see."
| The rope now being adjusted, the military
order was given. The soldiers marched ant
| counter-marched, and took their position as i
| an enemy was in sight. Nearly ten minutes
were thus occupied. the prisoner standing
| meanwhile. Mr.. Avis inc nired ii he was no
| tired. Brown repiied-"No, not tired bu
| don't keep me waiting longer than necessary
| The arrangements Of the military having beer
completed, ut fifteen minutes past eleven thu
trap fell. a slight Grasping of the hands ant
| twiiching OF the muscles was visible, and ther
| all was quiet. The body was several tines
| examined, and his pulse did not cease beatinf
for 35 minutes. The neck was not broken, anc
| the medical examiners declined certifying tt
death having taken place until after = further
| examination, to be held at the Jail at 3 r. NJ
DIR. Mason held 70 the opinion that it was pos
sible In such q case to restore life by gaivanis
action. 1t was supposed, however, that stran
gulation took place after less than four min
utes' suspension. The rope left no mark O.
abrasion on the neck The eyes Of the corps,
were open, but not staringly SO. The mouth
| also was open, and would not Close The facs
was not nnnatnraliy distorted, though the
blood yessels were somewhat distended, as oc
ours in death by stranguIatien- II was thel
cut down and placed In the cofii0, and convey
| ed under q military escort 70 the depot, ant
| there put in a car to be conveyed to Harper
| Ferry, by special train, at O'Clock. ) j
The whole arrangements were carried on
with q precision and military strictness tha
| was most annoying. The general conyictiur
| is everywhere entertained that the rumOrs o.
| the Intended rescue were altogether an eyre
/ houw -