New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-06-16
SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE l6, 1860.


last evening upon capas issued from the Court.)
George Osborne, charged with the murder Of his
wife, a true bill.
Patrick Eagan, charged with the murder of his
wife, O true bill.
John McGrath charged with the murder Of
James Condor, [both sailors at their boarding
house, in the Third DistricD true BILL
EXECUTION OF MATHEW HuGH7s. = Ex-policcs
I officer Mathew Hughes, who shot Henry Hyams on
the evening Of the sth Of November last, at the
doorstep of Hyam's boarding house, on Rampant
street, near Girod street, was executed yesterday
at about eleven o'clock, within the walls Of the
Parish Prison. Hughes, at the tiIne was laberirg
under the double excitement Of late election and
Of liquor; and in company with young man
named George Wolf, sought difficulty with Hy-
ans and his friends, because they, or one of Their,
| had hurrahed for Tom Parker. Wolff struck ore
of the party and drew his pistol upon him none Of
the party quarreled back CT resented the affrons
offered and as Hyams turned to run into his house,
he was shot in the back by Hughes, and fell dead
| Hughes, though an officer, was not on. duty, that
| night. The Chief Of Police had previously met
him, and seeing that he was intoxicated, advise
| him to go home. This he promised to do; btS
falling in with others, and drinking more liquor e1
| the way home he was led to the commission OF the
| act which cost him his life. He was a medium
| sized man. of light complexion and rather hand
some features; native Of this city, twenty seven
| years of age. He was wellknown throughout this
CITY, and BY many as an excellent fife-player, he
having at one time followed public playing for
his living He was generally liked for his mild
and kind disposition, but was known to be desper-
1 ate and insanely reckless when in liquor.
| From the time Of his sentence to death, Hughc1
prepared himself for his fate, and soon became
reconciled to it, willingly receiving and proftng
4 by the pious ministrations of the Rev. Father Du-
| fau. He long ago declared his intention of dying
| like man and Christian. His fife, the pet com
panon Of his happier days was permitted to him
| in prison, and he played upon it frequently and
merrily for the entertainment of himself and his
few companions in the condemned cells.
The following letter, addressed to the Chief of
Police, shows truly the state of the young mans
mind several days before his death. He did not
write it himself but dictated the entire substance
Of it 10 friend, who did the writing for him:
P4kpn PRisos, CONDEMNED CELL,
| Thos. f. Adams, Esq. Chief Of Police:
| Dear Sri have been condemned to death for
the unproyoked murder Of young Hyams. Before
| | die / desire to state facts connected with his
death-not to endeavor to extenuate my guilt, but
that may not appear to the public as more of a
criminal than am.
4 You will remember meeting me on st. Charles
street on the afternoon of the day that Hyams was
killed. You saw that was drinking and ordered
me home. started with the full intention of going
home and remaining but on my way fell in with
officer --, who induced me toiake another drink,
and from whom borrowed revolver but with no
intention of harming any one. Soon after this, /
fell in with Wolff, who had also been drinking and
we started to go on frolic together. We came to
the door where Hyams and the two other young
men were sitting, when Wolff commenced quarrel
ing with them and slapped one in the face. He
drew his pistol, but afterward put it back without
firing When | came up, after the officer had
spoken to me, l drew my pistol, when Hyams
turned to 60 into the house then fired my pistol,
but with no intention of hitting him, but merely to
frighten him. l then ram in order to avoid the Off
cer and did not think had hurt Hyams until was
arrested and told by the officers what had done.
For this crime have had fair trial, been con-
vcted, and tomorrow morning am to be hung.
acknowledge the justice Of my sentence, and
that merit my punishment.
/ can do nothing to atone for the terrible in-
jury have done to the family and friends of poor
Hyams put while stand lowering over my grave,
within but few short hours of eternity, and By a
terrible and ignominious DEATH ! beg OF them to
find some pity in their hearts for me, and, If they
can, forgive me.
They can never know how earnestly-when alone
in my dreary cell have prayed God to forgive me
for my crime, and how Ihave besought Him for the
nor how willingly | would walk to the gallows to-
morrow, could my death restore him to life.
i / am not hardened criminal-ths was my first
ofanse-and had | not been deeply intoxicated
should never have committed il. For this trust
the public will look with all the lenency they can
upon my case when am dead, and not regard me
as one who took the life of a fellow being merely
to CRAFTY fiendish passion or deprayed heart.
/ feel that have forfeited my life to the law
and am contented to die; and hope that, aided
by all the consultations of religion, to die like a
man, heart. broken and penitent for his sins, YET
4 trusting through merciful Saviour for happy
and peaceful hereafter.
Il It has given me great pleasure, in this time oi
my extremity to know from you that my brother
officers who have served with me SO long under
you, have not entirely forgotten me, but have com
piled with the last wish can make of them, to
give my body decent and Christian burial. May
| they never know the terrible bitterness Of an END
like mine, and may my unhappy iate De warning
toXieation, which has brought me, SO early, to ar
4 gnominious death.
To yourself, Captain Fremaux, and all the off
GERS of the prison, to Mr.. Dafour, my counsel, and
to all others who have shown me kindness, with q
heart filled with gratitude, bid you all an eterna
farewell. My obligations to Father Dufau and
others, who have labored SO kindly to prepare me
for death, cannot be expressed in WORDS. May
their reward come from Heaven, where fondly
hope may meet You all hereafter. Give my body
to my dear wife, and let it be inferred in the Fourth
District Catholic Cemetery, where she may some
times come and weep over the grave OF her mis-
guided and unfortunate husband.
4 MATHEW HUGHES.
On Thursday night, the doomed man dictated
another letter, to be givin to the newspaper re
porters for publication. 1t was as follows
i PARlsn PalsoS, NEW oRIEAss,a
@=azzo=S June Il, 1866 5
The privilege of a man in my position to speai
few parting words from the scafold have waived
for brief address, which, through some friends
mine, will be given to the public, after shall have
suffered the last penalty of the law.
Unfettered by the empty formalities of the world
now fast recedlng, address myself, as | trust, il
a Christian spirit suited for tie occasion, first tc
you my felloW-men and citizens, amongst whom
have been born and raised, and to ask your pardon
for the humiliation and disgrace brought upon YOU
city by one of its sons who as man and boy looked
by its attractions, led by its diversions, forfeited
his inheritance to It's lawful enjoyments, aud who
by his fall, detracted and lowered its fair fame
This pardon feel assured you will grant me- whei
[ am about to atone with my life for the Grim,
which has been committed in your midst while
offer my last prayers for the future prosperity ant
welfare Of your beautiful city!
The particulars OF my crime are too generally
known to require repetition OF the "reminiscences
1t is sufficient to say that | committed a murde
arltile a,a.der an extraordinary ercitenaent of III
ecorst passions, at The ntome1,tdgy impulse of
frenzied brain. Into this disgracetul state hat
wrought myself by my free will; therefor,
acknowledge the justice of my punishment, and d.
not desire to snitt the responsibility upon other