The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-02-08
Singular Statemens In Regard to James
Stephens.

Stephens.
The two observation-disclosures Knapp and
Skinner-who were with Jas. Stephens, tthc
man who was executed In New York last
week. Ia his dying hours, publish the annex.
ed statement:
Wednesday was set apart to endeavor to get
him TO confess who brought and for what Oh.
on that day We were thwarted On Thursday
by an agreement with him, our entire atten.
ton was directed to his spiritual and eternal
welfare. embracing. Of course, every effort to
lead him 10 confess the murder Of his wife IL
guilty. His mind was entirely different from
anything we had seen in him for m on his past.
An awful and realizing sense Of his condition
was evidently experienced. He proposed ear
ly ia the interview season Of PRAYER and
asked us especially to ask fer grace that he
might unburden his heart, at the close of
whtch ne most earnestly besought God to give
MN mat strength which in soul he required
70 aarge his duty. Rising from hfs knees he
desired hymn to be sung, and then. of his
own Will, and at no sugges ton of ours desired
TO say lew words about the pistol lie said
!. was Drought Tor him to commit suicide; that
IL wonlo 90 no good to repeat rames, as they
VINO gave IL were misguided, and knew not
what was for his own good. He most SOL
EMMY appealed TO God, and denied any in tent
20 use IL on keeper or warden, or other than
the OBJECT stated; that he even at one time
knelf, aud determined to use it upon himself
when he felt as II it Were the hand of God
that stayed him. Concluding this, he stated
= kno" nothing OF any means used to pro-
duce my wifes deaih.'' OF this he begged us
TO believe, as, he said, his mind must dwell Oh
otner things, and BID us ask him. at the Iast I
moment, when he had but second to live,
and he would repeat it. Having thus spoken
ne again desired prayer. His confession of
SIN before God was MAI ked by the presence Of
the Holy Spirit; he adjured all merit in him.
self, and plead alone that righteousness which
is OF Christ.
For the first time since tho p;stol dorolon
ment on Monday we realized marked change
in the man. No disposition to dwell on the
trial, the peculiar and mysterious circum-
stances of which he had continually spoken
before, or the thousand things rumor had as
cribed to him, or that pee uliar argument ntative
disposition which had painfully TO US pre-
vailed with him.
lie thus continued in almost uninterrupted
prayer, singing and earnestly inquiring upon
spiritual things until about Z. II. AT this
time We lett HIM.
AT half-past IL O'Clock p. NJ. we returned,
and found him sitting in the corridor by the
stove, ana upon our entrance expressed the
most uaieigned Joy. He said he had been read
ing ana rejecting upon the moment when the
suffering Jesus. III Gethsemane, with soul sor-
rowing unto death. looking upon the sleepy
chosen ones, asked, What, could We rot watcn
with me enc hour! He expressed the lonely
anguish of his saul in bitter weeping but soon
changed to subject OF joy, now that he knew
that We We're not to be separated no more II Il til
half past o'clock A. NJ.
After reading portions Of the Word of God
SELECTED from the seventy first and thirty
seventh Psalms, he desired to return TO the
cell and pour out our souls in prayer. II was
4 season, At that midnight hour, In that fear
full place, and under those awful circumstau-
ces, that will never be forgotten by those who
passed their watch that night. Olher eyes
than those used TO weeping can bear testimony
10 the earnest, simple, pleading suppiicatiuus
that We trust were heard in heaven. The
house Of the ieion was rs quiet as the house of
death, and even The wretched inebrlate gave
ITO token of his rladmess
From this moment heaven seemed open to
him. HIS longing gaze was ever upward rs we
paced with him The corridor; his expressions
OF anxiety 10 be at home, ";o dwell with
Christi were approximate TO David "thi, ST.
ing for God" yea, for the living God We
were astonished: had sorrowfully journey ed
10 the place, expecting soul agony as we should
attempt to give him consolation. But his
frame of mind was tar beyond ours, for he was
already enjoying that grace promised suffi.
cient for him. He endeavored TO comfort us
begged US TO be satisfied when God had thus
sang joyous!y, "Rock of Ages "Jesus, Lover
of my Soul,' "Heaven is my Home,'' many
,imes-spoke of many friends-touched tor a
moment on his "Island Home,' and offered Il
soul-cheering tribute to a fathers love and
careful training. He spoke mos affection a ev
of the Governor, Nr. Morgan, ana trusted q I'd
would reveal to him his lnnocence-of Judge
Roosevelt, and begged that We would say his
of his freedom from malice, and lie bore this
testimony. His anxiety for day -daw n amount
ed to aimost impatience. H,. begged us with
tears in his eyes TO have missionary appoint
ed exclusively for the Toubs. lie pleaded
that when the last sad Office was done for him
We would visit Shepard, Sanchez, Quimbo
Apo, and indeed, ali in prison. His earnes I
pleading for labor TO other souls was indiCa-
tive of that unselfishness which marks the
new born.'' AS the hour approached, in
lowiy humility he pleaded to God for strength
He wished stone at his grave, and request ted
US TO select Il verse of Scripture, so that his
tomb might preach Christ. Toward the mo-
ment of preparation, amid the frequent en-
treaties OF friends that he would confess, his
mind was somewha disturbed, but he regained
his composure and cheerfulEess When the
sheriff led him forth, as he made the rapid
passage from the cell to the gaiiows, he re-
| peated: ''Chs is nought to me; arm going
home.'' At the moment before the death he
answered the question proposed, IL am lnno-
cent OF the death, or OF any knowledge con-
! corning the death, of my wife by poison
| This was AS he had promised-and he has gone
| To his God.
| We are pressing on to the judgment seat OF
| Christ. 1t will be known in that day how
| much has been done for the praise OF man and
how little for the glory of God. We solemniy
believe-and not without just ground-thal
James Stephens was guiltless OF his Wiie's
death.