The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-06
The Last Hours with James stephens,
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.

The Last Hours with James stephens.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
In compliance with the request Of the late James ss-
phsns, We have felt duty 70 others thus early 10
prepare statement in brief Of the last hours Of hs life.
Wednesday was set apart To endsavor 70 get him 10
confess who brought and for what object the pistol dis
covered upon him. In this that day We were thwart
ed On Thursday, by agreement with him, our entire
attention was directed 70 h spiritual and eternal welfare,
embracing Of course, every effort 10 lead him to confess
the murder Of his wife, II guilty. HIS mind WAS en-
tRely different from anything we had seen In him
for months past. An awful and reaizing sense
Of his condition was evidently experienced.
He proposed early in the interview, a season
prayer and aaked especially 10 ask for grace that
be might unpurden his heart at the close OF which he
most earnestly besought God to give him that strength
which In soul he required TO discharge his duty Rslns
from his knees he desired hymn 70 be sung and them
Of his will and at suggestion Of ours, desired to
say few words about the pistol He said brought
for him to commit suicide; that would do no good to
repeat names they who gave were misguided, aud
knew not what was for his good. He most solemny
appealed TO God, and denied any intent to keeper
warden other than the object sated that he
at one time knet and determined to upon himself,
when he felt as If 1t were the hand Of God which
stayed him. Concluding Fthis, he stated, al know
nothing OF any means used 70 produce my wSe's
DEATH" Of this he begged 70 believe, rs,
he said, his mind must dwell ON other things,
and bid us ask him. at the last moment when he had but
second to live, and he would repeat it. Having thus
spoken he again desired prayer. His confession Of sin
before God marked by the presence Of the Holy sp
rit; he abjured all merit in himself, and plead alone that
righteousness which is Of Christ.
For the rs time since the pistol deveopement on Non
day realized marked change in the No dispo-
sition 70 dwell the trial. the peculiar and mysterious
circumstances Of which he had continually spoken be-
that peculiar argumentatve disposition which had
painfully to us prevailed with him.
He thus continued in almost uninterrupted prayer sing.
about p ~ At this time we left him with Rev Mr..
Camp.
AT half past eleven O'Clock p. N. we returned. and
found him sitting in the corridor by the stove upon
entrance expressed the unfegned Joy He sad
he had been reading and rejecting upon the moment whs
unto death, looking upon the sleepy chossa ones.
asked, "What could ye not watch with mo one hourfS
He expressed the lonely anguish Of his soul in bitter weep
Des but soon changed TO subject Of JOY now that be-
knew We were not 70 DO separated no more until hapass
nine O'Clock A. NJ.
After reading portions Of the word Of Col selected from
the seventy frst and thirty seventh Psalms he desired
return to the cell and pour out souls prayer was
season, at that midnight hour in that fearful place,
be forgotten by those who passed their watch
that hight Other eyes than those used TO weeping
Can Dear teeumony 10 the earnest SIMPLE pleading 9u-
pcatops that trust heard in heaven. The house
Of the eon quiet the house Of DEATH and the
wrescbed inebriate gave no token Of his madness.
From this moment heaven seemed open to him. His
longing gaze was upward paced with him the
corrcor his expressions Of anxiety 70 be at home to
dwell with Christ were approximate 70 D.vids thrst
Ing for God" iiyea, for the living Cod" We were
astonished had sorrowfuly journeyed 70 the place.
pecng soul agony aswe should atemptto give him conso
already that grace promised sufficient him.
he ebdeavored comfort us-begged US to be satisfied
when God baa thus poured out the rich Of his
Lover Of my Sou, sHcaven is my Home,' many tims-
spoke Of many frends-touched for q moment on his
ov and anc cape snnx Hs suots most
afectopatey Of the Governor Mr. Morgan, and trusted
God would reveal to hum his innocenceof Judge Roose
should bear testimony before God Of his freedom from
mace and he bore this testimony His anxiety for day
amounted S 70 almost he begged us with
ey for the Tombs BE pleaded that when the last sad
office was done for him would visit Shepard Sanchez,
pleading for labor to other souls was in INDICATIVE
Of that unselhshness which marks the ssnew bora"
pleaded 70 God for strength. He wished stone .. his
grave and requested select Of Scripture 20
that big tomb might preach Christ Toward the moment
that be would confess his mind somewhat disturbed
but be regained his composure and cheerulness When
ns sns S lea him m forth Is ne made the rapid $1,000
to me- am going home" At the moment before death
be answered the question proposed 81 Innocent Of the
wife By poison" This was as be had promsed2aud he
has gone to his God. y-1
We are pressing on to the Judgment seat Of Christ It
viii be known in that day how much has been done for
the praise Of and how little for the gory Of God
We solemnly beeve-and not without just ground-that
ames Stephens was guiltlees of his wifes death.
HAISEY W. KNAPP, 1893 West Thirty fourth st.
CHARLES SKINNER, 173 East Twentieth 81.
NV York, Feb. 4, 1850.
Personal Imtellf~euce