The New York herald., 1862-02-22


and spoke tenderly Of his little son, who was ao
sent He seemed to care litto about his own fate'
but for tho well being Of his wife and child ne ap
reared most solicitous Tho idea OF dying ieion
doath and tho stigma that would naturally rest uph
his innocent offspring, overwhelmed him with grei'
Even the ailors were moved 70 compassion, anu WI
sobs OF the broken hearted wife found an eco IN sSey
oreast The final separation took place about seven
o'clock and Is said to have been most painful scene W
all within hearing.
Soon after Mrs Gordon retired from the prison. MAR h
Murray called upon he prisoner and conversed win Nun
upon the subject Of the approaching execution The
assured the prisoner that all hope Of reprieve hal de-
parted that the law would surely have 10 take is
course. Gordon received tue news calmly and sau ho
had no Ill feeling against the Marshall whose d"'y no
Kew execute the sentence Of the court Mer
esing freely Tor some tme was arranged 'nat tno
execution Should take place about two O'Clock the
ing afternoon and that at its close tho body I" ue
ceased should be delivered over TO his friends Inc
pl soner then thanked the odcial for his many acts
Of kindness, and tho latter bade him good night.
The remainder of the evening spent by Gordon In
writing letters to mis- friends and relatives He wrote no
less than dozen letters one OF which was directed 10
hi board the Erie and another TO his son TO DO
oloiod when he arrived at the age of discretion Having
d,spatcei these letters the prisoner then commenced
smoke freely, and continued in the ENJOY OF ms
scgars Unit late hour. twas half past o'c OK DO
fore he decided TO retire, occupied was he 10 his
thoughts of the future and the loved ones from whom
he was 90 foon to be parted.
THE ATTEMPT TO COMMIT SUICIDE.
Nothing worthy Of note occurred until about
three O'Clock A. NJ. when the keepers, iIessrs Finley
and Rowe were alarmed by the prisoner being suddenly
seized with commissions At first it supposed that
tho prisoner was trying s;rangle himself but on
close examinath was evi'Snt that nc was sunei nS
rom tho effects POISON, on, .St, ~, smmon ,a ons
were freely administered the purpose Of producing
reaction. For the first half hour or SO tho clurts
Of tie physician appeared 10 have BIT little effect
rigid under tho influence OF
he poison his pulse could scarcsy be fet and IL WAS
thought has es 81 he salows would be cheated Of its
vctlu< s.s jas. K. Weed and Hodgman who were also
m attendance upon tho prisoner aboed hard to res SCI
tate the dying and finally BY means Of the stomach
pump and the use Of brandy the iatet was sacen s
recovered to DO able to afticuiate. u WIS WIS
not until eight o'clock, however, that the
physicians had any hope of saving Gordons l'fe From
that hour however tho prisoner gradually recovered,
altho gh he subject TO fainng ts for hours AFTER
wards When sens.b.o he begged Of the doctors u e
him alone preerrng, he said, TO die by his own hand
rather than suhel Lho ignomny OF puohc execution.
now LIE PROCURED THE fOlsoS.
It has ot been satisfactorily ascerained how or in
what manner the unfortunate procured the poison
with which he contemplated selfdestruction. Ihesymp
toms were evidently those Of srychnne, and The only
way in which the keepers account for the presence
o. the poison Is its introduction in the scgars which Cor
don mad smoked freely the night before On Thursday
the rrisoper compelled 10 undergo rigid search,
his clothing changed entirely and lie was placed Ia
4 CELL so that it would seem impossible almost for
khn have tho poison IN any Other way tnan
that suggested by as keepers
GORDoN's LAST REoUEs.
few minutes after eleven o'clock, when 1t was ap-
parent to Gordon would certainly take
place Notwithstanding his attempt suicide he sent for
Marshal Murray and said he had something of private
nature TO communicate. The Marshal, with becoming
aacry repaired TO the bedside Of the cuprt and asked
If thing could be done 10 alleviate his suie Dgs.
Gordon raised himself slowly from his cot and with much
difficulty said 'Cut lock Of hair from my head and
give il my wife" Thea taking ring from his finger,
he requested that that also should bis wife in
remembrance OF her husband. The request cheer
ruy complied with, ard the official. quite with
cgtotion left the unhappy man to his fate
PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXECUTION
We're commenced carly hour Ia the morning. Tho
attempt at suicide tho part the condemned haened
the movements Of Marshal Murray, and it determin-
ell that the execution should take place somewhat earor
than was first anticipated itw arranged that the
cuprt should hrnged between and three O'Clock in
afternoon but consequence Of his precsriors
don, IL dcesned necessary 10 change the time. The
doctors weroarras that he might not survive long, so
arranged rhs the execute should taise place i'm
medately after iweve. In the meantime rsofdon was
| carefully watched by the physicians aHd Piled with
brandy tw when the fatal moment should arrive the
culprit might aaye strength to walk to tre gaiows u
| supported
AZ eever O'Clock a company of marines under com.
mand of Capan Cohen, s1teed the pTa,l and took their
position nd the scagold The marines
panied by band of music and we're armed with loaded
myslets with fixed bsyOncts. The main body Of the
staonof IN front OF tic gallows, while the
reaande- detailed to keep the passage ways clear
and preserre order immediately around tie scaod. At
IT,. Of the prison, Franklin street there
WIS squad Of marires who rendered efficient aid tn.
police IN coping the crowd back rsd otherwise preserv-
ing the peace. To Captain nowang, of the Sixth pro
cnct, CDs the men under MS charge, no little praise Is
due FOR tD9 manner IN which ths proceedings
Guclcd
The ecaod-tbs old one use IN the execution Of Senl
Eowct, stephens and host -cf other criminal Gale
bstes-vsa erected in the gard fronting the main
lhe ground was covered with hemO X
boards, and for q distance Of ten 6tcen
feet around the galows there picket ferce OF suf.
fcent strength 10 keep back tie crowd by means Of
this the OF the Marshal and his
deput,-s were willie the spectators hsa q
clear vic~ OF eve ything that transpred.
Outside OF the police and marines there were not
than one hundred spectators The space inside che rail
abe representatives. OF the press, while the fEy and
physicians took took up position on the left On the
right tho executoners box, in which con-
cesied The weights axe and the hangman himself.
RuMoRs OF A REPRIEvE.
As the fatal drew High the excitenent Of tho
spectators only equaee by their sympathy for she
condemned Al half past eleven o'clock Judge Desn
of Corcocs COUNCIL gained admittapcs the prison.
and seeking Marshal Murray cformsd the latter
Morgan had nterceded for the prisoner and had
telegraphed TO the President asking for respite Judge
Dean begged that the execution might of uuI
the last snoment, with the hope Of q reprievs being
granted hut the Marshal inexorable and said tbs
sentence Of the court should be carried into esecuon
is way fron the President and cautioned the ocia net
20 exercise TOO much haste, but in vain.
THE FINAL SCENE.
Precisely at twelve O'Clock Marshal Murray In compa
ny with deputies Thompson, Devoe Sampson Smith sne
Others entered the cell Of the unhappy culpr and bads
him prepare for death. The prisoner who weak and
trembling like leaf, frem his bed and asked for,
something drink lie was handed brandy and Allowed
10 drink four glasses before the work OF
pnioning commenced. The stimulant seemed to
him grsst, and he bore the operation Of binding
hiJ arms much better than expected. Marshal
Murray then proceeded 10 read the death sen.
tenoe, during the delivery Of which the prisoner
looked the picture Of despair. Shortly after
this the Rev. Mr.. camp, who had been the culprt's
spiritual adviser since his condemnation entered
the CELL delivered short but impressive prayer
Goraon listened attsntiyey to the clergyman and when
the latter concluded the prisoner expressed fervsnt
hops be might 10 the recipient Of God mercy and
pardon. .
All being In readiness Mr. Simeon Draper volunteered
20 no.y Gordon that the fatal moment had arrived.
The culprit seemed surprised that the execution
should take place 30 soon, 1t bccg only ten minutes
past twelve O'Clock, and said, al thought IL was not