, 1863-03-31

fate that awaited me till my sentence WIS read
to me- Then felt had tn die. cannot ten
YOU how hlve striyrn with the splrit IN ing
time since that sentence was reaa 10 III
feel that afn arout to die q sinner: iaKe
warning by lne. and prepare for ocatn wnise a3;ls
there yet Is time. Labor to obtain that rens-
ion which is more precious than anything on
ills earth. TrE to reconcile sourSelses ~ 1ou
and live as your duty requires. suppose my
denth is needed as IN example: lit Will serse
nv country, and warn you, I will tic chces-
fnl1y. / forgive all my enemies, and every
body on earth. have no malice against any
Living being fogts tho,s o f6 b,rst aas sD ny
blood. but forgive them, too. TO yon VT; WY
viii fire ut me would say, take your aim wei.
Fire al the breast, Qaying his hand with cap t IN
it ou his hearty TINT Is the place. HOLD On n,t .1t
it nc suffer. Hold steady on the spot, and
ehoot at nv breast. Again I forgive evcry-
body, and ask those whom have injured TO
forgive me.'
throughout this speech, as we before
observed, the prisoners voice was steady,
uniform and devoid Of every symptom Of per-
turbntion.
When lc had closed, Mr.. Griffith prayed
feryently, and with far deeper feeling than the
man himself had shown, tor mercy upon him,
and for strength, to bear his fearful trial. At
the close Of the prayer, Mr. G. and the other
gentleman shook him By the hand and bade
Linn farewell.
The Sergeant Major then stepped up and
began tying bis hands, which he placed be-
hind bis back voluntarily. lie stood silent
for moment and said something which We
| did not hear, but concluded: 'F could
| only be spared, would enter the regiment
| again and DO my duty is well as any man in
It, or {hesitating), as well IS aul able By
| this time his hands were tied, md he glanced
| round the ranks, and up at the sun, ns if to
take last look at earth. The Sergeant Major
/ lad 1,it, fo The nofTir, md ofafh r.
facing the firing party, with his back 10 the
east. lie sat second. drew his feet towards
him, and settled himself back on the coffin,
as it to brace himself against the shock that
was to come SO soon and SO terribly. The
SERGEANT Major tied the band Of b1Ack cloth
right and front, out Of the range Of the guns.
Then the prisoner, being left alone for the
first time, exclaimed, 20, that I could sec
my DEATH" in tone Of deep sadness which
those who heard will never forget. A whisper
from Lieut.. Slerfey to the firing party
clicking Of the cocks was heard distinctly, I'LL
around. The prisoner heard it, too, but be only
showed his consciousness Of it bJ the move
ment Of his lips in prayer, which became
auoible, but not intelligibla, as the guns
we're lowered to take aim. "Lorl Cod y in j
and the crash Of the guns followed Instantly.
At the explosion he fell straight back over
his coffin, without sound or struggle, 1Iis
feet, which rested on the coffin, were motion
less. He bad obtained his wish. His com
radcs lad done their duty well and truly, ana
| Killed him instantly. The surgeon ran to him
"Is be dead :" asked Col. Biddle. ''He i:
dying; hc will be dead in few moments )
said the doctor. He gasped fer half \ minute
spasmodically, not breathing, aud was dead
He was lifted into the coffin, the bandag,
taken of lis eyes, and his little blue cap pu
J on his head. There were eight shot holes il
} his coat, seven of them in his breast, any ont
| Of which would have killed him almost in
stantly. One struck him right in the heart
But there was not drop Of blood visible
The bullet holes were us clean a. II cut witt
, a uair Of scissors. Under his body, uron tn
ground, was d thick puddle of blood, for tn
balls had gone through him, and the bloc
: Tan out below. One shot struck him in til
throat, and another grazed his shoulder. A
; ten Of the balls struck him, j proof Of th
+ GOODNESS and stcadiness Of the men. I'll
: Sergeant, with his catbine in reserve, stoo
t by the coffin, to shoot him in the head an
} end his misery, if it had been necessary, bu
much to his relief the work had been surel
I done without him. The coffin was put int
\ | Undertaken Viewers wagon, the troops we1
4 dismissed, and the most impressive and drea<
| full scene ever witnessed in indianapolis, an
|: the first military execution in the Vest, ":
. over. It's lesson should be needed, for Il
r first Of April and the day Of grace is rapid
Z wasting.