The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-04-08

From the Indianapolis Sentinel We take the
following additional particulars OF the execa-
ton OF a dcserier. named Gay at that plsce
The coffin of plain black walnut. with a
Nat I'D. was brought odt and LAID IA the open
end OF the square some di-iauce up towards
the centre. An officer stepped oi slowly a
space of some twenty i've or thirty feet from
the cofil 10 Tx the line 10 he occupied bv the
hrins party aud then the southwestern angle
OF the square opened and the hring party Of
twenty men. TWO from each company. marched
in aud formed 900 tao ranks OF tins liue The
spectators Inside the square moved over 10 the
l,it Of the line. The soldiers. impassiVc as
statues. changed 10 feature or muscle. but all
-''erned 20 draw a. long breath a. four men
walked in at the open space and stood Ia front
OF the coffin. The one o. the right carried
small cord and band Of black cloth in bis
hands. aud was The Sergeant Major of the rsg-
mcnt whose duty Il was 10 bind aud blindfod
the prisoner. Next 10 him was the prisoner
20 unmoved and calm that every body had 70
ask which is the pr.soneryr
The army regulations provide a wav 10 keep
every man who tres from knowing whether be
shares ia the death or not The twenty guns
are loaded, ten with ball and ten with heavy
blank cartridge. The soldiers who are 10 fire
do not see the loading done. AID draw their
e Il III.
that no one can tell whether biz gun contains
a ball or not Thus each man il furnished
reasonable probability that be has no part in
the hioOd-htd
The Sergeant Major stepped up and began
tying his hands. which be placed behind bis
back voluntarily. lie stood silent for "A moment
and said something which we did not bear but
concluded IF ! could only be- spared. /
would enter the regiment again aud do nv duty
well a. any man in IL, Or lhestating) a. well
a. am able By this time his hands were
tied, and be- glanced roaud the rank. aad up
al the sun. a. % 10 take a last look al Garth
i be Sergeant Major led him to the cofin aud
seated him upon H.. facing the firing party
with bis back 10 the east. lie sat a second,
drew ~ feet towards him and settled himself
back on the coffin. a, IL o. brace himself against
the shock that was o. come - soon aud 90
terribly. The Sergeant MAJOR tied the band Of
black cloth round hi- eyes, aud stepped rapidly
oil 10 the rgLt and front, out Of the range OF
The guns. Then the prisoner being left alone
Tor the first time, exclaimed, %. that I could
see my death, 10 a tone Of deep sadness which
those who heard will never forget A whisper
from Lieut.. sherfey 70 the firing party brought
all The guns h. a ready The clicking Of
ihe cocks Wa heard distinctly, all around
] De prisoner heard t. too. but be only showed
bis CONSCIOUSNESS Of it by The movement Of his
lips 10 prayer. which became audible, but not
inteilig BIZ a. the guns were lowered 10 take
aim. Lord God, in a low tone a. II part
Of his prayer. was heard, aud tie crash o. The
guns followed instantly. at the explosion be
fell straight back over bis coffin. without q
sound or struggle. His feet, which rested on
biz coffin, were mot.onless. h. had obtained
biz Wish. His comrades bad done their duty
well and traly, and killed MIN instantly. Tie
surgeon ran % him.
d" j. be dead asked Col. Biddle. He is
dying; be VII be dead 10 few moment
aid the Doctor. he gasped for half a minute
spa-n0d cally. not breathing. and wa dead
h. was lifted into the coffin the baudage taken
OF bis eyes, and Bis little blue cap put on bis
head. There were 81 zht shot holes ID BIZ coat,
seven o. them ID BIZ breast asy one Of which
would have killed him almost instantly. One
struck him right ia the heart But there vas
not drop Of blood visible The bullet holes
were a. clean a. II cat with a pair Of scissors.
Jnder bis body upon the ground. va thick
puddle Of blood. FOR tb- tali- had gone through
him and the blood ran 0ut below. One shot
struck him IN tle throat aud another grazed
biz -1olid.r Aii tn 81 the bails struck him,
q proof u the cOOlnes= aud -teadines- Of the
men The Sergeant. attn BIZ carbne IN re-
serve. stood by the coffin 10 shoot him IN the
head and end he misery. II IL bad been neces-
-arT- bar. much 10 bis relief the work had Oeen
surely done without him The coffin was put
into Undertaker Weavers wagon. the troops
were dismissed. and the most impressive aud
dreadful scene ever witnessed in indianapolis,
aud the first military execution In the West,
was over It. lesson stOnld he needed for the
hr-t # april aud the day Of grace i rapidly
wasting
c1EE OF BELLS fkIENBs "A few days
-irce . brilliant little movement vas made N
Tarr.-zz4a ~ . mar a. e ~ rorra il