Daily national Republican., 1863-03-06
.ngD0CALlAFFAIRsjt
E.,eution OF lhs negro Ford.


Lara, c,ocS Aboti be Jai-fAs Pfi,onsr d Hs cel-
No Efpeciaii6ns Of Psrdon-aP Protests BS IaHooases
10 ne friesf--P Psg5saiv Wahng 70 Dis--lfl Apppgr-
ancc on ne scgBold-Soenes IHeidenfs, Sc., .,i.
IL having been announced that the negro, Au-
puatus Ford who was convicted at the last. teftn
OF the Criminal Court Of the murder of George AZ
ans, teoored,l in Bates alley, and sentenced g Be
hung, would have the extreme penalty OF thelaw
visited upon him between the hours ofIo q. m. and
p. m. to-day, in the jail yard, large crowd began
very early 10 congregate about the jail In the hope
Of fwitneasing the execution.
A petition, praying the exercise OF E6eeuiite
clemeney In behalf OF the prisoner BY the Exeou-
merousiy signed was presented 10 the President
few days since. TheprisOner had been led to be-
leve by his friends that either the pardon o. CON.
mutation aaked for would be granted, and when.
ever he was addressed by his spiritual adviser Rev.
Father Walter, paster o. 81. Matthew'S Chur9h,
would express himself as quite indinlercnt, and
boldly assert that he had no fear Of being hung
for his FRIENDS had assured him that 4 would AZ
his sentence oommuted. He seemed TO hold 70 this
belief to within an hour or two Of bis denth. n
extreme unotlon, that the prisoner eyinoed any
emotion. After this ceremony, Father Walter OF
fered up fervent prayer In his behalf, when the
prisoner requestedhim TO sing His wish was com
pliedwith. ..a .. = " ..H .."H. H.T.
About this time information was conveyed 10
him that the President after a long consultation
with the Attorney General who had carefully re-
viewed the testimony addueed in the case declined
to interfere and stated that the prisoner must su
the prisoner bowed his head moment, and then
raising II again, asked his minister TO pray for
him. He seemed deeply impressed with this SER
vice, and after listening in silence TO few solemn
words OF warning from Father Walter, expressed
himself as perfectly resigned to his fate. He had
up to this morning protested hs innocenee, but to-
day he would have nothing 10 say on the subject.
He slept soundly last night and awoke at an early
hour this morning. He partook Of a hearty meal
I AZ mai al N nd
| at that time was quite composed. The erection Of
the scaifold on Wednesday gave him no concern.
ed to some friends that II was all folly putting
that up, for Il would never be uAed.n ~
The scailold used on this occasion was the same
| one upon which Woodward, Powers, and Heshler
were hung. 1t is l2 feet square, the trap raised
about one foot from the platform, and so arranged
as to have the prisoner fall distance ofnearly hve
| feet. The cross beam, to which Ia attached the
rope, Is elevated some eight feet IRON the trap door
upon which the culPrit is placed -
neys of every house in the immediate vicinity
where there was possibility Of getting glimpse
SnG %s
log the yard being very high, there were but tew
nOints where nything but the top Of the soafsld-
upon the houses on G street, in Northwestsfly
direction, were enabled 10 witncAa the whole Bcene
The greater portion Of the crowd consisted Of col
ored persons, but we noticed large number OF Ia
| dies who seemed even more anxious than their
colofed associates TO view the horrible spectacle.
ABOUT lWelNe o'elONhf lAhNHhAl AAuluilt ncpuAN
Marshal Phillips, Guard Rohlnsoni Dr. J. Z. d. Du-
hammel, physician at the jail and DR.. c. NJ Ford,
followed by about sixty persOnB, repaired to the
Jail yard, where the scatinld was erected. A.. o..
| The prisoner was thea brought from his cell, at
tired in a black gown, his hands fastened behind
him, attended by the Rev, Father Walter, On
reaching the Bcafiold, he stopped, and, looking
oarelessly around for moment Or so, with Aaurly,
| hang-log look, indicating feeling OF indifference,
he assembled the scailold, followed BY his minister,
Marshal Lamon, Deputy Marshal Phillips, and
Guard Robinson.
Kneeling beRide the trap-door, In company with
| Father Walter, a short prayer was offered BY the
latter when the culprt stepped upon the trapdoor,
Egniled his readiness and then, while the neces'
sary preparations were being made, commenced
looking unconcernedly about him.
Father Walter having left the acene, Jubt A. the
cap was being placed over his head the Rev, ChAs.
| Spear, well known the "prisoner'B friend, y
| asked permission to say few words 10 him. He
expressed himself to this gentleman, aH he had to
otherB, that he perfectly resigned TO his fate
| Mr. spear then took his hand and bade him fare
well. This was done by the othera upon the plat
FORM when, the prisoner stating that he had moth
ing to say, the cap was placed over his head and
then retired to the ground below and gave the sig
nal for the lowering OF the drop, This was done,
when the culprit fell about five feet His writhings
which were not very severe, continued about four
minutes, when alfWAB over. He was allowed to
have some l6 minutes when the physicians in at
tendance pronounced life to be extinct, He IL said
to hang died remarkably easy. -
As soon a. he fell, some colored prisoners ox
claimed, "Well done, brave and noble fellow ~
His body was placed In a plain, pine CONN, and
given into the possession OF his mother. ~