The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-02-20

Bot ~ ~ wd1a he leeoesf md lf nOs, ~ uAo
s;.s.Ee : ss.1 : = - sasay. - s..sg q -.
- solvs; fes ne thsse = dsvsle = sbss ase.es-
ed s01ul - tn 1rsoook eanso ~ ealts which In
pals ~ = ssa6 o. ~ aesuss6 ~ asll ulai, aaa
accordingly commit her ~ shat paspsses
Thh decision ~ received By the accused
with evident emottDn, aud she lsll the Courtr
custody Of tho 1asshAl, who W. ordered
to bri1g her before Julgs Halyburton q II
O'Clock this morning.
zns Eucw.ton Of a Yaakss Nbu--Acc0rd.
Ing to the terms ct the sentence pronounced
BY > OourtMArtial In his ease, Capt. Spencer
DoatOn, Of the 9th Tennessee (renegado)
regiment, Was hung IN the prison yArd wusi
Of Castls Thunder on yesterday at haH-past
II O'Clock T. H. Long before the hour of
execution arrived the neignbodnG house
tops md fences were thronged with scores
Of people, anxious TO crafty that curioaity
which eeenes Of such character seldom fAil
to excite In the minds Of many peoplo
About quarter past twelve O'Clock de-
tachment Of the military marched into the
encloeufe md fbfmai themselves IN . hollow
square around the gAlloWs, soon alter which
the condemned man Was escorted out OF the
prison between that venerable detective,
Capt John Csphart, tho Rev. DR.. Caxpentr,
chaplaia Of the Caetle, and Mr. Wiley, -
slstant texecutioner, the rear being brought up
by the mammoth black dog 90 well known
10 the visitors of that Institution. Arriving
ct the pI2ee of exee1tfOn, j he proceod-
ings OF the Court Martial and order Of exc
cution were read By Capt. Callahan IN clear
and Distinct voice; during the reading Of
which Deaton~ stood with his hat on and
ga1ed anxiously AROUND him, ~ II expecting
some deliverance from his impending doom.
AS soon - the verdict of tho court martial
was pronounced, the reverend chaplain gave
the signal for prayer, when al heads were
uncovered, and he delivered short hut i'm
pressive invocation to God for mercy upon
tho unfortunate mans soul. Deaton then
replaced upon his head the hat which he had
In his hand, and ascended with slow and
treinulous step the platform from which he
was soon to be launched into eternity. De
tNctive Caphart followed, and proceeded TO
adjust the rope over the beam Of tho
gallows aud about the neck, arms and
feet of the victim. During this ceremony
Deaton looked about him In half
unconcioas state, and when the cap was
drawn over bis face he seemed utterly
overcome with emotion, exclaiming rapidly,
and in feeble voice, 'Oh, Lord, have mercy
ON my soul !" II am innocent !" "Oh, Lord,
save mel" II am innocentw The officers
who ascenQed the platform with him had
hardly reached the foot of the ladder before
his knees gave way under him, and he
crouehed down a. far SO the rope would per-
NIT. From this sitting posture he was fted
to his feet three times, and had finally TO be
held up by Mr.. Wiley till the support Wa
dangling In tho air.
After hanging about half An hour he was
taken down In the arms of two negro men
and deposited in common fat-tOp pine
coffin. painted red, which had been placed
beside the gallows to receive his remains-
From the time the pins Of the platform had
been knocked away until he was taken down
there did not seem to be the slightest move
ment OF his muscles or contOrti0n of his
limbs, and every one thought his death was
as sudden as that which usually eDsues from
the breaking of the neck but upon exami-
nation by DR.. Upshur, the physician of the
prison, assisted by the Assistant Surgeon, it
was found that strangulatfon had caused his
death, aud that his neck had not been broken.
The expression of his countenance indicated
an easy death, and there were no traces Of
agony depicted thereon.
In appearance DeatOn seemed to he about
thirty i've ears Of age, five feet ten or eleven
inches high, sallow complexion, dark eyes,
prominent nose, q pretty fair forehead, and
wore slight mOustache and imperial. He
was attired in light brown pants, black frOck
coat, and high-crOwnod black felt hat, all
well worn; his tout ensemble exhibiting q
common, ignorant man in social point Of
view. He was captured at Knoxville, Tenn,
on the 27th Of August. In the terms of the
couvt-martial he was charged with being q
Yankee recruiting officer and spy in our lines,
on both of which Indictments he was found
guilty. The trial took place in Western Vir-
ginia, and was conducted by the officers of
Gen. Sam. JOncs's command. Upon the
headboard which is to designate his burial
place, DeatOn requested that the following
memorandum should be made captain
Spencer Deaton, Co. b, 9th East Tennessee
VIVA. Deaton, Strawberry Piains, Jefferson
county, East Tennessee" lie also claimed
to have q brother who is Colonel OF . rene
gade Tennessee regiment.
Circumstances have rendered it expedient
that we should witness number Of exeeI-
tions, but in no instance has tho subject
evinced such alarm and despair a. was shown
by the unfortunate victim who was hung on
yesterday. Incidents which have occurred
during the last two weeks of his life plainly
indicate that he entertained . strong hope Of
beng rescued from his impending doom by
the Yankee forces. His execution was first
set for yesterday week; but from Q letter
which he had written to President Davis,
stating that he was not then prepared to die,
his execution was put of for one week, and
we are informed that during Thursday night,
before the decision Of the President had been
made known to him, he would frequently
inquire whether fighting was not going on
In the streets, and II II was not thought the
Yankees would take Richmond before day.
His attending physician expresses the belief
that had it not have been for stimulants
which had been given him for q few weeks
back he would have died from mental, a.
well a. physical prostration, and is satisfied
that he had fallen away ct least forty pounds.
The execution was also witnessed by .
large number Of the prisoners confined In
Castle Thunder, oil Of whom seemed to view
It with the utmost interest. Il Il to be
hoped that the fate Of this man win have 9
tendency TO make Ill who ever contemplated
violating them, respect tho laws q the
country In which they reside.
Execadioa Rstpossed. james Z. Wileon,
member Of the 97th VirginlA regimant,
condemned "a be shot on yeeterday at Camp
Lee, has had hls aent6nce suspended for "A
indefinite period. Tue offence committed
BY Wils6n vss that of aL0oting an Oalcef Of
his command
ASey's .GDsst. Before the Mayor yestes-
day morning tho following cases were Asard
and disposed Of:
John Kiaf, taken mp 10 The street on
TAursdaa night In . drunk and tnseo1able
con1it3eo, NJ bof0ro HI Homer but td1G
8 membee q s0une nltltasY ocnpaAy Ard
expfeaefog . wish To ra>eln NJ eon0a16, he
was ordered back to his ,regfmenk
Peter Burns, . member OF the DAma CON.
pany, wa charged with riaiag ths pcckets