Daily national Republican., 1865-03-27
The Execution Of Robert Cobb Ken
nedy at Fort lafayette.

Robert Cobb Kennedy, Invtotea a. q rebel
spy and as the inoe ndiAry who fired BArnum :
Museum In New York 10 November lAAt, was
hanged at Fort lafayette on saturday after.
tators, besides the garrison OF the 'ort and the
bOuntyj Impern con nued there, who were COM
Helled TO witness the sceno. 1he New York
papers give the following account OF
THE ENECuriOS.
The nTbt act under the ga.lows was the read.
ing OF the hndinHa and sentence Of the court
martial which convicted kennedy, with the
order Of SenetM Dtx, eontlrmtns the sentence
During the ceremony, which as performed BY
Captain French, the prisoner preGeTved hiI
compOGure, OCCASION AlIB smiling or breaking
out Into such expressions as these: "a id
lie ; (refeTring 70 the charge OF being q spy, J
" That isn't a crime, IL mr. (reierriDg TO the
charge Of being In the rebel Army)
The reading OF the death sentence having
been concluded, Kennedy HNil In loud voices
" "Gentlemen this IL murder"
Turning TO- Col. Burke, he snld:" Colonel
Marshal Murray here stepped up 10 Kenne.
dy, laid his hand upOn his shoulder, and re.
m marking, " one mOmt MT" checked him, while
the attending clergyman opened tho Book oi
Common Prayer, and began 10 read the scr.
vice for the condemned,
Kennedy, standing bATeheaded and with
pinloued arms, listeped respectfully, frequent
ly uIipg q white pocket handkerchief with
dlfflculE efforts OF his left hand. A deathly
silence prevailed, broken only by the clear
voice OF the clergyman, = venerable man, who
was viaibly Affected.
At the eouelusIon OF the prayer, the clergy.
man kneeled In front OF the prisoner and of
fered touching plea In his behAlt Kennedy
Itill standing, looked down upon his spiritual
guide and made no remark untl the end oi
Or. burke then shook Kennedy's hand, badC
him farewell, and implorod him to act A. q
| man aud ChristtAn.
Kennedy bowed In response to this appeal
and then calling TO Sol. burke, said: "Colon0l
send me = drink before go'
The slorgy@an re'iriag; Kennedy again
al consider this = Judicial, brutal, oowArdly
murder. Thero was no &C ssion for the United
States Government to condemn ne"
PAuling for moment, he again GGid:
hTell my friends" -
The sentence remEinei unfinished.
The exsoutloner then came forward to Ad
lust the moose,
Kennedy then suddenly broke out with tn,
following verse, which he sang In a loud, cleA
voice, 70 tollioklng fish air, and with
ETrust TO fuekl trust to lueki
stare Fate in the face;
For the heart will be sisy,
-# II ia In the right place"
The verse had hardly been hninhed when tn
slEnal was given, the cord Wa cut, the weigh
almost Instantly -tho sudden violence OF tn
| Ahoek having broken hls neck.
After hanging for twenty min utes the bod
was lowered, lifO was declared SxtinSt, ah
the remains, placed In a common stained pin
coffin, were delivered 70 Ksansdy's friends.
| There was general shudder of horro
| among the spectators Al the prOfAge and In
penilent ending OF this man. As he stood NJ
der the gAllows he showed no symptoms I
fear but betrayed the effects OF oVer-lndu
genee In HtimulNnta. His speech was thic
and gait unsteady.