Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-11-17
From the Boston Journal.
The Execution of Wirz.
an Account of his Last Roms-7he
Scene at the Gallous.

}. Washington, Nov. 10, 1860.
l.. The execution of Henry Wirz attrac
a ed crowds Of spectators to the Old Capt.
O to this morning. At nine o'clock
n strong military force arrived a n d tn
Q street in front and at the side of the build
' ing were cleared. Owners of tenement
: from the windows or roofs of which view
Of the yard could be had, admitted spec
n tators at large prices, and a number O
r women availed themselves of this oppor
0 tunity to crafty their curiosity. Hold
ers of tickets were admitted into the pris
on, and passed through into the yard
g A rough gallovs had been erected in th
! corner of the yard, on the platform o
which stood four sentries of the Veteran
Reserve Corps while from til bean
dangled the fatal rope, which was to prove
"dead line" to the tyrant Of Anderson
vile.
Wirz was N his cell attended by ia.
theirs Boyle and Wigget of the Roman
Catholic Church. Last night he ate @
hearty oyster supper, and then went tc
sleep, reposing quietly until he awoke
about three o'clock this morning. He
then wrote his farewell to his wife, and
made some statements about his connec.
ton With the rebellion, svowing that he
had malireated prisoners in accordance
with orders from superior officers, and
saying that he bad never killed any one,
or perpetrated the acts ascribed to him.
After the sentence was read to him in
prison Wirz said, "I'm id If the
Yankee eagle hasn't turned out to be
what ! expected, a id TURKEY buz,
zard." He then asked lihat Rev. Father
Boyle might oe sent for, and also Mr..
ScbSue his counsel, and since that time
these gentlemen have been almost con-
slant in attendance on him.
Besides these some ladies have called
-one of them paying her last visit to
him yesterday, when she brought him,
some delicacies. As she was leaving he
manifested emotion as he expressed his
gratitude to her and remarked to Mr..
Schade, who was present, that this was
the last tear be should shed in this life.
A couple of ladies said to be of the
family OF a prominent officer, also visited
him yesterday, and in reply to the ques-
ton of one, whether he had hope, said {:
Certainly, Madam, t b e greatest sinner
has hope, and being innocent, must
surely have hope.
Yesterday he received letter from his
wife, dated Cadiz, KY, in which she used
most affectionate language, and express
ed the hope that they then we're seeing
their darkest hours. She urged him to
cheer up and prepare for the worst, but
is satisfied that if the government knew
how much anguish they had suffered be
would not be condemned to death. She
also states that she intends with her chill.
dren to go to his people in Europe.
Wirz has been an infidel, but of late
he has protested repentance, and one Of
bis religious advisers assures me that he
believes that he truly repented just before
the hour for execution. A Massachu-
sets official at the prison handed him an
album in which he wrote in clear, steady
hand, "Old Capitd Prison, November
i9, 1865, Henry wirz, Captain and A.
A. G., G. S. A." There, said he is my
last signature. AT half past nine the
for the execution W 9
made. Wirz was stirred in long robe,
or shroud of black cambria, and an at
tempt was made to handcuf his wrists,
but his right arm was so swollen that the
iron could not be fastened without giving
him pain. 81 don't want to be cross"
said he, "but don't burt me-" The shack
les were removed, When summoned
to leave the cell Wirz remarked to Fa-
Their Boyle, IL hope this black dress will
soon be exchanged for white robe. /
60 willingly"
Meanwhile some two hundred specta-
tors had eongregated in the prison yard,
thirty representatives of t b e
press. A majority Of the others were
young officers, many Of whom had expe-
rienced the cruelties and insults of rebel
prisons.
In the distance the dome of the Capt.
tol lowered up through the leaves and
of trees, and on every vantage
ground nearer by were spectators, many
Of them soldiers, few of them women.
AT quarter past ten the hum OF CONVEX
'ation subsidized into profound silence as
Major Russell came from the prison fol-
owed by the criminal, who was escorted
BY his spiritual advisers. He was a
much taller man than had expected to