American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-07-19

Omcers ana men under his command Tor
their uniform kindness toward him dur
ing his confinement. Not one unkind
word, look or gesture had been gived him
by any one of them.
The Reverend Doctor then led in fer
vent prayer in behalf of the prisoner. in
which the latter followed, closing with
feeling Amen, his eyes at the same time
filling with tears Payne throughout wore
an air of contrition as well as courage,
and thereby excited the pity of the spec
tators fully as much as any of the other
prisoners who were more unnerved.
The spiritual advisers of Harold and
Atzerodt also returned the thanks of their
charges respectively to Gen. Hartranft
and his officers and men, for their uniform
kindness; and joined in prayer with the
prisoners in succession, DR.. Butler prece-
ding his in the case of Atzerodt with an
impressive exhortation.
During all this time the advisers of
Mrs Surratt were assidious in their at
tentions to her, and by their consultations
kept her measurably nerved up for the
terrible denoument She appeared-ba-
ting her unavoidable prostration-passive
in their hands and resigned to her fate.
On the conclusion of the prayer in the
case of Atzerodt, which was the last, the
prisoners were led forward, supported by
their respective attendants, and the ropes
adjusted around the neck by different
persons. About the same time Mrs
Surrott seemed, by desperate mental eff.
forj, to nerve herself up specially for this
occasion, looking forward and around her,
for the only time, with an air of mingled
determination and resignation. Her bon
net and veil were removed previous to the
putting rf the moose upon her neck.
Payne held back his head and was
particular about having the moose adjus-
ted and secured by tightening above his
"adam's apple" as if it had been the ad-
justment of a cravat for festive occa-
sion.
Harold and Atzerodt, during the pro-
cess Of adjusting the repes, looked as if
experiencing inefable agony, as we'll as
Mrs. Suratt, who was now bordering on a
fainting condition and was kept consci-
GUS only by assidious tanning and other
attentions of her attendants. Payne
stood erect and unsupported, and he alone
it was said by one of the spiritual advi-
sers, had come upon the scaffold without
indulgence in stimulants, which he had
steadily refused, saying that he wished to
die with an unclouded mind.
AT the conclusion of the address of
Atzerodts spiritual attendant and his
deeply solemn and feeling petition to Hea-
we'd for Divine clemency, he was conduc-
ted to the drop by his attendants, and
while the white cotton band were being
tied about his legs and arms, exhibited
great weakness and emotion, bein. scarce
ly able to remain in an erect position
The moose was then placed about his
neck, and previous to its final adjustment
he addressed few inaudible words to his
executioner, and the rope was removed.
Gen. Hartranft then approached, when
Atzerodt evidently repeated his request,
and the moose was then drawn over his
head, when he exclaimed in a terrified
voice ''Gentlemen, take warn, +" probably
intending to say, what his agonized feel
ings prevented him from expressing =
Gentlemen, take warning by my exam
pie"
A moment after and he tremblingly
CALCULATED, Good bye, gentlemen, who
are before me now" And, after short
interval, added, MAY we all meet in the
other world "
AS the rope was teing adjusted to his
neck, and just before the drop fell, he
cried out in rather loud voice, Don't
choke me- These were the last words he
uttered, which were succeeded by several
audible groans.
AT this juncture the nooses and white
caps having all been adjusted, Captain
Rath, Assistant Provost Marshal, having
immediate charge of the execution, step
ped in front Of the scafold, on the ground,
and motioned to all attendants an the scat
fold to step back off the drops, which
they did, the proper ones still reaching
forward and supporting their charges re-
spectively on the drops.
Immediately on this movement being
accomplished, Captain Rath also gave the
signal for the props to be knocked from
under, which was done by a swinging
scantling for each showed longitudinally ];
and the four conspirators, having fallen
about five feet EACH were left dangling
spasmodically in the air The contor-
ton Of Payne were the greatest, attribu-
table to his highest physical condition.
Harold died next hardest. The death
Of Mrs. Surratt and Atzerodt were com
paratively easy. Mrs. Surratt on falling,
made a convulsive effort to bring her
hands around her right side in front of
her, and they remained in such contor-
ted position until she was cut down.
After the commissions of all were over,
Mrs. Surratt, Payne and Atzerodt hung
with their heads bent forward, while that
of Harold inclined back, which latter
was said by experts to be the only execu-
tion on correct principles. 81
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