The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-08-02

bssn permitted its due course. She was Of
the medium height, and modest, % what
women would not be under such searching
survey? At frst she was very feeble. and
leaned her head upon alternate sides Of the
arm chair in nervous spasms; but now and
then, when sort Of = vail just issued from
her lips, the priest placed before her ths
crucidx to lull her fearful spirit. All tie
while tho good fathers, Wigets and Waiter.
murmured their low, tender csdsnces, and
now and then the womsn's face lost its
deadly fear, and took bold, cognisabls
survey Of the spectators. She wore robe
of dark woollen, no colors, and common
shoes Of black listing. Her general ox.
preston was that Of acute suffering, vanish.
ing at times As il by the conjuration Of her.
pride, and again returning in psroxysm
as she looked 1t the terrible rope dangling
before her. ...... "a -
THE ASSASSIN or SECRETARY SEWARD.
Payne, the strangest criminal in our his.
tory, was alone dignified and cell. possessed.
He wore . closely fitting knit shirt, sail.
pantaloons, but no shoes. His collar, cut
very low, showed the tremendous muscu.
larity Of his neck, and the breadth Of bic
breast WAS more conspicuous BY the manner
in which the pinioned arms thrust il for.
ward. His height, his vigor, bis glare made
him the strong central figure of this intere.
lementary tableau. He said no word /; his
eyes were red, as with the penitential weep.
ing Of courageous man, and the smooth
hardness of his skin seemed like polished
muscle. He did not look abroad inquisi.
lively, nor within intuitivelY. He had NO
accusation, no despair, no dreaminess. He
was only looking at death as for one long
expected, and not tremcr nor eheck
stirred his long. stately limbs withal, his
blue eye was milder than when I saw him
last, as If some bitterness, or stolidness, or
obstinate pride had been exercised, perhaps
by the caador of confession. Now and then
he looked half -pityingly At the woman, and
only once moved bis lips, - II in supplica-
ton. Few who looked at him, forgetful Of
his crime, did not respect him. He seemed
to feel that no man was more than his peer,
and one Of his last commands was word
Of regret to Mr.. Seward. ....-. -...
I have doubt that this man is entirely
. member of our nervous race. I believe
that . fibre of the aboriginal runs through
his tough sinews. At times he looked eu-
trely an Indian. His hair is tufted, and
will not lie smooth. His cheek bones are
large and high.set. There is tint in his
complexion. Perhaps the Seminole blood
Of his swampy State left trace Of its coun-
bative nature there.
THE HANGING.
The two traps fell with . slam. Ths
four bodies dropped like sing'e thing, out
side the vet crowded remnant of the gallows
door, and swayed and turned, to and fro,
here and there, forward and backward, and
With many . helpless spasm, while tho
spectators took little rush forward, and
the ropes were taut as the struggling pulses
of the dying. =, ~
Mrs. Surratt's neck was broken immedi-
ately; she scarcely drew one breath. Her
short woman's figure, with the skirts loop
ed closely about, merely dangled BY tho
vibration of her swift descent, and with the
knot holding true under the ear, her head
leaned sideways, and her pinioned arms
seemed content with their confinement.
Payne died a horrible death; the knot
slipped to the back of his neck and bent
his head forward on his breast, so that he
strangled as he drew his deep chest almost
to his chin, and the knees contracted till
they almost seemed to touch bis abdomen.
The veins in his great wrists were like whip
cords, expanded to twice their naturst
dimensions, and the huge neck grew almost
black with the dark blood that rushed in 4
food to the circling rope. A long while hS
swsyed and struggled, till At last nature
ceased her rebellion and life went out un.
willingly. ..--.-
Herold also passed through some strue-
giles. 1t is doubtful that his neck WAS
broken. The perspirstion drippcd from his
feet, and he swung in the hot noon just
living enough to make death irritable. -,
Atzerodt died easily. Life did not caro-
to fight for his possession. ~
The two central figures lived long after
the two upon the tanks. - ...f =
There they hung, bundles of carcass and
old clothes, four in q row, and past xll con:
spiracy or ambition, the river rolling by
without sound, and men watching them
with . shiver. while the heat of the day
seemed suddenly abated, As If by the sud
den opening of tomb.
The officers conversed in . half audible
tone; the reporters put up their books tho
assistants descended from the gallows. and
the medical men drew near. No wind stir
red the unbreathing bodies; they were
stone dead. ."'