Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1864-1865, 1865-02-02
Vol. .. No. 81.

panions in arms. which they had Just
witnessed. made them forget their
fatigue aad hunger. and lenS des.
perate energy 10 their flight On the
same night they fcll in witE other fu-
gitiyos from the battle field. anil sub.
sequentiy arrivo,! safely at Memphis
We must leave the murdercys and
The slain together. as we can trace
them for the present no further. OF
Size fate OF Somers and his men, all
that is known beyond what has been
stated, i, that about the lst Of July,
Lieut. Charles II Hare. with de
tachmens OF the 1th Indiana cavalry
visited the spot. and found the bodies
Of five Union soldiers. stripped, pu-
rid and unburied. lie had these
remains removed 10 4 place near the
railroad. where they now lie beneath
the shade of a little oak, buried in
one grave-symbol OF the fact that
they fell in one cause and in a com
mop butchcry 1EE
Here | must drop the curtain over
this tale OF blood. For fiendish
atrocitv it has scarcely a parallel in
tho history of these times. Il was
a cold hlooded and inhuman butch
cry OF defenceless men, against whom
these outlaws could have had no
personal malicc-they were stran-
gers. and had done the banditti no
wrong.
TIE sETTENcE OF DrATH. fH
The Con mission found Dick guilty
OF all the charges preferred against,
him. and affixed the penalty of death,
by hanging. This was on the 18th
OF December; on the l9lh Gen. Dana
approved the proceedings and SEN
tcnce OF the Court. and directed the
execution TO take place on the 23rd
Of the same month. Truly il was 4
brief time in which 10 prepare TO.
debut it was much longer than
that allotted 10 poor Somers and his
mon. lie received Information OF
his sentence with apparent uncon.
cern, Immediately assumed his true
name, and commenced preparations
for death He wrote to his friends,
instructino them what disposition 10
make of his property, and in what
manner TO pay his debts. He made
but one bequest. and that WAS of his
iavorite race horse, which had been
his companion in his expeditions of
blood, and thai he directed TO be
given to his friend Miss Annie T.
To the members of his band he wrote
touching farewell, requesting them
not TO avenge his death by retaliating,
upon innocent men. These letters
were all read by me. and were snb-
scquently forwarded by the authori-
ties through the lines. lie had an
interview with one of his counsel.
+. i. Woodward. Esq, on the day
before his execution, and appeared
perfectly calm. talking of his ap-
preaching death as matter Of little
consequence at most. Of the Court
by which he was tried and CON-
demncd, and OF the witnesses who
testified against him, he spoke no
word of bitterness or reproach.
THE GALLONS.
At little after noon. on the 23d
day Of December Dick Davis was
taken from the Block placed in
an ambulance, and conveyed under
guard TO the gallows, within Fort
Pickering. lie was accompanied by
his spiritual advisers Catholic priest.
who had remained with him during
the preceding night The day was
beautifully bright and clear. The
troops of the garrison and large
assemblage OF officers and citizens
were present TO witness the depart
urc OF the noted outlaw 60 another
world. In company with the priest.
he assembled the steps of the scaf-
fold to the platform with q jo.d, firm
step. The Provost Marshal read 10
him the charges, finding and sentence
Of the Court, 10 which he listened
attentively, bnt unmovcd This
over. he convcrscd some moments. in
an under tone, with the priest. aud
then they engaged in prayer. After
PRAYER he signiiicd TO the cxccutioner
his readiness 20 try the fearful ordeal
OF death. While the rope was being
adjusted about his neck. he stood
erect, exhibiting no signs Of emotion,
or fear. The cap Was drawn over
his face. the trap sprung, and the
Guerrilla hung suspended between
the heavens and the earth. Although
he fell full five feet. his neck was not
dislocstod. rs WAS anticipated. For
a few moments after bis fall there
was 40 motion except slight pen
dulum- like vibration OF the body;
that was soon succeeded by a spas
modic Struggling OF the shoulders,
then there was n quivcring OF The
j limbs. and then-Dick Davis, The
Guerrilla Chief. was no more. Has
spirit had passed from earth and
stood before its God. Indeed
II, j. a fearful thin- to sec the strong man
die.
The s,ripIisg NEE, his fa'e'
An execution on the scaGold may
no witnessed once. but that man
must have n strange taste or 4 hard
heart who would willingly see the
second. But ! have finished my