The New York herald., 1865-02-25

oomission from the authorities at Rchmoud ~ acting
nsser IN the navy Of the insursent States embarked at
6Andwrh, canada, on board the Phiio Parsons,
armed seamr while ON Of her regular trips, carry
Mg Passengen and freight from Detroit in the State Of
a IA been induced By Bsrey one Of the conederssss
q ne accused, to land II Sandwich, which NOT
= p.es a.,s % me sss we
sAers took passage Al Maiden another Canadian port
~ one q the regular stopping places .boat
shewtng no insignia Of his rank profession embarkng
e = ersay passenger and representing himself % %
the Jurisdiction u the State u Ohio
Aiter eight hours he and his associates arming the
y q board rose on the crew took possession OF the
steamer threw overheard part M the freight and robbed
the clerk Of the money in his charge, putting all
boerd under duress Later In tho evening ne and his
party took possession Of another unarmed steamerthe
lsand ousenscuttlsd her, vet her adrif the lake.
Jhese transactions occurred within the jurisdiction Of the
etate Of Ohio on the leth day Of September, 1854.
On the i0.h day Of December 1904 the accused was
siss within the State Of New YORK 0V1 The A testimony
shows that he and ocers OF the insurgent States
Coiensl Martin and Lieutenant Headey with other
had made unsuccessful attempt under
ne direction OF the FIRST named oncer 10 throw the
passenger train coming from the West 70 Buffalo, OF the
eomIany II Is further shown that this was the third
attempt IN which the accused
hs party Including he aceased won't 70 Canada and r.
euEned and that they their way back 70 Canada
wa he was arrested In these transactions IN thaa
from the insnrgent authorities at Richmond was in dis
guise procuring Information, with the intention Of using
u, - he subsequently did, 70 inAict injury upon UNI
armed citizens Of the United States and their private
thashe was acting - spy and carrying ON irregular or
guerilla warfare against the United Satss-in other
words esat he acting in the twofod character Of
spy and . guerilla He found guilty both
charges and sentenced 70 DEATH and the Major General
commanding fully concu in the Judgment Of the court
In al the transactions with which he implicated-in
one chief and in the others subordinate agent
he vas not only acting the part of spy In procuring In
fornation be used hostile purposes but he
also committing acts condemned by the common judg-
ment and the common conscience Of all civilized Sates
except when done in open warfare by avowed enemies
Throughout these transactions he not only In dis
guse, but personating a false character
II hot al a sssen:: &c he purpose Of sustaining the
nnding Of the court and yet Il nh0s iS&ppIopna.c -
his confcderaes, that tho attempts throw the railroad
train of the track made night when the obstruction
would be less likely than In the daytime be noticed by
the engineer conductor thus putting in peril the lives
OF hundreds Of men, women and children. In these at
tempts thre officers holding commissions in the mill
taTy service Of the nsurgent States The
accused is shown by the testimony 70 be man Of edu
cation and refinement and It Is difficult 70 account for
bis agency In transactions abhOrrcnt 10 the moral
sense and 30 inconsistent with oil the rules Of honorable
war are.
Erie produced the manifesto Of Jefferson Davis assuming
the responsibility Of the act aud declaring that Il
done by his authority 1t Is hardly necessary say that
such assumption sanction act warranted by
the laws Of civilized warfare If Mr. Davis at the
head Of an independent government recognized ch
by other nations he would have power 70 sanction
what the usages of civilized States has condemned The
government Of the United States, from desire 10 miti
Of sa S' bs S.pe q %as en-
govern sovereign States In the conduct Of hosties with
each other and any violation OF those rules should for
the sake Of good order here and the Of Humanity
throughout the world, be visited with the sevcrest
penalty War; under s mldest aspects, 10 the heaviest
Of revenge or with law. ioIcnce anscends the limits
y which Ii restric'c4 by the common behest OF all
Christian communities should receive the punishment
which the has declared 70 be duo the
crime The Major General commanding feels that want
Of nrmnsss and xbiliy his part in executing the
sentence Of death in such case, would be m offence
against the outraged civilization and humanity Of the
Il ia hereby ordered that James Y Bea be hanged by
the neck until he n dead Goysrnors Island Fri
day. the 24th day VI February nst between the hours
Of Twelve and two In the afternoon.
The commanding officer at Fort Columbus is charged
with to execution Of this order. BY command Of
Major General DIX.
THE LAST SCENES.
During the reading Of the above order the prisoner
took seat, showing that he somewhat tired with
the tedousncss Of the form. He observed smile
twice while the Provost Mashal was recounting
his exploits Lake Eric but aside from that he man.
tanned his usual sefcomposure and disregard Of the
The reading or the document having ben finished,
Beall drew himself up and In clear voice exclaimed
have TO say in answer 70 this proceeding Is that It
Is murder e The clergyman, who lct his ride
for one moment, now offered up heartfelt prayer for
the condemned al the conclusion Of which the
toner stepped forward and adjusted the fatal
The Provost Marshal then stepped forward and I'D
dressing the culprit, asked him II he had anything
say why the sentence OF the Court should not be put into
exec utiony
Captain Beall-An have to say is that the execution
OF THIS sentence Is MURDER absolute murder die In the
service and defence OF my country.
THE EXECUTION.
The cxccutioner now approached 70 perform his last
Office when the prisoner spoke few words 70 him about
VufLe "a vus ham nd than
announced himself Ia readiness to journey THAT un
discovered country from whose bourn traveller ere
returns" The black cap hastily drawn over his
face the Provost Marshals sword was raised as signal
10 the executioner the fell and quick thought the
convusve Of the legs and upheavng OF the
chest followed and In than three minutes thereafter
he appeared to be inanimaic.
After remaining suspended ab0it twenty minutes the
body was lowered and the doctors in attendance having
pronounced life to be extinct the deceased was placed in
rude coffin and given 70 the charge OF his friends
for The purpose OF burial The face Of the corpse pre-
scented none OF those traces Of contorton 80 Common on
occasions Of this Kind but on the contrary, the fea
lures were remarkably composed and regular, showing
evidently that deceased had suffered little pain
in his last moments.
TOUCHING INCIDENT.
touching incident occurred few moments after the
execution which will leave lasng mpr. ssion upon the
minds OF those who Witnessed IT, The spectators
hurrying down to tho wharf take the steamboat
New York, when two ladies' dressed In deep mourning
observed standing the deck Of the vessel They
had just arrived at the landing aIears and informing
the captain that they were relatives OF the condemned
asked him II the sentence had been executed.
The captain, seeing the crowd vending Its way down
towards the dock, replied that either u all over or
rcprieve had been granted
God grant that he has reprieved, exclaimed the
anxious sister for other than Captain Bcalls
sister who addressed the boasman but We will soon
learn the truth
The poor mother and sister did not remain long In
Ignorance OF the true state Of affairs for with arrival
Of the rt passenger came the tdings Of the culprts
death The news fell with . crushing weight upon the
broken hearted women, aud for the moment the sym.
pathy of the crowd with them
ANTbCEDENTs OF CAPTAIN BEALL.
Captain James Yates Beall is reported 10 have been
born In Jefferson county, Va, thrywo years ago
He Is said " have been well educated having studied
full course a the Charlottesville University In his native
state Before the rebellion, Il In .rtcd that he
thc Of fortune valued over one million Of
dollars and he was also represented be the heir appa
rent 70 the estate OF Lord Eeelby British noblcman.
Like many others of his miguded countrymen, at the
outbreak Of the rebellion he cspouscd the cause of Je
Davis went into The army commissioned captain In
the Second virginia Infantry and served under the DASH
Ing and intrepid 'xsonewall Jackson. His name how.
evcs does nos aIpcsr In shc rebel Army Register His