The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-07-15

hang the four ropes, each being of strong hemp,
the slip consisting of nine twists and knot. The
dimensions twenty feetlong, ten feet 70 floor
twenty feet to beam, fifteen feet wide to platform
The drops, of which there are two are each fourl
feet by six are directly beneath the beam, and
are held ii their place by an upright which Is
knocked from under by two pieces Of scAntling
being swung against il. The drop is six feet.
At twenty five minutes past eleven an expert
ment testing the drop was made with four Par-
rott conical balls of weight Of one hundred
pounds each, Two of these weight were placed
upon each drop The props were then knocked
from under and the experiment was repeated un-
til they all worked satisfactorily. Two Of these
ropes were on each side of the central one of the
three supports to the beams The platform was
surrounded by plain rail of plank, and flight
of broad steps on the east side of the gallows
had.aNsimiar railing of plank. A pile of raw
red earth, within ten steps of the gallows, and
close TO the east wall of the penitentiary wall,
designated the spot where the grayeso the GRIM
inalsr were soon to be. = S.'sNS'N'Ng
The Death Warrant Read TO Them
The criminals having been placed upon the
Eplatform, Gen. Hartranft nd yaneed 10 he:front
and read in a clear voice the death warrant Of
the prisoners.A Following upon Nhis came the
| last words Of hspered religious consolation TO
the doomed ones. Fathers Wiget and Walter ad-
ministsred the dying service of the Catholic
Church to Mrs. Surratt, holding the cross to her
lips, tzerodt seemed at this time to be mutter-
ing prayer g 9h'' ~ s.i'S g
Dr.. Gillette here advanced to the front 81, the
platform and said that the prisoner, Lewis Thorn
ton Powell, otherwise Payne, requested him to
thus publicly and sincerely return his thanks TO
Gen Hartranft, the other officers the soldiers,
and all persons who had charge of him and had
attended him. Not one ,,unkind word, look or
gesture had been given 70 him by any one.
:. Dr., Gillette then followed in fervent prayer
in behalf of the prisoner, during which Payne s
eyes momentarily filled withtears and ne follow
ed in the PRAYER with visible feeling.Is
i Rev Dr. Olds followed in fervent prayer In
behalf of the prisoner; avid E.-lIarold =, that he
rendered his forgi venesste-all who-had wronged
him. and asked the Forgiveness Of all whom he
had wronged. He gave his thanks to the officers
and guards for kiudpessrendered him. He hopes
that he dies in charity with all men and at peace
with God. DIR. Odds concluded with a feeling
II prayer for the pris0ner.,iIQ aNIrO
Rev Dr., Butler then madea similar return o.
thanks on behalfof George A. . tAtzerodt for kind
nesses received from his guards and attendants,
and concluded with an earnest inSocatioh in be
half of, the criminal saying that the blood Of Je
sus cleanses from all sin, and asking that Coo
Almighty might have mercy hpoff this man.
| TIE criminals were now brought forward "a
tie front of the platform and placed over lth
fatal drop " - ''''l'' - -. '.l'''! s'"'''
II Atzerodt was the first up His arms wer
bound behind him. With strips of White cotton
cloth a. 4 He was similarly bound at thickness anS
at the ankles Ilerold, Payne, and Mrs.1Surrat
were hound In the same, manner, the operation
with the latter requiring more time than the 9th
ers, from the difficulty of dealing with herdress
The fatal nooses were now opened to admit tn
head Of the eFiminals, land the.kaotsA as usual
| were adiuSfad exactly under the left ear Pawn,
worked his neck ih-his moose as if dissatisfied
with the adjustment, and the moose was widene,
a little to suit his ample neck: ------7-zZss&
!, Mrs. Surratt seemed to end it difficult TO stand
and said to those near her.. Please don't let m
fall., This was just before the drop fell. Atz
erode y no seemed to grow ex cited as hsfast mo
ments approached Just. before the white cap(wa
placed over his head attempted, in a, gaspinl
manner, to address the spectators. His iparche
bIips would not obey. the helm and it was dls
tressing to see him convulsiyely endeavoring Il
make himself: intelli gible 9 Ati last he manages
to get out the words. Gentlemen, take ware
meaning, evidently, rtake warming ~ Th
white cap was drawn over his head, as was don
with the Others, 1and it was supposed no NOR
would be heard from the prisoners. But just be
fore the drop fell Atzefodfs voice was agai
heard in muffled accents saying .'Good bye
gentlemen, who are before, me 'nowi Obi Oh
1 Oh ~ and as the last broken exclamations wer
on his lips the drop FELL and the four criminal
hung qlivering in the air. ''''N