The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1865-07-19

high and steel. el.spiked wall was beset by comp
nies of exacting sabermen, and all the rive
bank to the right was edged with blue ant
bayonets. This exhibition Of war was tn
prelude to a very ghastly but very popula
episode--an execution. There men and wo
men were to be led out in shackles and huns
to beam. They had conspired to take life
they had thrilled the world with the partia
consummation Of their plot. they were to reach
the last eminence Of assassins. on this parchet
and oppressive noon. by swinging in pinioned
arms and muffled faces in the presence of {
thousand people.
THE PLACE OF DEATH.
entered large grassy yard, surrounded BY
an exceedingly high wall. On the top Of thil
wall soldsers with muskets in their hands, were
thickly planted. The yard below was broken
by irregular buildings Of brick. climbed by
flight of rickety outside stairs to the central
building. where many officers were seated at
the windows, and looked awhile OF the
strange scene in the grassy plaza. On the
left the long, barred, 'impregnable penitentiary
rose. Theshady spots beneath it were occupied
by huddling spectators. Soldiers were filing
their canteens at the pump. A face or two
looked out from the barred Jail. There were
many umbrellas hoisted on the ground to shelf
er civilians beneath them. Squads of oficers,
and citizens lay along the narrow shadow Of
the walls. The north side of the yard was in
closed on three sides by columns of soldiers,
drawn in regulOr order, the side next to the
penitentiary being short to admit ingress from
the rrisonels' door, but the opposite column
reached entirely up to the north wall.
THE cAI&ows.
Within this inclosed area a structure, to be
inhabited by neither the living nor the dead,
was fast approaching completion. 1t stood
gaunt, lofty, long. Saws and hammers made
dolorous music on it, Men in their shrt-sleeves,
were measuring it and directing its construction
in business way. Now and then some ons
would ascend its airy stair to test its frmness;
others crawled beneath to wedge itssim sup
porters. or carry away the falling debris
Toward this skeletons edifce all looked with
a strange nervousness. 1t was the thought
and speculation Of the gravest and the gay
est.
1t was the gallows.
A beam reached horizontally, in the air.
twenty feet from the ground; four awkward
ropes, at irregular intervals, dangled from it,
each nosed at the end TWAS upheld by three
props, one in the center and one at each end.
The props came all the way to the ground
where they were mortified in heavy bars Mid.
way Of them floor was laid tweHty by twelve,
feet, held in its position on the further side by
shorter props of which there were many and
reched by fifteen creaking steps, rallied on eth,
or side. But this floor had no supporsts on
the side nearest,th eye, except two temporary
rods, OF the foot of which two inclined beams
pointed menacingly. held in poise by ropes
from the gsllows floor.
And this floor was presently discovered to be
a cheat, trap, pitfall.
THE GRAVES.
Close by the foot of the gallows' four wooden
boxes were pile dupon each other, at the edge
of four newly-excavated pits, the fresh earth Of
which was already dried and brittle in tho
burning noon.
Here were to be inferred the broken carcasses
when the galolws had let go its throttle. They
were go placed that, as the victims should
emerge from the Jail door, they would be seen
near the stair. directly in the line of march.
And not far from these, in some pit beneath
the prison, where they had been so long 30
forebodingly, the body of ]. Wilkes Booth,
sealed up in brick floor, had long been
mouliering. If the dead can hear. he had
listened many time to the rattle of their
manacles upon the stairs to tho drowsy hum of
the trial. and the buz of the garrulous spec.
tators; to the moaning, or the gliding. or
the paying in the bolted cells. where those
whom kindred fate had given little lease up
on life, lay waiting for the terrible pronouuc-
ment.
Still there was . delay. Tho sun poked
into the new made graves, aud made blistering
hot the glossy floor. The old pump made its
familiur music to the cool plash Of blessed wa
ter The grass withered in fervid heat The
bronzed faces Of the soldiers ran Jumps "f sweat.
The file upon the Jail walls looked down in the
wide ward yawningly. No wind fluttered the
two battle-staudards, condemned to unfold
their trophies upon this coming PROCLAMATION,
not yet arrived. Whyf The extent of grace
has almost been attained The sentence gave
them only till o'clock. Why are they so dill
story in being hangeds
ENTER THE DYING
Suddenly the wicket opens, the troops
spring on their feet, and stand at orper arms,
the asgs go up. the low order goes from com
pany to company, the spectators huddlea lit
tie nearer to the scaifuld, sll the writers for
the press produce their pencils and note
books.
MRS. sUgRArr.
First came woman, pinioned.
A r,;A -