Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-11-01
EDGEFIELD s. c.. WEDNESDAY, NoVEhGBER l. 1865.

q.
dleston was mentioned, he said in firm
voice: II can tell it better than that.m VIE,
Col. Shafter read as-follows "to all which
the accused pleads not guilty" he replied
g But I don't now.n
At the conclusion Of the reading of ths
sentence, Col shafter remarked to the priso
|ner: "In accordance with this sentence, j
lam now going to have you executed Fur.
tguscn bowed bis head,a tejoined: every
we'll" Rev. Mr.. Bunting then made an ap:
propriate prayer, at the conclusion Of which
,Furguson bowed profoundly towards the
minister, as if inte1aing to thank him, utter.
ing some inaudibie words. 49,. -
He was then asked il he had anything to
say before proceeding with he execution. He
replied: aNothing to SOY particularly at all.
mo, don't think T haye.,n' The moose was here
placed around his: neck, and then, for the first
tune, be displayed signs Of emotion. His face
flushed to deep scarlet, the. perspiration
broke forth profusely from his face, and his
lips closed with conydlsive culver. The re.
alizatien of his awful situation seemed to
have flashed over his mind in all its cnl,1ess,
overpowering his fortitade. Colonel Shatter
wiped the sweat away, and the prisoner grad
ually recovered bis equapimity. He expressed
himself much opposed ito. having anything
placed over his eyes when handkerchief
was calledefor. Then he foluntsered the state.
ment: AI don't know some things in those
specifications, but don't deny anything l
ever DONE" For amoment ortwo he seemed
to be repressing On impulse TO- make fuller
remarks. After brief pause he added, ~
want to be sent to my family; l don't want
to be buried on this soil" After another
pause, he continued, in an excited tone:
!" Don't give me to the doctors; I don't waht
to be cut up herelp Colonel Shafter answered:
You shan't, Mr.. FurgGson." A Short 81.
lcnce followed, when the prisoner again
spoke: I want to be5put, in that thing"
pointing to his coffin, and taken to White
county, where I can hare my family around
me. If had only hafmy way, l wouldn't
have been here. Whenever you are ready,,I.
Hm done. My last requestisto bs sent away
with my wife,
The white cap was then drawn over his
face. His last words were: 20 Lord have
mercy on me, l pray thee!"
As he uttered the last word, at serenteen
minutes to twelve o'clock, detective Banvlle,
at one blow of hatchet,. severed, the rope
which sustained the drop, and the body fell
some two feet with ashsayy thub. He died
easy, there being no death struggle, asis often
the case. Twice hes;slightly shrugged his
shoulders, and soon the desperate guerrilla,
whose crimes. and sflelties had made his
name asterror. hung SEpsa. and the guilty
spirit was usheredinto that eternity at whose
threshold the wicked shrink back aghast
Whether he entered that new life repen-.
tant man is question between his God alone
and him. The grave, has closed over his
vices, let us forget the wrongs he has perpe-
trated for the places that knew him shall
know him no more forever.
The neck was not broken by the fall, but
the rope had completely Embedded itself in
the front part of the neck, the knot having
slipped to the rear. Considerable extravasa-
.tion of blood occurred from the nostrils, as ex.
hibited 1.-THE cap which covered the head.
At tweuty-four and a half minutes past
twelve th. body was cut down. In accordance
with the opinions of the attendant surgeons,
the immediate cause of death; was as>cerebral
apoplexy, from strangufation, the fall not be-
ing sufficient to break the neck. 1t is proba-
BILE that he suffered little or none, for, though
life was not extinct for some time, yet sensa-
ton ceased the moment the body dropped.
The remains were placed in the cofiu, ,fhe
lid was screwed down, and the spectators dis
.persed. -,
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