Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-02-14
EXECUTION IN CLEVELAND.
DIR. John w. Hu2 hes Hanged for the Murder OF
Tanner ParSons-Singula speech oil the Con-
demncd. &c. Ac.. &c.

denned. &C.. Ac.. &c.
Last Friday DR.. John W. Hughes, who last Au-
gust murdered Tamzen Parsons by shooting her
with a pistol. WAS executed at Cleveland, Ohio. lie
was an Irishman by birth. He had lived illicitly
with his victim, and had afterwards married hef' al
though he had 4 wife living at the time. Wednes-
day evening before his execution he attempted 10
put an end To his existence by taking morphine. The
Cleveland Leader of the 10th gives the following
account of the final scene:
Ir. Hughes retired about Q o'clock on Thursday
night. Is his manacled hands were caught up be-
hind HIM lie was compelled to lie on his side. \
double bed was made for him and his guard, Mr..
Bissell, on the lower iloor of the iah, near the stove.
The Doctor slept soundly under the influence of the
morphine he had taken for about four hours. The
irons hurt hun, the position was painful. and he
awOke in consequence. After walking around u
half hour he again took 10 bed and slept till morn
ing. He arose in a very easy, cheerful frame Of
mind, was washed, shaved, and then made a change
OF under-clOthing. He entered into conversation
with his guard, aud talked a. c~lreerfully and hope
fully rs at any time during his incarceration. lie
expressed no fear. no apprehension, no dread.
The day dawned, and with the early light people
~thTOnged the streets, and all seemed animated and
eager, driven by impulse and impelled 10y curiosity.
About S o'clock the hungry crowd began gathering
outside the palng, 4 force which was augmented
every moment. They stood hour after hour IN the
MUS INV EAsihE 'h A' 'HAA lHN ~ 'f'fN " NUN
inclosed a man who figured in their Imagination as
u human form begirt with real and fantastic shapes
an adulteTer, a seducer, 4 blgamist, 4 murderer, a
felon under doom standing on a painted scene, with
death for a background.
That remarkable nerve which has made DR..
Hughes the wonder Of all who have been cogniZant
of his bearing since his arrest, remained hfm and
rigid to the last. Between . and IL o'clock be
moved about freely among the spectators, his wrists
iIOned. quietly smoking = cigar, and talking pleas
a.tl unl Mt art ~. u.FnI 10. III H.. yrn cana
thing painful in the spectacle. Under doom of
death, which would fall ere three hours would roll
away, lac walked around rs il assured Of an iInmOr-
tai lie here on earth. He was Very neatly dressed,
and hs face bore little or no indication vi the rash
attempt he had made the previous dag to take his
life by poison.
All through the weary, oppressive moments from
ten o'clock until the terrible announcement that the
gallOws had done ITS work. there stood without the
iron bars that inclusc the iail-vard a crowd VARYING
from eight hundred 10 a thousand in number, eager
walters for the dread event. Ii was a motley colleC-
ton of males and fcmalcs-the driftwOOd of hm-
m~anity-that class in whom curiosity is morbid
and ever vital, feeding with equal zest upon 4 scene
of human woe and suffering. and the most common
and trivial occurrences. There they stood upon the
frozen. snOw-coveFed ground, looking ~wisttuliy upon
the dark, sepulchral walls of the Jail, soon to be
made the hOnsa of retributon. and clad with the
fearful memories Of this days deeds.
At 10 o'clock, Rev. j. 4. rhoIne, spiritual adviser
to the condemned, arr. we'd, and the prisoner was in
close conversation with him, in the north hall ol the
jail until IL o'clock. He expressed gratitude to him
for The interest he had taken in his case, buttold him
frankly that he did not coincide with the religious
views held by Mr.. Thome, that lie did not believe in
Jesus Christ rs the Son Of God, &C., bnt inclined to
the faith of the Spiritn1listS. He talked coolly, but
like n man with a crlZed brain, and it was painful
to listen to the conversation.
The doctor then repaired TO his cell to hold a part
inc interview with his counsel. He thanked them
cordially for the efforts they had made in his behalf.
On being notified that n delegation OF the Monc's
Benefit Society had arrived, he descended, and pass.
eel between them rs they were drawn up IN file, and
took each by the hand, and made the following lc-
marks 10 the committee;
FRIENDs-l am approaching my doom. have to
abide the issue. ] have committed a great crime,
and am soon to suffer the penalty. ! want you to
know that in all my career in the Old World there
was no blot on my name. This Is my only CRIME.
don't remember firing that pistol. 1t WAS not }.
w. Hughes who did it. was propelled by evil
spirits during a fit of intOXicatiOn. ought to have
been an honor TO You all. | have had more and bet.
ter advantages than any ManXman in this city. |
had wealth, education, position IN lie. had the
best advantages that our little, beautiful island could
rive. Cur family stood No. !. No ManNman can
deny that. But | have committed a helnons crime;
and for which am about to give my lie. When
give IT, the debt will he paid.
In our country, superstition and ignorance handed
down these things to ~p0sterity, and do so till tlisda
Bnt. gentlemen, / wish yUu to remember that muir
der is no consistent part of J. W. Hughes. was
led by the feelings Of Illicit love and jealousy.
was overwhelmed by intOXication. was impellcd
to do the deed for which | am to suffer. At the same
time, gentlemen, ! ask your pardon, and that Of all
my countrymen, Tor being Il disgrace instead oil
being an honor to you. And beg OF you not 10
point the finger OF scorl at my boy but take MN ny
tLe hand and to your heart, and cultivate in him
those virtues which will make him an honor To the
country of his adoption. | wish my name To rot on
yonder scatlold. Let not my hoy bear 1t. ! hope
lie may he adopted by some one who will give him a
fair name.
IL was now fully III o'clock. The doctor sat
down by the stove, and talked c%hec.fHlly with all.
His nerves were still somewhat affected blythe poison,
and vet there was not a tremOr pcrrcptble III his
frame. lie owned to us that he took the morphine,
enough to kill five men, about 10 o'clock on We'd
neslay evening. Just after the departure Of Father
Gallagher; that he began TO feel ITS elects lniniedt-
ately, but that having partaken largely, oil oyster
SOM, the milk acted rs an antidOte to the poison.
fr expressed himself annoyed at the result. ic had
desired to die an easy death, and, by selI.mnrder,
avoid the ignominy OF dying on the scattnld.
,vi # b H2S5 s F. NJ nsrt the RrIS ST SD m9n" N,ao ie aGnHT fol-.
Thomc, Mr.. Smith, the turnkey OF the jail, and cN-
Sheriff Spangler. DR.. Hughes stepped at once upon
the trap, and faltered, when he turned TO Mr.. Thome,
aud said:
Wont 20" pray li''t' can't say anything till
you pray
After q prayer by Mr.. Thome, the reverend gentle
man laid his hand on the head OF DR.. Hughes, when
the latter offered the following prayer:
Our Fathcr-rhOu the great God, forgive Inc, a
miserable sinner, and in Thy mercy show to human
wisdom the folly Of the different ways they have to
approach Thee. Oh God, grant the enlightenment
OF the human race, and may it soon appear To all
our different sects of religion who have their different
ways to come TO Thee that Thou knOwest them all.
oh, have mercy. Look on ne, "A sinner. In i few
moments / will be with Thee, and will know the
great secret of futurity. Oh God, then Thou would
impart to humanity what i a great secret. Have
mercy upon those that see me. Have mercy upon
all that know me-upOn all that have known my
fate, and grant that il may be IN word, and that 1t
may be in conscience 4 great example TO all.
would ask all for the MedIator's sake. Amen.
He then arose, and, after a little hesitation, made
the following speech:
My FRENDs-This is, indeed, a sad fate. would
wish you to remember it, not as an example, but as
the acme of human justice. DO you suppose that,
for a moment, | think that the law of man is Just in
taking my life! No; mans law is but the law ot a
murderer like me. Who made that law! Moses
And who was he The greatest murderer We ever
heard of. Look in the second chapter o. Numbers
and You will find some examples of mH'der, with
premeditatiOn. and purpose, and deliIerat'On, all
combined in Moses in taking the life Of an Egyptian,
and then he comes out and proclIlmS himself u
priest, prophet, and king, and by his law sufer,
and every other murderer. ] will admit that life is
dear 10 all and ought to be protected. But Il Il
man takes the life of another It is the greater
madness Ia. TctIliate upon him in this man.
ner. If the people OF Bedford had taken my life at
the time | committed that awful deed. would have
said that is natures law, and comes from the heart
but when. after six months OF preparation and de-
liberation over the matter ytho>c in oIliciai position,
| say then, they murder-they murder. Gentlemen,
what is the advantage to society to take my life, or
any mans. in comparison to employing him for the
rest Of my days IN some useful employment II j.
". Hughes has any ability for anything, then Keep
him in confinement and employ him in useiul. labor
and make a good man of him, and turn HIM out a
reformed man, and give him an opportunity TO atone
for all the evil he may have done society.
This death penalty is ridiculous, and # you will
consider over it you will find it is wrong. One
life is as good as another. What advantage II it to
take my lfe2 None Ii is not an example to deter
Others from the crime. Did remember this in that
wild, mad lit of drunkennessl No; ld0n't remember
it to this hour. Yet it is the law, and wc must abide
by 1.-THE law Of mau, but not OF God. ! am con-
WINGED Of 1t. For six months now | have had every
sect of religion 10 visit nle, and they come IN 10 tell
me which Is the way to heaven. Do believe them
No! What is mans way to heayenl The same as
his way on earth. DO unto others as we wish to he
done TO.
| intended to take my own life, but did
not succeed. | took enough to take me out
nj this world. but il il the great Spirits will