Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-10

n etetler q Co., in the year 1865, in the Cietk'f
0hce OF the U. 5. District Court, fer the Northern
District Of Ohio.
Yesterday John W.. Hughes, the murderer
of TamEen Parsons, was hung by the neck in
accordance with the sentence of the law.
We append a brief history of the criminal
and a sketch of his trial, as preliminary to
the description Of his execution
SKETCH Oh HIS LIFE AND CAREER
John William Hughes was born on the
llth November, 1888, in Douglas, Isle Of
Man. His parents were intelligent people,
and influential through the possession Of a
hereditary estate which had been in the
family for generations and known as
"Hughes Ballamons." His father being q
lerge landed proprietor, or a country gen
ueman, John, the eldest and only surviving
child, was born into a state of sfiuence and
what IL considered the best social condition
possible. His father, as we learn from one
who knew him well, was a man Of swift,
passionate, ~impetuous nature, given to oe-
c%ssiOnsl drunken sprees. And the child
inherited many Of his traits and a temper
ament mixed Of eager, active elements.
Mr.. Hughes died when John was four
years old. He was at this age put
under the guardianship Of Mr.
Thomas Moore, now a wealthy man and
Commissioner Of the Island. BY reason of
an enmity existing between Mr.. and Mrs.
Moore, and the mother of John, lie was sep
arated from her, when six years of age, and
sent to a boarding school under DR.. Maffatt,
ct Eyreton Castle, where three years were
spent. He saw his mother, during this pc
riOd, only at such times as he ran away for
that purpose. He was next sent to Gleuview
Academy, q school which was ~frequented
by the SONS Of British aristocrsts, sent there
TO receive their rudimental education. Four
years Of complete isolation from his mother
passed at this school. In consequence of q
chastisement he received by order Of his
guardian, the boy ran away to Liverpool,
and shipped in the Marion, a merchantmen
for Calcutta But the ship sprang aleak
after being out a few days, and put back.
John embraced the opportunity to return
steslthily to his mother in Douglas. He was
not able to go back TO the ship in eonse-
Quence Of an attack Of rheumatic fever, and
on his recovery his guardian removed him
to his wi house in Ramsey, a town twenty
miles distant from "Hughes Ballamona."
The headstrong youth refused to live in his
family, and an independent suite of rooms
was provided and furnished for him. It was
there, with any amount of money to spend,
and too much time in which to spend it,
that he got his first taste and relish of fash
ionabIe life. He kept a fast horse, and pat
rOnized all the vices.
His guardian desired. him to study law,
divinity or physic. But having no taste for
those studies he chose navigation, and was
given under the charge of Thomas CAMEL,
Of Kirk Andreas, a noted mathematician of
the Island But he got on slowly with
navigation, and finally was confirmed ac-
eording TO the rite ofthe Church of England,
by Lord Auckland, Bishop of the Island,
and sent TO King Williams College at
Castletown to study for the ministry /!
Five terms were thus spent when the ap-
pearanOe Of cholera broke up the sessions,
and the student returned to Ramsey, and
entered upon the career of q fast young man.
He soon euarreled with Mr.. Moore, who pro.
tested against Johns ~prodigality, and a
ength ran away to Liverpool and Joined the
British army, cnlisting in the 9Th Dragon
Guards. Joining the regiment in Dublin,
be marched al over Ireland, and finally,
on the outbreak of the war with Russia,
70 the Crimea. He was wounded severe-
ly in the left leg at the battle of Balaklava,
and sent back to hospital in London. He
was in the army, in all, about three years,
and on being discharged from hospital, re-
turned to his estate just as be had arrived
at majority. About this time his mother
did. Not long after this event, a young
lady in the Island to whom he had been
engaged, cast him of, and, greatly enraged
and chsgrined, be rushed from an inter
view with her to his house, and revenged
himself BY marrying a polieeman's dsugh-
Ger, g pretty girl, 8 servant maid to his
aunt who, since the death of his mother,
was mistress Of his house.
The syoung husband devoted himself to
agriculture, and put his estate in fine con-
dition. But his matrimonial relations did not
prove pleasant, and he soon left to attend
the sessions Of the Royal College of Sur
geOns in Edinburgh, from which he grad
uated May 9th, 1851, IS his diploma shows
Returning to his estate, he lived a gay, dis
sipated life. He got upon the race course,
and lost numerous and heavy bets. An i'm
pulse seized him, and, obedieRt to the in
sane suggestion, he sold all his stock and
effects, reserving the bare estate. This
ruined him, and, after various reckless
movements and enterprises had miscarried,
he built two cottages-one Of which is now
occupied by his wife and son, aud the other
by the father OF Mrs. Hughes-and sold the
estate to q bachelor, whe married the lady
that tiltsd the 1Ossog.
ia