Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-08-11

n. into his cell and, EneelIug at the slde 0
A his pallet, began TO pray.
is The Sheriff and others demonstrated witt
l. Colvin and said he ought to shake handl
d and say he forgave him.
Colvin then went into the cell and Nc
y ConneIl rose saying, "Wont you forgive me,
Mr.. Colvin"?
&c "If God f,rgives you, [ do" was the
reply. 81 always treated you well" continued
Colvin, "and I suffered mere tina death
a because of you. Ny wife was murdered.
p I was accused of the crime and disgraced.
Nothing but the consciousness of innocence
S upheld me. knew if they hung ne I was
guiltless. III never treat another man as
kindly as I did you. How I have suffered -
al know it. Mr.. CoIyin, I know it," re-
r piled Mcconnell, " but DO forgive me-"
I want to see no man die" said Colvin /;
3 "if God forgives you, will" Then with
sudden emotion, " Yes, forgive you as I
hope to be forgiven" extending his hand,
which Mcconnell grasped conyulsively and
wept more bitterly than before.
Colvin then bid Mcconnell goodbye,
wishing him the favor Of Heaven.
STEEvIEW WITH TIE NATION.
Mcconnell asked to have the Natron of
the Jail, Mrs. Katy Aragan, come to him
that he might bid her good bye and thank
her for her kindness. She came and he
thanked her as well as he could for eU.o-
ton and tears.
MISIsTERIAL VISIT.
The Rev. Mr.. Bush, of Berea, was then
admitted, and conversed with the prisoner
about his hopes for the future, to all of
which Mcconnell replied, lam willing to
go and haveno fear"
RELIGION OF THE GALLONS.
Mcconnell makes no boast of his religion,
of his conversion, etc. but when asked
quietly, "Fm ready to gc-the
sentence is just" It is against all reason
and all Scripture for 8 felon just about to be
Justly and legally punished, to as
sumo the part Of a saint impatiently
waiting for his crown Of glory.
A little more humility, a showing
at least of penitencs and self-loathiug, |
would be in far better taste. The nobIest
Christian that ever lived, the most useful
and honored of all disciples, bore sven to
the end Of his life a deep sense of shame
for his early wickedness. But there is
every encouragement for the spiritual ad-
visers of a man under sentence of death to
labor for his salvation The whole aspect
of tie gospel in general, as well as the case
of him who hung at the Savior's side, points
in this direction. And for any to deny it,
is both ignorance and foolhardiness. And
it has been proved by experience, in the
case of some who protested to undergo a
change, while awaiting execution, and af-
forwards were Pardoned, and who then for
years led a religious life, that conversion is
distinctly possible for even hardened
wretches, during the interval between the
dock and the gibbet. But there is no en-
~couragement to make a parade of such
cases, or to challenge anything from them,
for the honor Of religion. Modesty, reserve,
and contrition should mark the ~utterances of
all concerned in such a scene.
FROM THE DUNGEON To THE GALLONS.
at a quarter past twelve O'Clock, tn
Sheriff, his deputies, Revs. Mr.. Cooley
and Mr.. Bush, and the Prosecuting Attor-
ney assembled the scaffold with the prisoner.
Arrived on the scalfold, Mcconnell asked
for Henry Klabish, the guard who has
watched over him for the past two weeks,
who came up and took his stand beside him.
During the affecting prayer by Rev. Mr..
Cooley, various degrees Of nervousness were
perceptible in all. After prayer those on
the scaffold bid the prisoner farewell, and
he took his place beneath the dangling
rope.
"THE SILVER CORD L~oosED."
To the prayer Mcconnell responded
amen" and Lord help me-" He did nj
tremble though all the time weeping;
there was scarcely a perceptible tremor in
his voice. Turning to tbs people, he said
Gentlemen, I trust in the Lord. | hope
all men and women viii forgive me. l
forgive all and hope to be done by the same.
Good bye !
He then gave his pocket haudkerchiefand
neek-tie to Rablisb, saying, take these,an
take care OF yourself.7 While the Sheriff
was arranging the moose he turned to the
balcony, near by, where sat tho reporters of
the city press and said "Good-bye-this is a
dreadful hour" The last lines in the last
chapter of his dismal life were now being
read by the strsiuiDg eyes Of the people
below.
After the moose was on he turned to the
sheriff and thanked him for his kindness.
He said that The Rev. Mr.. Morris, of Ma
pine, c. W, was the EXECUTOR of the estate
of his wife's first husband and Mcconnell
wanted him to act as such for any suo-
scription that might be raised here and sent
to his family.
The moose was adjusted and the black
hood drawn down over his eyes, shutting
out the light of day forever. Every second
now brought him nearer, by terrible and
irrevccable strides, to the Interchangeable
future which all men dread. He trembled
not, though his hands were handcufted, a
strap grit his legs and bound his arms, and
the death-cap covered his face, for once
again he said Goodbye.
The sheriff stepped back to spring the
drop when Mcconnell turned his head
slightly, throwing the knot under his chin.
A dull, heavy sound, and another human
soul went to try the realities of eternity
The movemnt of the head before the
drop, which was not observed in time
to prevent II, prevented the peck being
broken. The hands grasped convulsiyely
eight minutes. In fourteen minutes after
the fall, Drs. Myer, Dickinson, schenck and
Prentice pronounced him dead.
FINS.
After the corpse had remained suspended
thirty minutes it was cut down by
officers and conveyed to the rear of the Jail
where it was encased in a white-wood cot
fin, covered with cheap black cotton cloth,
studded with silver nails. There was no
inscription upon it. The coffin was then
placed in q hearse from Howland's estab-
lishment and the corpse by the previous
request Of the deceased was given into the
charge of the Rev. Mr.. Cooley, his spiritual
sdviser. The Sheriff had been properly
particular in whom lie admitted to the jail,
and also as to the number. The history of
most murderer5 is a long list Of previous
c~riminaIities and Undurabls rehabilitation
on the part of the destroyer, or ofau intense
the victim. In this nurture of secret guilt,