The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-05-12
RxECUTION OF THOs. SMITH.


On Thursday o this week Thomas Smith
suffered the extreme penalty II the law. IN
Albany. for the murder o fhis hrpther Silacy.
ard hia sisset.in.Iaw. Mn. Barbara Smith.
near Brownsville. in this county, on the 9th
Of last March. Re was executed in purSa.
anee Of sentence. after trial and conviction
\. the last March Term of the Circuit C ur
fos Lima c.uav. Jadce Be;se pre- ding.
Sine seatease Sn h hal Leen can6nei l..
one Of the large rsams en- the frS. aoor OF ,he
Court Hsae. held by the same shaekles and
NkeAyy chain which we're worn by Pate. tue
has e-er, who was hung IN his place about
four years aga. SheriR Richardson bad a
person constantly in the RON With him. h.
guard alike against escape er other cpntin
geacies. During his confinement, Smith
waS furnished With every 1.,able description.
of reading matter, and pefm.tted the inter
course &c vie or and friends, ii all reason
able hours. HIS general demeanor xhile in
ptisan waa sim lar 70 the character he dis.
played On trial-that Of q cold. S~toical, hard
ened, hut u~ademSastrxtve man. As the
day Of sentence drew nigh, he became some
what less oLdarate, aud at limes expressed
penitenceS yet deep sorrow nor ; very keen
sense Of his awful crime never seemed to
agitate him. He resolved the Visits Of those
who came % ses him with very little concern
usually and Was not spparently much i'm
pressed With the dread solemity Of his awful
situation with reference to the Judgment be.
yond the grave.
The day Of execution rolled around, and
great crowds hockod into town from every
portion Of the county, and from adjacent
counties. The morning was cloudy and
cherries. But the Cow and rush of person,
-msa. wnmena and children-contInued from
an early hour until the very monen of ex.
ecution. There we're Il least 1000 soul,
sseom outsids the town, IN addition 10 ID,
tssidsns Of Albany preseas It the awful ana
scene.
W. visited Smith IN hisprison roem sbnu.
tws hours beforc he was led away to death
with him we're Sheriff Richardson and tn.
Rev. Mr.. Galloway. AZ the Methodist Church
ks<pifitnal camforter. The Sheriff inform
saskin 81 the attempted suicide Of one il
Piaceuiia. Idaho. who Was stated to be hi
brother, and read him the acrsunt Of tb,
aHa;ri in the P Fflapd He-ald If Wednesday
H.expresed his belief that ii was HE brothe
Calvin. bas showed no emot on at the intelIi
fsncs e that bfether,s terrible act. W,
RAJ to him the Confession pubIishe,
that morning in pamphiet form 5y a geatle
man If this town, which purpurted to /,
frOm his own fps. lie deaied ever havin,
made any esnfeszion, and mas provoked t
learn thai anythiRg he ha1 stated IN i cor,
f~eSsional way had been male public. IL
admitted the truth Il the material facts II
c~Snneetiaa with the 1suble murder as state.
In the Confession. yet wished it 10 d
male kn0rn that they were published viii,
cur hSs oonseal. 1t vas snlF IN one 81 ~
unimpHkant matters thar he declared tn
puhliahe1 = Confession 2 esr1ne nuS. Tn
statement given IN afnther place IN this pm
.ner-sxsspk the objected t. psrtlons N b acS
ess-awhnt be zdlnited ~ he mainIy cbrrecf
At u o'clock. noan, Smith VAS fakel
frsm the C sart Il use. lie va placed IN,
hark waeoa. WITH has arnas tied behind. AM
guarded b the SaerIF and depufses. IT,
plaza Il Nesuti5n VAS fiaa where Pate ha.
suffered, short distaaeo eut on the souAh
wesssrn border Of the nssn; on an auen lere
spst be9snd the Corvallis rad. The gallsw
kfs,a 1fom neHt kbaFe tie mass af hnuaa
heads crswaed Sd ut Il in every direction
The wsrsn vas branshf to the faot Of fhl
Frame. sid the Saer9F And his esademaes
ehkrse eHgfned. Sh n bet -avsd MS lear
10 Weak.sess, bat MS nerraus system was 10
So Ermlg braced Is ithed beea during trla
aud sestsnce. He was eIad in full black
fraek csak. reSt sd pzsstss sud his bssyt
wsee serapnleusiy p iisheI. Before aseeaa
fnx theNssps d hna eAlhsd tahsm NafhaI
Bs:FdK RfowaktAe, of whom he aSksd !
The eh7sdfea 0f his mnrdersi rictlms vel,
present. snd # they aeI said anything abou
him IsieE. He1nen q u ated the steps wsfl
asnkesak ease an took al 8 lot eli place on
fhtnssklea benrhs Tae sheriff frst read
ssr written or signsd b saith that morn
81 Nhieh Is N6s sisted that che pub
a Ao5afsAi0n vas not his, and va
isk6d Hifbaut bis consent. After this
eame s. tbs froat If the gaiaews. and said
confess M eaI Lesufess doing III
~ charged with. sentence ma
and ! hare notbing % say against il