Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-01
70 be Executed February ., 1866
INIAIENsE CROWD PRESENT
A TEARFUL SCENE.

Hughes, the convicted murderer of Mis-
Tamzen Parsons, of Bedford, would be sen
fenced at nine o'clock Saturday morning
drew an immense crowd to court room No. 3
Long before the hour named, the spacious
room was densely packed. The spectators
clambered upon the backs of seats on win
dow, &C., to gain a view of the proceedings
A few minutes before nine o'clock the pris-
Oner was brought into court for the lasttime
He looked remarkably well, was dressed
neatly and presented q very tidy and gen.
tlemanly appearance. His manner was cool,
collected and deliberate. His overcoat and
the manscles having been removed, he stood
several moments conversing with his coun-
sci, Messrs. NJ. s. Castle, R. E. Knight and
VIM. 8. Kerruish. iAtpreciseiy nine O'Clock
Judge C~OfinberrY commanded the sheriff to
open court. The prisoner was conducted to
a chair near the sheriff S stand, and sat down
among his counsel. When order had been
secured, the Prosecuting Attorney, c.. W.
Palmer, Esq, arose and moved the Court
that the sentence of the law be now pro
nounced in the case of the State Of Ohio
against John W. Hughes. 3al
The Court asked the counsel for defendant
if there were any objection. "None, your
Honor" replied Mr., Castle. The prisoner
was then commanded to stand up. when the
Court said: John W. Hughes, have you any
thing to say why the sentence of the law
should not be pronounced against YOUR
The prisoner said he would liketo make a
statement and proceeded to read the, follow
ing paper of thanks to Court, prosecution
and counsel: s s-.aes
REMARKS OF DIR. BUGHEs.
Your Honor, Ladies and Gentlemen: -sGt
l have no reason to give against the SEN
tenee of the extreme penalty of the Law
being passed upon me fer Thought chills
my LIES blood to anticipate the fearful mo-
meHts of such ri ignominious execution, yet
when / recall the overwhelming testimony
Of my folly, the powerful evidence of nv
crime, with the Consciousness of my guilt
which has accumulated in. weight
lest elimination during the trying ordeal Of
my trial, sober, sensible, and truthful as !
now am, I must admit the verdict of the
jury, just; the sentence of the law, inev-
table. To you Honor / offer most sincere
thanks for the true m~agnanimity you have
evinced in procuring me counsel, and for
the unbiased deliberation. and attention
you have devoted to the trying require
ments of such a long and tedious investiga
ton as mine has oeen. And / wish you at
your earliest convenience to assure the gen
tlemen of the jury, who so earnestly and
faithfully sat day, after day to listen and de-
liberate over the fearful amount Of testimo-
ny and protracted arguments brought before
them, that instead, as some may suppose, i |
lave prejudiced myself against them,
I respect them for their impartiality, and
honor them for the faithfulness with which
they have done their duty. To Mr.. Palmer
and Mr.. Slade, who have prosecuted the
case with such earnestness, Unjust say, that
while l admire the ability and talent with |
which they lave portrayed the thrilling in |
cidents of the fearful drama, l cannot but
acknowledge that they also have but done
the duty which an ineensed community re-
quired of them. To Nj. Castle and to Mr.
Knight, who have so ably defended me, I
must now publicly tender the heartfelt &C.
acknowledgements Of unbounded gratitude for
the u~ntiring zeal with which they exerted
themselves, day and night for weeks, to
search out every mitigation for my crime,
and for the touching el%oquenee with which
they brought the resources of their ac-
k~nowledged talent, learning and ability, to |
DcdE every COuCelNdDlel OELly 70 eDuLI DOS 4
sible the crushing weight of the prosecution |
they contended with, and if possible to avert
thsaEfuliate which now awaits me. And
Mr.. Kerruishs I cs1aot find expressions to
Justify your Claims on my gratitude-while
those / thought 70 be my friends sioinsd in
the well deserved denu~nciations whdfyand
madly thrown OIL me, the perpetrator Of
such an ~outrage-even then you did not for
sake me-forf yoa knew my f~siIiHgs. In
this as in. all my troubles you have been
my truest friend. You knew my domestic
difficulties-you advised me. Oh ! that |
had but needed your counsels, this fearful
late would never nave befal1en me- If the
ties ofnearest kindred bound US, YOU could
have done no more. You haYe indeed been
a faithful brother. May God bless you.
He then made a brief sketch, a verbatim
report of which we lay before our readers,
of the circumstances which led him tocom-
nit the awful deed which he will soon
expiate on the seaffold: