The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-05-09

of those around him, apparently AA
He Wits gentle in his matit1ef, and
appeared to appreciate this depth of
grief; but as soon as the scene was
over. he was perfectly composed
again-the same strange problem of
reckless joviafity.
l. AT 125 o'clock the three men were
ready to be led out execution. They
were completely dressed, and each
bore around his neck the fatal rope,
with its long coiled hangman's knot.
They made no word of complaint;
they showed no signs of weakness
or cowardice Each had evidently
nerved himself for the march to
death.
Out from the darkness of their
cells, through the long, gloomy halls
of iron and stone-down the wind
ing stairway-out through the dark
OF snbterranean passage way, uuder
the yard, under tie gallous-and up
again into the lower court of the
Court house-tramped the solemn
procession of officers, ministers and
doomed men, at quarter of o'clock.
They had marched west under the
ground, but when they emerged into
! daylight again they turned to the
east and passed out, for the first
time, into the open air, within the
canvas inclosure fronting the gall
lows And after tramped the eager
crowd Of a 1ijindred, who had wait
ed in the Court clutchirg their
passes from the Sheriff, and hungri-
| ly awaiting the coming ofthe pfiso
ners
This crowd was curious subject
for study We won't say who were
there, but all their faces were ia mil
iai' Save in some instances where
their features seemed strangely
changed. We could almost detct,
about some of the mouths, indica-
tons Of strong thirst for blood
It required the utmost eXertions of
strong details of the police forte to
keep them back from reaching the
framework in advance of the officers
and their prisoners.
A strong framework, twelve feet
by sixteen, and sixteen in hight,
with canvass sides aiid fo0f; stood
against the smoke-stack in the rear
of the jail building, facing the rear
of the Court house was shut out from
view Of those Who occupied hundreds
of widows of buildings to the notth
of the wall, by large strips Of cain
vass, within which and standing back
about twenty feet from the open
front of the frame work were hud-
died together the hundred who had
the privilege (?) of seing three fel-
beings thus, hurried to death.
Within the frame, the floor of
which was higher than the heads of
the tallest of those who thus eazcd
were the dozen men whose place it
was to be there. There were the
three victims Of the laws dread pun
ishment, with ropes around their
arms and around their necks: the
Sheriff and the three or four depu-
ties who were to assist him, the min
listers and the doctors. Above the
spectators proper, at three OF the
rear windows of the Court hose,
were crowded two score, Or more,
of eager observers of the scene be-
low. Such was the scene WITHIN the
yard at | o'clock z. M.
Outside there were crowds Of ex-
cited people-thousands of them
who hung round, although they
knew well that there was no chance
for them to see any part ofthe trag
edy. They were restrained at doors
and halls by squads Of policemen,
who from time to time forced them
back as they surged up against the
buildings in foolish attempts to
crowd through passageways or
Chamber up by the pickets of the
walls. There were hundreds who
had made their appearance there
with the daylight, and who persist
ed in hanging around until the last
moment Many of them had friends
or acquaintances inside, and were
Waitinfi for them to make their APP
pearancc with the news of the death
scene.
All over the city rcsounded now
the deep tones of the dozen fire bells
as the hammers fell upon them and
tolled out the knell of the doomed
trio, reminding all that the murder
ers of James Aughes were about to
expiate their crime by death on the
scaffold. Ewo hundred and fifty
thousand people thought them of
the three men upon whom the eyes
of but q few over a hundred were
fixed, in curiosity, awe and pity.
Will Case be respited? was the
query of thousands. But it had al
ready ben answered by dispatches
from Governor Cox, stating that he
could not interfere unless recon-
mended by Judge Murdoels as well
as Prosecuting Attorney Thompson
had refused to interfere. But these
facts were not generally known out
| SlUc. uCIC WIS, consequently, g,
much anxiety and curiosity On this
point, and the result was finally made
known
At l o'clock, as we have already
stated. all the parties who were to
take part in the last scene had taken
their places. Those on the platform
had seats. Prayers were said, then,
Goetz, Aulgus kneeling with the
ministers and priests. The prayers
were short. s ),
George Goetz then advanced to
the front of the platform to make
his dying speech. lie looked, ev-
cry inch Of him a strong, courage
Gus man, fully prepared to die with
out any exhibition of Weakness
He was dressed with scrupulous
nestness, in light brown pantaloons,
black sack coat, clean white shirt
and standing collar, with blue neck
tie and light boots. His hair was