Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-02-28

to see me and shook my hand. Hi
was firm and cold. Writing was re
sumed and continued for an bour h,
| then called for cigar, and knife t.
clean his nails. He kept up con
slant interest ia himself by asking
trifing requests of everybody around
and exhibited the utmost regard fol
everybody's good opinion.
| When Charles the II lay waiting
for death he apologised to his court
les for being "such an unconscion-
able time dying" this Virginia bush
man calls for cigar and knife tc
clean his nails, but being denied the
suieide-suggesting instrument, gra-
ciously permits the Sheriff to clip
his tallons with pair of shears that
may have fashioned the " black cap,
and are firmly held by hand which
in an hour or so viii adjust that Gu
riously knotted and well soaped coil
of cord dangling from a beam in the
sight t-defying inclosure outside.
And he grinned a ghastly smile
from his cruel mouth as puff after
puff of smoke issued from it, for
his sinister eyes ard the windows of
his soul gave forth no cheerful light
to tell of happiness or hope within.
He would like to appear as martyr,
but to the eye of experienced obser-
vation, he was moral coward sus-
tanned by toughest temperament and
the exhilaration impaired by cutting
the capers of self fancied hero.
At last the letter to his wife was
con cluded, and he read it aloud--a
maudlin, rambling, lengthy commu-
nication, full of abominable English,
devoid of thought lachrymose
harangue to poor unfortunate wo-
man, more illiterate than the mar
who wrote il. Who cares what was
in it ? for if all be true that is told
of the twain, the man would not have
been called upon to write letter IN
der the circumstances had his heart
been wholly in the keeping of the
woman to whom it was addressed
"Mr. Bumgardner," said the Sher-
iff, addressing the culprit at noon,
sit is time now for me to inform you
to prepare for death" The forced
smile vanished from that stolid coun-
tenance, and the skin frightened over
its bony surface. The festive air of
the cigar vanished, and the warm
glow of its burning end disappeared
with the "natural ruby of the
cheeks suddenly made pale with fear
The dreadful accountability of a life
of immortality and crime forced it.
self upon procrastinating soul, and
hands and eyes were raised in vain
supplication to human aid. The ter
rible conflict within manifested itself
in painful aspirations, for the mo-
ment had arrived when body must
part with soul, and the unfolding
of the great mystery" beyond the
grave begin.
Said the murderer, "Mr. Hicks, /
hope you will have patience y and
then he retired within his cell for
few moments, weak and broken
When he reappeared, the prisoners,
six or seven in number, including
one negro, had been assembled to bid
him farewell. He requested them to
join in singing hymn, commencing
"Why should we mourn or fear to
die," which he gave out and sang
himself, which was complied with,
and then he knelt dowa on the rough
pavement of the common room of the
Jail and prayed aloud and earnestly
to God for mercy, for strength to
sustain him, for forgiveness Cor his
enemies, for Heavens protection for
his dear ones, who would be alone
without him. This was beautiful and
sympathetic, but through it all was
forced the case hardened steel con-
viction of his guilt as a murderer on
the minds Of all present, and no one
pitied him.
Prayer over and farewells said,
Bumgardner's arms were pinioned
behind his back, the black cap was
placed upon his head, and, in reply
to some whispered request, was
drawn down over his face and then
raised again by the Sheriff.
At noon, the iron door of the Jail
grated upon its hinges, and the cul-
prit came forth between his spiritual
adviser and the Sheriff. He was de-
Gently dressed in black, without era
vat, and carrying in his hand white
handkerchief, which he PLAYED with
involuntarily. When he reached the
plank-inclosed space containing the
scaffold, he peered anxiously IN eve
ry face of the twenty or twenty-five
assembled, and was guided and sup
ported with bowed head and falter
ing steps upon
THE sCAFFoLD.
His eyes avoided what his tremb-
ling heart told him was there-the
rope and coffin. The Sheriff read
the death warrant, and asked him
what he had to say.
The day was raw and foggy. and q
chilly, drilling rain began to fall
Nothing could be more cheerless and
hopeless than that day and its doom
to The murderer. But ever strange
and incomprehensible human nature !
he who most of all should and could
end the unhappy and shocking scene
heightened it ont till sympathizing
and plying hearts tasted loathing
and disgust.
It was understood that Bumgard-
ner would have a great deal to say /;
but few were prepared to believe
that his stelid nature would so far
yield to a sentiment having for its
only hope cemmiseration for doom
impossible under the circumstances
to avert, and that he would infict
miserable, irrelevant, and custom
called &c speech Of nearly two hours
long upon men whose duty it was to
bano him and others summoned as