The New York herald., 1868-05-07
but for the tmeiy application Of cold water and fresh
| air he would have swOOned to the floor. . ~.
THE JOURNEY FROM ILLINOIS TO NEW HAMPSHIRE


photograph taken and then started for New Hamp
shire, distance OF about 1000 miles. The first night
jail During the night he Obtained e POSSESSION of
broom from which he took on the wire at the bottom
oi 'ae nandle and with 1t succeeded @ IN removing
chance 70 escape the guard he replaced his irons and
secreted the wire about his clothing for future use
| The next day, after leaving Chicago the prisoner
expressed desire to enter the saloon OF the car In
which they were riding. Mr.. Sargent accompanied
| door between them, but in this he foied and
cautioned against making further trouble, under
| penalty OF being chained to his seat AS he after
wards confessed. it was his Intention to close and
lock the saloon door, take on his irons and then
was closely guarded afterwards and no opportunity
Offering he was brought safely to New Hampshire
without further trouble npi IIlll
ARRIVAL AND RECEPTION 0E THE PRISONER IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE. a1TF
The arrival Of the prisoner near the scene Of his
interest and attended with great excitement, The
day that he would reach Franconia was announced
him. All business was suspended and the occasion
ma le general holiday or sort Of Jubilee When
with difculty that passage could be opened to the
carriage awaiting the officers and the prisoner.
to the hoe where way s through they were
strong guard for three days, previous to preimi.
nnry I examination, When he was committed to Jail
for trial and subsequently convicted and sentenced
10 ule penalty which was inflicted upon him to-day.
AN EVENING VISIT OF THE PRISONER TO THE SCENE
OF THE MuRDER--HIs CONFESSION.
novel and successful way was resorted to for the
purpose of moving the prisoner to a confession il
he was indeed guilty OF the crime. On the evening
before the examination the oiOer and the seiectmes
or Franconia conveyed Mills to the house where
Maxwell had been murdered. Up to this there was
nothing but circumstantia evidence against the &C.
cused. The house OF the murdered man was un-
occupied and was in every respect with
dered mani the same as when the crime
was committed, some weeks before. 1t was a dark
the cracks and crevices, ana everything around
seemed gloomy and deserted. Everything else save
ara ,ae win% mo was = silent and dead as country grave
dwelling slowly and cautiously and with the dismal
lignt OF smoky lantern made to view here and there
me loors, the ceilings, the walls all besneared with
the clotted and dried up blood OF old Mr.. Maxwell.
me axe and lie table, the chairs and the disarranged
furniture were all there to meet his terrible gaze and
II Is not strange that such scene was wei caIcl.
lated to i the mind OF the murderer with the most
powerful of unpleasant sensations. He seemed en-
tirely overcome, and his whole p)weriul frame was
instantly all of tremble, and instead OF the proud
confessed murderer Giving away entirely to his
emotions, ne exclaimed that he was guilty that he
would make full confess OIL; but ne preferred do
It al another time and place. The ext day ne made
clean breast of everything, giving particulars OF
the crime and the motive, as already stated.
DESPERATE EFFORTS AT ESCAPE.
Durlng ms confinement in jail hero the time OF
Mills was almost wholly occupied In devising means
cessfu and at another time he came very near taking
leg ban. the strength of iron bars and a thirty
Skill and ingenuity. The frat attempt he made to
get away he stripped himself Of nearly all his cloth
ing; Tor expecting fight with the Sheriff, as he
sad he thought II would he prudent TO have as few
garments as possible for him to take hold Of His
plan was frustrated however for there came timely
| after q severe struggle.
"A few weeks later he sawed the bars of his CELL
displaced his manaces and fed to the town of Dal.
! ton forty mites distant where nc was recapturcd
and brought back to his old quarters. cell for his
! special keeping was then built, and the blacksmith
| who made some manaces for him declared
that with an anvil, chisel and hammer they
could not be removed. In less than an hour
hAu tbn
nuty OF Mills resulted in his shaking them or
IN moment and then in a few moments more the
was broken, and ut midday the murderer passed uI
observed out of the prison. An outsider who noticed
again rccaptured. When returned he exclaimed
wan much feeling that 1t was all up with him now,
kept heavily chained TO the floor. ana guard was
Kept outside his door day and night and vet in splte
| Oh Oh al inns vigilance he MANAGED few nights ago to
sup MS manaclcs aud remove some OF the stones OF
me walls that stood between him and the liberty
| which he would probably have gained in a few hours
alter MS operations were discovered. on each OF
these OCCASIONS when his plans were fr lsrated or
when he was recaptured. he appeared good natured
Du ol course was sad and detected, dec airing each
Time that 10 would be more cartOus the next and
ne hoped. more successful But outraged law was to
be vindlcated, and the culpri could NOT cscape not
Withsiandng that his ambition up 10 almost the
last moment rater than to seek forgiveness from or
make his peace with the God into whose presence he
was so rapidly despatched.
g. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SCAFFOLD
Inc scafiod, II IL may be termed such was rather |
OF an original and novel affair. It was erected In
public just outside The Jail. and the saving OF the
timber the pounding OF every nail, the stretching Of
neard by the doomed man who chained In a coll
not a dozen feet distant. The whole concern was
was boarded up all sides so that nothing could be
seen or the body after it disappeared. The platform
was in about the middle Of the rude structure and |
above 1t was strong beam. from end OF which |
was suspended the cord OF death, the other end |
being ned secure by having been forced through the
most or his prison life, and firmly held by strong
elects inside All this mournfu paraphernalia OF |
death overlooked spacious yard, one end OF which
was bounded by the principal street of the village
aud the whole broad space was free to whoever was
desrous TO witness the tragic scene.
INTERVIEW WITH THE CONDEMNED.
A couple OF hours before the execution the writer
Of this account had interview with the condemned.
He said that considering the circumstances he felt
FRS rate; that his health was good; that he had
oyed bis as a. meal and his last smoke az well as any
but 1t was evident that his appearances In that dlrec.
tion were forced and with considerable effort Upon
being nerrogated concerning his preparation for |
death lie answered evasively, showing clearly that
the future Of his soul was the fur,hcst from his |
jail that his visitor was a member Of the press the |
prisoner seemed very. much exasperated, and de- !
much better for him to go to work on farm than to
go around the country writing lies for the news
condemned persisted in refusing TO converse further
tie interview was terminated whereupon Sheriff |
stevens commenced the preparations for the final |
scene.
During the arranging OF the preliminares curious
spectators began TO assemble around the scaffod I'm
great numbers, and by the time everything was CON-
pletc not less than 5000 had gathered together
Men, women and children, all eager to witness the
scene, crowded anNiously against the ropes and IL
was with difficulty that the large force police could
Keep them rom breaking through. Probably no |
such scene was ever before witnessed In the coun-
try-certalny never In these parts. The streets |
were ful of carriages, special trains came I'm from
different points. and hundreds started nc midnight |
aud trudged into town foot I'm order 10 form |
part ot The novel and imposing throng. Good order
A. nly yn1 nnopt tt.
melancholy scene about TO he enacted with horror |
bu; yet with approving satisfaction. During the few |
moments immediately preceding HIS execution the |
condemned was visited by a clergy man. with whom !
ne united IN prayer. and after which he said that he
felt that GOD nad forgiven him and that he was pre-
pared to die desire having been expressed by the
prisoner that he should have an interview with u |
Mr Page. OF TINS town, gentleman who has fre- |
puenlt bcfricndcd him while IN iai the request was
granted To him he also, for the first time, mani |