The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1868-03-27
FULLDET.fILS IfESCENE
HIS LAST WORDS ON THE
SCAFFOLD.

The execution of John Ward, atlas
Jerome Lavigne. for the murder Of Mrs..
+ Ephraim Griswold AT Willist0n. i'm this
county, on the 2Sth OF August, 1868, for
which he was tried and convicted at
the April term of the Chittenden Coun-
ty Court, 1866, took place at the State
Prison in Windsor, Friday afternoon,
March 10Th.
Ward was sentenced by Chief Justice
PierpOint on the l6tE of April, 1851
During the year that according TO our
law intervenes between death sentence
and its execution, the prisoners conduct
in the State Prison has been generally
good saving ut the time when his plot
to escape last fall was discovered by the
barber of the prison, whom he supposed
he had bribed, revealing the proposition.
At this time his naturally violent tenn
per was exhibited III fearful threats and
imprecations. The plot thus defeated
was an attempt on the part of Ward to
send letters to friends through the in
strumentality of a prisoner from Bur
lington. whose sentence Of one year in
the prison had expired, and who had
previously been in Jail Mt Burlington
with Ward. These letters were con-
cealed in n small wooden watch made
by prisoner, and which was made of
several pieces nicely matched together
Warden Stone rs a ruse, attempted to
buy this watch of the convict, but it be-
ing beyond price, Mr.. :. insisted on in
speeding it. On his commencing to
open it, the prisoner in rage took it,
dashed it to the floor, stamped il in piec-
es and kicked the fragments together
with the contents into a heap of rub
bish.
Ward has for long time expressed
strong desire to see Mrs. Solomon before
his execution. After long hesitation
the request was granted, and she visited
him in his cell last Monday. She was,
of course, closely watched by the guard
accompanying her, and no opportunity
for mischief permitted. Ward showed
much emotion on seeing her, and the in
terview is described as painful one
Mrs. :. was a servant for Sheriff Mum
sons family during Wards confine-
ment in Jail at Burlington.
The night before the execution was
spent by the prisoner for the most part
in writing out what he declared to be a
full and truthful confession of his connec
ton with the crime for which he was
about to suffer. About ? a. m. he Law
down and sleptsOundly until O'Clock.
On Friday morning he ate but little
breakfast. During the morning and up
to a short time before the hour for exc
cution the prisoner was in close CONVEX !
sation with the chaplain of the prison,
Mr.. Butler, and u. :. Deputy Marshal |
n. b. Flanagan of this city, the officer |
whose energy and sagacity, it will be re- |
membered, were successfully eXerted to !
ferret him out and secure his arrest.
To Mr.. Flanagan Ward said with /
great apparent earnestness of feeling: |
Flanagan, the time has been when |
my feelings against you were so bitter
that l would if possible have killed you.
All that feeling is gone now, and | feel |
no resentment toward you, knowing |
that you have only done your duty well /
only wish to warn you, however, TO be |
on your guard, as there are men still on /
your track to do you mischief. At the !
time of my trial thousand dollars was
offered for your life, and at that time |
were followed and watched, and by the |
merest chance escaped on one occasion, |
when some roughs were watching for
you at the Stanton House,
The caution was evidently sincerely |
meant for ON the scaffold when Marshal |
Flanagan at the prisoners request shook |
hands and said "good bye" he again /
earnestly repeated the caution urging /
him to be on his guard.
THE MARCH To DOOM.
At ten minutes past one p. NJ. the
officers approached his cell and asked
Ward If he was ready for the ceremony
and he replied affirmatively. He then
took up broom brush, carefully went
over his clothes with it and then snr-
rendered himself. 1t was IA minutes
past one by the prison clock when the
procession emerged from the
cell, and marched to the gallows which
was erected at the South east corner of
ne prison in the main hall containing
me three rows of cells.) The gallows
which is painted black platform.
stands % feet from the brick floor, feet
oeng and feet wide. AT one side of
me platform are two traps or falls, 4
eet long by II wide hung on hinges at