Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-10-08

Prisonsr--Yes, cir; was baptized yes
terday, and I'm not afraid to die.
THE CROWD, THE scATFoLD, AND THE
M NA IxscUrIos.
About noon to-day a large crowd,
composed mostly Of colored people ana
gay whites, assembled outside the
Jail. In every convenient spot where q
view could be obtained groups were con-
gregated. Clusters of females were in
windows, the artificial flowers in their
bonnets looking at a distance like bon.
quets waving to and fro. Even the
housetoPs in the Ieighborhood we:s
covered with spectators; and the ratings
in front of the Jail were lined with mass
Of humanity that presented not only
ludicrous but motley appearance. II
was splendid opportunity for physi-
ognomist TO study the mind and char
acter of various races and combination
Of races in peculiar callings and condi-
tons Of life. There was the low fore
head and unsteady eye of the profess
sional thief; the broad head and thin.
leering lips of the midnight assassin;
the open mouth and comical shaped head
Of the half idiot; and among them
sprinkled here and there some passively
fair and good-looking features.
The scsffold, in the north side of the
Jail yard, black as SCOT and gloomy as
Erebus, is the one that had been used for
the execution of Moody, and this morn.
ing was put in smooth working trim by
the Sheriff and bis subordinates. Strange
to say, the same rope which hung Moody,
the same black cap which was drawn
over bis face previous to his launch into
eternity, and the same straps which
bound his limbs, were all preserved for
the execution Of Givens. The straps
are decidedly better for the purpose than
the old-style ropes or chains One fastens
the hands behind, one pinions the arms
above the elbow, another draws the
knees close together, and another firmly
ties the ankles; SO that when the man
falls through the trap and his neck is
broken, very few contortions of the body
follow.
At eleven o'clock this morning the con-
demned man appeared little more nerv-
Gus than when we visited him yesterday
still he was quite calm in his converse
ton, and said all be had told us was true.
Two colored clergymen-Blackman Viii
Hanson, of Ptenix Chapel, and Jubal
Early, of Avery Chapel-sdministered
to him the consultations of religion but
they seemed to have little effect on him,
as he showed no sigss of sorrow. He
said to US: want my wife to raise my
child up right, and / hope she II be happy
I've got a claim coming from the militia,
and want my wife to get it. would
have been very happy to have got to see
her. / want her to take everything be-
longing to me that amt destroyed 1t was
other folks fault that caused her to do |
the way she did. forgive her."
At one o'clock Sheriff Curry, with fif- |
teen special constabes and posse Of
twenty policemen arrived at the Jail. A
portion of the policemen were placed |
outside with muskeis aud fixed bayonets
to keep order; but they experienced lit
tie trouble, as the crowd was very order |
ly, and behaved well.
At two o'clock the doomed man was
led to the scaffold, accompanied by the |
two colored clergymen we have men.
toned above. He ascended the steps |
slowly, and addressed few words to the |
crowd, which we were unable to hear. |
The clergymen then prayed and sung
hymn. The cap was placed over his face,
his limbs fastened with the straps, the |
spring touched, the trap fell, and Lewis |
Givens was sent on his journey toward |
that bourne whence no traveller returns"
After hanging fifteen or twenty minutes,
Doctors Quinby, Sim and Taylor pro-
nounced life extinct, and the body was
cut down and given into the hands of an
undertaken for iuterment