The New York herald., 1869-06-05
Watts to be changed by the neck unttl dead on the
18th of MAY, l869."

Watts to be changed BY the neck untfl dead the
2etn Of May, 1So9."
Gus Baker, the principal criminal has all the look
and bearing of desperate. He IL Q mulatto, de-
scended from that unfortunate and despised class
snsasnsd anSs as tie owner Of aye Reputation which
has always been exceedingly bad. He talks very
much ike Q bravad0 aud looks with seeming indif
ference the preparations FOR the execution, which
quietly progress near the jan beneath MS eve; put
really he IL the least prepared OF all three To meet his
Jim Thomas Is black as ebony, Of stout build
and halls from the city Of the ''Pug Uglles." where
doubtless he became master OF the art Of clubbing
He is morose and sullcn appears despondent with
out hope; refuses to speak freely TO any one, an
swerlng the few questions he is asked by mono
syilables and sometimes mods OF the head, and re-
iieves the duh mOnotony OF his confinement. by
alternately pacing to and fro in the cell and sitting
down.
George Bayline, the third and last OF the Wade
Ditcher murderers is also black and shows all the
characteristics OF the negro in countenance by no
means prepossessing. The knowledge Of his ap-
preaching doom preys heavily upon his mind,
having reduced him from q stout, hearty man
TO weak, emaciated creature, now compelled
to lie altogether on pallet. He Is confined by him
sell, and has suffered good deal from the eects OF
wound received when recaptured after his escape.
Both him and Baker are old Besidento the vicinity
In which they committed the atrocious crime ior
which they are now to suffer the extreme penalty OF
the law Bayline has made confession 10 the jan
authorities In which he substantially reiterates the
evidence taken during the trial. without crimlnatng
himself. Little reliance placed on this confession,
as many suppose II has been done at the sugges-
ton Of lawyers with view to obtain commuta-
tion OF Bay lines sentence. The following Is
CONFESSION oEoRGE BAYLINs-
went In Gus Bakers the second floor OF the old
DER and found Dick Williams and John Saunders playing
T % BED MS w snd sTn
went n Williams nSted me- to Tpsy' psy with hun
Between u.s. the maite being John saandsrs
play more Williams @ Insisting, inasmueh as was winner
While thus dspqtng Jim Thomas aud Wade Dcher came in
Baker Thomas, Williams and Ditcher Commenced playing
anay % eImnang In dispute between Wade Ditehe % ana ma
hand asking p pdher out a. the same time This
on the meantime Baker and Ditcher went
the m & all Of a Us following them out % Baker
words between Baker Ditcher resulting in Dit
but SsS he S Saffa with
the &
than said to Dtcher that he had acted dan rasca Ditch
that be tehsS had cheated him at the Company House q
IVA. Saying the a the
this place) Words followed between the two when Thomas
Ditcher over the head latter failing to the Eroundhs
Occurring ohsr The yard s the foot @ hs
suggestion Dtcher was then carried back into the
& %
s phs Itch veg remained in this during the next sy
not see him after be was put there until twelve o'clock Sum
Williams GUS Baser Jim oms.
ter carried the frame made for the purpose the
river. The body placed a boat boat landing
s With hs The & | VA me- GO
thing bu. simply with desire to satisfy the public the
RESPITE
Early on the morning OF the 2sth Of May the day
named for the execution) Bayline was respited
until the 10Th OF June inst The order respitng Ba-
ker and Thomas was not received until all the pre-
parations for their execution had been completed,
and The two criminals were standing on the scanod
with the ropes around their necks and the black
caps drawn over their faces Another moment and
pV in han
Hayes, the colored member OF the Legislature, was
observed rushing through the crowd around the
ing .Respited r. .Respted p The caps were taken
on the ropes removed from their necks ana the
postponed until this day lJune a., pending which
time fhe Governor would further investigate their
case and decide whether they were fit subjects for
further Executive clemency.
BEHAVIOR OF THE DOOMED MEN.
Notwithstanding tnat the doomed men were res.
cued the very jaws of death on Friday last as
If by miracle they sti continued to exhibit that
hardened and caous demeanor characteristic OF
desperate criminals. Baker asked coolly, when he
heard the telegraphc respite for one week read, to
TO take the rope or his neck, it choked him. and
with the most remarkable fortitude the two walked
spectators present muscle had not quivered.
nerve had not been over excited In all this
amost face to face with their Maker.
Since then Catholic priest has been
until to-day. instead Of preparing for eternity,
the condemned led indulge In the false nope
that their sentence WOuld DE COmInuted TO 1mprlS-
onment for life. They mad been baptized in the
Catholic Church, and the few members of that de-
nomination here were jealous In their efforts TO OBJ
tain further Executive clemency. Special messen-
gers were despatched to impore the Governor for
mercy. but to no erect. The last Of these re-
turned yesterday evening with the sad intelligence
that there was no hope; but this was not communi
Gated to the condemned until this morning.
THR DEATH WARRANT.
BY the mail the sheriff resolved the following
death warrant. which settled all doubts o. to their
fate:-
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, RALEIGH June 2, le69.}
JOHN A REID, ESQ, sheriff Of HalfaI al Weldon AZ.
James Thomas and Baker respsd BY me- on
IN he Sa ipS Sy S
Ss s al not s1S hand IN he sS .
thousand eight hundred and andn the
"''''''A"' year u y" " W. HOLDEN, Governor.
INDIFFERENCE or BAKER.
OF the two Thomas seemed the most repentant:
but Baker, with his desperate determination to die
game, renal ned savagely obstinate. His wife re-
tca raasd her NOT ony dey but brua with p. the he
glee OF fiend he remarked 10 the unfortunate wo-
man, "Go aud get three hickory rods, parch them
and bring them TO Inc, and II the Sheriff gives me q
chance at you for one hour Ill give you something
to remember me when I'm gone" meaning that he
would whip her until she was almost dead. With
pity for the hardened wretch, the broken
hearted woman, who is almost white, LETT his pre-
sence forever. Prior to retiring last evening Baker,
In his desperado manner, ordered big breakfast Of
good things and julep for this morning. Still
nopeiu VI Somihulauou vi thtir sentence, tne
condemned retired and passed night OF peacefui
rest.
TUE LAST MORNING ON EARTH.
This morning Baker ordered another juep and
drank 1t with evident relish. Shortly afterwards
the priest, accompanied by Mr.. Mcmahon. q Roman
Catholic. entered the cell and remained with
the condemned the entire morning, admin
istering 10 their spiritual wants. At about
eight O'Clock this morning Bakers mother
visited him IN his CELL The priest. Mr.. Conigand,
and others were present and the interview Is SAID
10 have been quite affecting. His mother, learning
that no hope was now entertained bowed her head
in aud aidlcon and shed tears OF bitterness.
She casped her miserable offspring TO her breast
and with the most vehement expressions, that went
to the hearts OF the she again and again
bade her son farewell, and IN a paroxysm OF grief
she left the cell. She s in the most desti-
tute circumstances. Throughout the morning
the priest remained with the condemned, ana
IL Is believed by many that they were
counseled to make no public confession, as man
could render them assistance In this trying hour.
Baker was very particular about the dress In which
be was 10 die. lie hnnCht q mir OF Linen nants for