The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-27
THE scAFFoto.

fE scar OLD.
The Execution Of Edwards In st. Louis-Far-
ther Particulars Of the Closing and Final
Horrible Scene.
from the st. Louis Republican July 24l ~
THE SCENE DURING THE SINGING.
While they were singing the first verse Edwards
gentlemen, VIII tell you am happy; tell you ali
am happy: well satisfied that death L. nothing to
man that Is ready 70 60 Thank God, am ready;
he was much agitated ana wiped heavy drops Of
PRECIPITATION from his face often.
verse, aud Edwards exclaimed, "Glory 70 Cod"
Tears began now to roll down MS face and his form
his hands to Captain COlcord and others near who
readily grasped them. HIS trembling Increased as
said. "Thank God have turned 20 God: God is WIN
me; death is nothing when man Is ready to die.
Thank God fee! he Is With me; feel happy to die
Deputy JaiIer Lamoreux, who had attended to Ed
wards IN the Jail then babe him goodby.
look to God. and then you will not fear to die He
continued, "ltank God, am happy; feel rejoiced
ministers shook their hands warmly. and EXCLAIMED
ya SDd q ssS aS s ps1 ~ Ss
happy would you o. COD, i good WHAT VI :
DEATH 90 not MIND death bit God y GOOD 20
The condemned mans trembling grew terrible to
and whispered sSs 70 stop
was evident that Edwards was IN an agony Of sus-
Rev. osrsa np praye
Cod Thou art omapossn o%nss'sas and
r.
ppess q %snsssas iasss: doing duty
something forsborsJ God, We AK Thss .hs
@ sns 3 ss & :ss & Sn q b. s
ss s Shra s aanT TS Coz man,
Ct II sf. ban and d ;" '' e 'd g @
Be- The e., Of aS s@ Of %s o ?.
to-day example thereof sndssvor the
70 DO y e
Ss Sss $
mani Now we commend his spirit to Thy keeping Lord
e. apSR
IKE ss Ss s .ns
sSs n the White to
Edwards-I wish TO state 70 all my friends, both
white and black, Ihis:--Look where i am to-day
win bring man to; see that wife OF mine. she
brought me here. and then came to the jail and, my
it does not make any difference / have prepared
myself to CO. thank God have got Him with me,
x.sy y lace eo
the shoulders and the rope was put loosely roand
his neck) TO all my friends ( viii say, save your.
am to-day. LORD nave mercy, pray"
THE LAST PARTING.
With his head enveoped In the white cap and the
rope round his neck Edwards extended his hands
towards the mlnisers yno graspea them and his
49, FALL Of A SHED. rfa alrf
While the moose was being arranged, all were
startled by the falling OF shed In the jail yard.
crowd had covered every inch OF the roof OF it, and
II gave way, taking the men apd boys with 1t. No
one was seriously hurt. but the laughter which fol-
lowed was an insult to decency.
HURLED INTO ETERNITY. Tfaaa 4,
. Everything on the gallows was now ready. Mr.
God, and the County Marshal bent down to cut the
string which held the spring supporting the drop.
he severed IT, turned round with shudder from the
sight which otherwise would have met his gaze and
William Edwards, with the noise and din of falling
bricks and timbers, and the shocking curses and no
ears passed through the portals OF death.
l lgf fr1 HORRIBLE SCENE.
The rope was too long ana the knot had slipped to
the front OF the ear instead OF being behind II.
Death was not instantaneous, by any means; 1t was
tunate man was frightful Edwards body swayed
to and fro, turned round and horrible to relate his
toes touched the around as me rope heightened out
put end to the awful afair. his legs doubled up
for an instant and 1t was only very seldom that he
scious!y we, Of course cannot say. He struggled
n this manner several minutes. Those on
man through the hole through which his
body had passed, aud those In the yard
u.
and one person actually proposed 70 pun the man
up and throw him down. Every one seemed to have
an anxiety that his torture should be ended. Those
underneath the platform hallO0ed to those above to
pull the rope up and thus get him quite clear Of the
ground. Those appealed to felt their blood creep at
icers did it. one got hold OF the rope between the
ring In the cross beam and the upright beam around
Strength ana Weight ia pulling at IT, Mnohsr @ot
hold Of the rope about five feet above the dying
mans neck and shortened IT. TO Some extent. Ed
ground, and his struggles diminished as he be-
came exhausted: Still he stretched out his
thing, and at one time he nearly touched the
hanging trap door. As he was beng hauled up 20
caught hold Of ms legs. It appeared to those above
that he intended to break the neck OF the culprt by
giving him powerful jerk, and the volunteer was
swung into MS former position.
The sentence that William Edwards 'be hanged
by the neck until he be dead was carried out, Tor,
alter hanging thirteen minutes his spirit passed into
the presence OF his Maker. While he was suspended
Spiegelnater, Dr. p. s. O'Reilly DIR. Anderson and
DR.. Coleman watched narrowly for the extinction OF
the last spark OF llle. They found that his pulse
ceased to beat In eight minutes and his heart In
thirteen minutes the same tune. 1t Is stated, IN
which PETE Christman died, when hung in Deceni-
Der, 1867. Edwards was then pronounced to be
dead.
CUTTING DOWN.
The crowd in the yard stayed round for some time.
expecting to see the dead man cut down but the
police cleared the yard and they were thus pre-
vented from gratifying their morDld curiosity TO the
fuli Alter they had been turned Out and the body
had hung about TWENTY-FIVE minutes o rude pine
coffin was brought the rope loosened from ats
fastening and the corpse lowered into it.
While Edwards was struggling IN the aQonies of
DEATH with his head thrown pack and face upwards.
the persplratlon went through the white cap satu-
rating It completely, When the body was in the
coffin this cap was thrown back for an Instant aud
those near scanned the features The mouth was
partly open, showing the white teeth, but the eyes
were closed. Dr. Splegeihater stated that the neck
was broken Ut the second vertebr9. The features
were natural.
One ofthe hands was cenched tight and the other
partly open.
After lie was extinct aud while the body was aus.
pended, the distance from the mans feet TO the
ground WAS only an inch and half
REMOVAL OF THE BoDy-DIsSEcTYoS