Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-09-21

placed in the box, and drawn forth
simultaneously, and VIC all left the
place, in different directions, without
looking at our papers. The proceed
i2g was so rapid. that had no time
for reflection until | found myself in
the open air; and walking fast to
point at which | thought it would be
safe for me to examine my ticket;
and even then | did not think so much
of the atrocious nature of the crime in
which | was engaged, as of the chances
that there were of my having drawn
a blank, which would have indeed
been prize to me. After walking
for mile or thereabouts, and seeing
that no one was near, halted, and
examined my ticket, which | had kept
within my clenched hand. 1 started
back with horror, as, by the dim light,
| was enabled to trace the fatal letter,
distinctly drawn on the white ground
Ny first thought was to turn and fly !;
but where shall l fly to? Would not
my comrades suspect the cause Of my
absence, and would they not, from re-
gard to their own safety, deem it nee
essary to treat me as they were about
to treat Morgan Besides was l not
bound in honor-aye, and by oath,
TOTO 90 onward in the enterprise,
horrible and unlawful as it was, and
fearful as might be its consequences ?
| had offered no remonstranceS against
the plan for the making away with
Morgan, but had gone on step by step,
with the other conspirators; and was
| not, therefore, bound in honor to
continue in the same fearful path unto
the end? Strange as it may appear,
and so singularly is the mind of man
constituted, the sensation that | most
deeply experienced at that awful mo-
ment, was one of shame, that | should
have thought Of evading the dread
task that | had been selected by for
tune to perform. All idea Of its Grim
inality was absorbed in this, and Ire
solved TO 90 through with the enter
prise with bold heart and steady
hand.
As the hour for the meeting of the
three approached proceeded towards
the Fort, not without lingering hope
that the two who were to be assOciat-
ed with me as eXecutioncrS, would be
less punctuaI than myself, and that
they would fail altogether of keeping
their rendezvous. But this hope soon
left HE, Tor as | arrived near the Fort
! was joined by two of those from
whom l had so recently separated
and then it was that we ascertained
who had drawn the death-tickets.
Both these men were Americans, and
neither of them, am certain, had less
desire to take any part in she affair
than myself However, there was nc
show Of reluctance, all Of US acting as
if we had made up our minds to the
performance Of a terrible task, from
which there was no retreat. Immedi
ate arrangements were made to carry
out the sentence, if such it can be call
ed, that had been passed upon the
prisoner. My comrades left to pro
cure boat,One Of them knowing where
it was easy to find it. 1t having beer
agreed upon that Morgan should bC
sunk in the Niagara, in the hope thai
he and our crime alike would thus be
buried beneath the waves. My par
was to proceed to the magazine, anl
announce to Morgan his fate, and t
prepare him, SO far as | could, tC
meet it.
When my partners in crime hac
left. | passed to the magazine. Or
entering found Morgan asleep, anC
for few moments | stood and regard
ed him by the light of the lantern tha
l had brought with me. He was palt
and haggard, and looked like an ok
man, though in reality he was no
much past the prime of existence
Nevertheless, he slept quietly, and N,
entrance did not appear to have dis
tur5ed him. l gently awoke him, ant
he started wildly up, and gazed upol
me. was a stranger to him, and h
hurriedly demanded my business
William Morgan" | replied, Il com
to You on a sad duty-it is to pre-
pare you for your last hour on earth
The great crime for which YOU hav,
been guilty, has been duly c0nsidere,
by those against whom it has bee
committed; and they, possessed bot
OF the right and the power to act
have resolved that you must die.
is now past midnight, and before tn
earliest dawn shall have appeared
you must be no longer on earth.
leave you to prepare for the grea
change you are to undergo" Thu
saying, | placed the lantern on tn
floor. and was in the act of leavin
the magazine, for the purpose OF sts
tioning myself at the entrance, whe
Morgan loudly called me back, an
poured out a number Of questions
He demanded by what authority W
had condemned him? who had bee
his judges! were they Americans 0
foreigners ? now was he to die ? an
many other questions of the like char
acter. | told him that | had not com
there to answer questions, but to NJ
tify him of his sentence, from whic
there was no appeal, or possibility o
escape. l added, that had heard h
had been a soldier, that | had bee
one myself, and that | hoped he woul
meet his end as became a man VIII
| had borne arms. He took no motto
of this, but commenced wringing hi
hands, and talking of his wife an
children, the recollection of whom i
that awful hour terribly affected hin
His wife, he said, was young and il
experienced, and his children wer
but infants; what would become c
them we're he, the husband and fathe
cut of, and they even ignorant of h
fate? | endeavored to console him G
this point, by assuring him that tt
fraternity OF which he had been &
unworthy member, and which he ha
; sought to ruiz, had already provide
: for his family ,and that they would d
be permitted to want anything. {
then commenced a rambling discours
q r Al