The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-09-17

thence by carts here. They became fear
fully excited by the new scaffold which they
saw while passing through the yard into
jail. Their countcnances became blanched,
they shook violently, and the voices of two
became husky. The scaffold was substan-
tial, of ordinary construction, but built for
tour, as the eye-bults in the cross-beam
above indicated. ...-..
In accordance with the instructions con-
tanned in the Governors letter, the sheriff
summoned posse of 140 men, armed with
shot-euns, rifles, and pistols, in the event
OF an attempted rescue, which many antici-
pated. from repeated threats of negroes
throughout the county.
While in the cell, Moses Nubv acknow-
ledged that man named J. ID. Vail was
also to have been killed about the same
time Gray was. He also disclosed four
large sticks, or clubs, which were used to
murder Gray.
quarterto / the prisoners were brought
on the scattold. They made brief addresses
warning the crowd against bad company
and the use of Intoxicating liquors, which
they alleged had brought them to the GAL
lows. The cxecutioner then placed the
black caps over their heads and adjusted
the nooses, when they broke into The wild
est supplcations for Heavens mercy.
The two auxiliary props were removed at
| O'Clock, and the main prop was knocked
from beneath the drop with terrible crash.
Two Of the criminals were preciptated
to the earth by the breaking of the rope,
while the middle two remained suspended.
Two strands OF the rope arouud the neck of
Moses Nuhy also broke. A cry Of horror
arose from the crowd without, which made
a rush for the door of the jail-yard, but
they were forced back by the guard. The
two middle criminals fell about three feet
and a half-the nccks of neither being
broken.
Within everything was confusion; with
out. intense excitement. The prayers of
the two Wrctches who temporarily escaped
death for mercy were mingled with the
oathS and curses of the mob. The bodies
of Costen and Moses Nuby renamed hang
ing seventeen minutes, and during all this
time the two other Wretches were left stand
ing beneath the scaffold, the witness Of
their own fearful doom that was soon to fol-
low.
Life being declared extinct, the eXecu-
toner, whose name WIS Murphy, walked
upon the platform Of the Scatfold and
severed each of the ropes to which the
bodies Of the two men were attached, pre-
cipitating them in rapid succession, with a
heavy thud, ut the feet OF the other two
trembling wretches.
This inhuman monster then jumped on
the ground, and, seiZing the ropes. still on
their neckS. dragged each of the dead bo-
dies and threw them into the cotfins pre-
pared for them in Il manner unworthy OF Il
savage. lie was volunteer hangman, too !;
but he diS.raced and degraded even that
Office. \ gain the drop was placed in po-
Sition, and the remaining two criminals
were marched up the steps of the scatfold
and placed in the identical positions just
occupied by their dead companions.
At thalf-past the drop fell again, the bo-
dies struggling fearfrlly for nearly eight
minutes but life was declared extinct,
when the hangman repeated the barbarity
of few moments before. 1t was a scene
of horror never to be forgotten. &.