The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-06

moments rejection and with nash Of the eyes,
'whatever it Is am ready for it.D The night pre-,
vous TO the execution was passed by the doomed
morning he ate very heartily Of substantial break.
fast After this clergyman called upon him at his
own request, and TO him McCurtin expressed his
belief that he would be forgiven. A cousin Of the
prisoner came to see him about ten O'Clock and a
strange sight II was to witness their interview inc
two sat together with their heads bowed, the one
would speak a few words which would extort
grunt from the other, then silence, broken by re-
Companion. But expression on the face Of either,
there was none; botn looked equally impressive anu
stOical
PREPARING FOR THE EXECUTION.
In the meantime dense crowd OF people
were pouring into town from this anu
Tney came 10 Witness on ne a9 ~
have never seen SO many strangers here dur
ing circus or menagerie-(properly advertiseal'
cded that the execution should take place privately
in The ail yard, and as consequence he was llte-
rally bessGa ~ applicant, Tor nenea IN
persons hitched or embarrassed their horses IN the
vicinity OF the jail and renamed determined TO see
At the appointed hour the United States Marshal
entered the jail yard; numerous deputies were post
ed S about the wallis and the sonas
shaking limbs he put his Clothes and once, as he
glanced at his improved attire, his look Of misery
was evident that the neat black pants and
the white gloves had excited. even at ,.1 this
peculiar to the savage and fashionable fe.
male mind: Then he sits down, looking into
know II he cannot nave his picture taken. 'swhat
forf' Is the inquiry. SWELL to see how look in
these pants" Is the response mo, u cannot DC
DONE he should have asked that before"
Then comes another question-"Will some one
give him chew OF tobaccOr'
The weed is given him and its masticatlon imparts
momentary brightness to the eyes that however.
soon relapse into their former vacant stare And
thus pass the Meeting moments Of the man who so
nn
A BIG CROWD.
without and around the jail yard is an open
space denseiy crowded with people. Officers and
soldiers from the fort in all the uncomfortable p0mp
of full dress uniform; Old farmers from the country,
flushed with the sun and the very Indifferent article
Of local whiskey; maidens in all the completeness
OF rustic commissioning unpleasantly warm,
their collars limp and shrunk, their nnery all awry;
conscious are these rural beauties OF the fading
glories Of their appearance, but the desire TO re-
arrange their furbelows Is galanty conquered by
the curiosity to see the "lngine hanged" On
horses and in wagons, straning their necks to
catch sight OF the gallows that reaches above the
every one standing patiently in the heat perspiring
with the warmth, forgetting fatigue and heat alike
in order that they may witness the last agony of
fellow creature. Here and there through the
crowd, with his inevitable blanket wrapped around
hun, may be seen an Indian. There are many of
others relatives of the man he murdered; but as
they sit on their ponies-some with stCve-
pipe hats. others with head gear OF fs, straw
discover from their expression which are the enc
mics ana which the friends Of McCurtin. Stay;
series of grunts break upon the ear 1t Is not a
drove OF porkers; 1t is only the children OF the
PRAIRIE" who, by that not euphOnl0us sound, have
expressed their satisfaction at seeing McCurtin
mount the scaflOld.
ABOUT TO DIE.
The clergyman prays with hm then follows the
reading of the warrant. Farewell is given him by
the officers. Has he word to say No. He has
said ali. The black cap Is placed on him. And
now
Above, the heavens are brilliant in their unclouded
cearness. The sun pours forth its brightness upon
the river that in the distance winds us way like
silver circle. The surrounding hills are splendid In
their rich verdure. All still, the birds in the
square beyond, who make the air resonant with their
Below, the crowd are nervous with their desire
not to miss the denOuemet Of the tragedy. The
little nearer; the citizens joste and push one an
other The Indians false to their tribal teachings,
gaze upward with mingled expressions OF pity and
awe.
Ali is ready, Mr.. Marshal. The sky is still clear;
the sun shines brightly; the birds carol their songs;
nature in all its varied aspects is most attractive.
Ready and the body Of McCurrin falls, there to
HOW THE FATE WAS BORNE.
McCurtin retained his self-possession until the
black cap was placed upon him. when he tottered to
and fro, and had 1t not been that a deputy mar
shal supported him on either side he would
have fallen. There is little doubt that he was
neck was not broken by the fall and not pro-
nOunced dead until eighteen minutes thereafter. At
in coffin and buried In the graveyard north OF this
McCurtn during his long confinement had never
made any attempt to escape, whssh he explained to
me by stating If he did get the relatives and
friends OF McCain would hunt him down. Murder
Country. but it is rarely prompted by motives Of
GAIN and still less frequently are the perpetrators
ever delivered up to the officers OF the law THIS Is
pursued and killed by the relations Of those they
have killed.