Smyrna times., 1870-06-29

IHE EXECUTION or ErWAKD DAKNtIt
FRIDAY, the 10Th Of June, having been auu,,iut
rd Tor the execution oi Edward D,rnrII E,r
the murdrr"I Thomas Hogan, prddrr he was
ON that day hung before a crowd of Witnesses
The Rev. j. W. lloskiny, Of the E,risconaI
Church, who had visited him throuehout his
imprisonment, giving him the con,oation ot
religion, and directing him to the only source
"i peace ana salvation, repentance and faith in
lhc LORD Jesus Christ, attended him also ON
the Scattold. The prisoner prolcsScd hone ot
pardon and everlasting life, and received L,~.
tlSln, and the holy Sacrament of ChriN's body
and blood while i'll the prison. and said he was
prepared to die. Strong efforts were made to
Obtain respite, but without avail. the Cover
nor not feeling justified by the circumstances.
under sense OF duty to the State and the law
10 grant 1t. The prisoner asserted his inno-
ccncc to the last, though he admitted that he
was present and saw the murder committed.
and protested against it. He made Il confc.-
son to his minister about the same as that
made on the scatIold, from which he never
varied, but IN one instance, and then at the in
SueatIon, as he said OF white man whom he
met in Jail, who tcld him not to law the crime
ON Loprr hut OH some other man.
On Wednesday night Sheriff Wlds went in
to the prisoners room and found him loose. he
having burned out the bolt which held his
chains to the floor He Was digging with a
bolt into the wall, and had made hole almost
large enough to get his body through A friend
OF the prisoner named Anderson had made an
equally large hole on the outside A few mo-
ments longer and he would have been free
man. He was then heavily ironcd and Tut in
a more secure cell.
The hedncare"n says The preparations for
the execution We're simple A scafTold was
erected i'll the rear of the iail. A iurv of
twelve citizens were summoned to witness the
execution, and an armed posse preserved order
and kept the crowd of about three hundred
persons present, at proper distance The
prisoner hand-cutfed, preceded by Rev. Mr..
lloskinS and followed by Sheriff Wilds and
Deputy Sheriff Robert Wid>, mounted the
Scaitoid at about half past one clock. The
prisoner was simply dressed in decent pants
and shirt, and was baretootcd. la height he
was about live feet eight inches, and looked as
though he would weigh $50 or 1860 pounds. In
color he was quite dark. lie had bold. rc>o-
Lutte look. and was calm and firm to the last.
lie had been on the Scaffold but moment when
lie took a short step forward and said
"GENTLEMEN, ONE AND ALL:-I did NOT
murder that man. No one did it but William
Loper. think it hard that should die for
wnat he did. lie said he would give me part
OF the money but did not do it. Alth0uGh |
have TO die am going home to heaven,
am not afraid to die He also said something
ABOUT being persuaded to go with Loper by
John \ )uug, but we did not catch his words.
The Rev. Mr.. Hoskins then read the annro-
pirate prayer from the Episcopal service, and
committed the prisoner to God. sheriff WjjJs
then called the names OF the jury and request
Gd them to stand by and witness the OK, cntion
he prisoner was led upon the trap, a cord was
drawn around his legs above the knees, the
SLtriH ana deputy carefully adjusted the moose,
the black cap was drawn over tb, l'ri."nnr'l
ihcaI, sharp hatchct severed the cord that
hGId the trap, and Edward Darnell was launch
cd INTO eternity. He died without ,trug~le
although it was found necessary immediatrIy
aiitr fnc fall to shorten the rope as it was seen
'I .Iat ms toes touched the ground. He hung
about twenty minutes before life was aptirni,,
extinct, when he was taken down. placed in
conn ana buried under large walnut tree in
The back part Of the prison grounds