The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-06-07
Five Steps to the GalIOws.

tore his execution, upon Inc Walls VI
his prison he drew the figure of
man hanging on gallows, with five
steps leading up to it.
On the first step he wrote: DISC
bedience to parents. Solomon says:
"The eye that mocketh at his father
and despiseth to obey his mother, the
ravens of the valleys shall pick it out,
and the young eagles shall eat it,
that is, he shall perish by q violent
death, he shall come to q miserable,
wretched end.
On the second step he wrote: Sab
bath breaking. God, in his command,
said: Remember the Sabbath day
to keep it holy" Visit your prisons
and jails and you will find that nine
tenths of it's inmates have begun
their downward course by breaking
this command.
On the third step he wrote: Gam
bling and drunkenness. The late
DR.. Mott, for more than fifty years
president of Union College. having
been close observer of human
events, truly says: "The finished
gambler has no heart. He would
play at his brothers funeral he would
gamble upon his mothers coffin"
Several years ago boy was hung
for killing his little brother. When
on the gallows, the sheriff said I'll
you have anything to say speak now,
for you have only five minutes to
live" The boy, bursting into tears,
said 81 have to die. I had only
one little brother; he had beautiful
blue eyes and faxen hair, and I
loved him. But one day I got drunk,
for the first time in my life, and COM
ing home I found him gathering
strawberries in the garden. I be-
came angry with him without a
cause, and I killed him at one blow
with rake. I did not know any
thing about it till the next morning
when I awoke from sleep, and found
myself tied and guarded, and was
told that when my little brother was
found his hair was clotted with his
blood and brains, and he was dead.
Whiskey has done this. It has ruin
ed me. T never was drunk but once.
I have only one more word to say
and then am going to my final
Judge. I say it to young people;
Never, never, never touch anything
that can intoxicated"
On the fourth step he wrote: Muir
der. Gods command is: "Thou shalt
not kill To prevent man from I'M
lawfully taking the life of his fellow
man, God has annexed an awful pen
atty: "Whoso sheddeth mans blood
by man shall his blood be she'd"
On the fifth step he wrote: The
fatal platform. It is impossible for
us to form a correct idea of the
thoughts that must rush through the
mind of man under such circum-
stances-the disgrace and ignominy
attached to his name; the pains and
agony of such death; the want of
sympathy in the community around
him; the fearful forebodings of his
guilty soul before the bar of holy
God.
Twas called in the early part of
my ministry to write the confession
of murderer, and attend him on the
gallows! His name was Moses Ly-
ons. He, when drunk, murdered his
wife. Being maddened by liquor, he
seized her by the hair and jammed
her head on the hearth until she was
dead. Two men who were passing
by, hearing her shreiks, rushed in
and caught him in this murderous,
brutal act. I visited him in Jail,
| from time to time, with view OF
leading him to Christ. In his con-
fession he said: 'She is dead, I must
have done it, but | know nothing Of
it." His mind was SO Supplied by
rum, that under the evil spirit he
committed this brutal, this horrid
deed. Abiding to his parents, he
says: ''The advice of my dear par
ents to serve God 1 did not listen to.
Oh, had I done so, I should not have
come to this shameful end. They
have gone to their graves-peace be
to- them. Could I visit the spot
where they lie buried, I would battle
their graves with my tears" He had
two daughters; when he spoke Of
them he wept aloud. After a long
pause he said: Il hope the world
will not visit on them the 'iniquity o1
4boir fo4bo,. Dorop{c I,r;,o ,,,~ I'll