Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-01-27


periutendent Pollard, Sheriff Stimson and
the deputies, he began prayer All now
stood with uncovered heads, while Wei.
come pleaded with tears and heaving
sobs for forgiveness with God for himself
The prayer occupied nearly five minutes.
The chaplain then bid him farewell,
commencing him devously to God. The
black cap was then adjusted, shutting
out his fearful face forever from the light
of this world. At twelve O'Clock and
fifty-eight minutes the drop fell, and the
body of Henry Welcome hung between
heaven and earth. DIR. II. Clark, the
prison physician, who was present, ex-
amined the pulse, and in six minutes pro-
nounced him dead. The body was al
lowed to hang for twenty minutes, when
it was taken down and put in the coffin
The body will be inferred within the
prison walls, according to the laws OF
the State, unless the friends choose to
take charge of it, and it is not expected
that they will. A large concourse OF
people crowded to see the body hanging
though not more than thirty were pres
ent when the drop fell. Much sympa,
thy has been expressed and felt for Wei
come, ON account of his youth and evi
dence of sincere penitence, but the peo'
pie o. Vermont feel that their safety
lies in the execution of their laws.
We find in the Burlington Free Press
the following, written by Welcome the
day before his execution:
ADDRESS TO YOUNG MEN:
Ny Dear Young Friends With res.
pect Henry Welcome takes this as last
gilt from God that | should give you
some incidents of my life, hoping they
will instruct you. Allow me to thank
all Cor the kindness you have manifested
towards me, an unhappy prisoner; and ii
is out of respect to you that | think il
my duty to write this sketch. | have
six sisters and four brothers, and | am
the only bad sinner among them. | al
ways attended Sabbath school, and my
| father and mother are members of Z
Methodist church at Hinesburgh. W her
| was 16 years of age | left my happy
home and went to visit sister in Stowe
| When l returned | was bound to leav,
home, but my parents wished me to sta,
at home and 90 to school. would no
mind them, but went to Boston, | go
a good situation, but fell in with BAT
company, going to a billiard hall, ant
learning the use of liquor, which | uset
to excess. When in liquor | was pei
suaded to try my hand at seven up.
At first / refused, but being unchecke'
by home influences and exposed to al
the desires of my corrupt heart, gam
bled and plunged into all sor S of wick
edness. The story of my transgression
and sins would fill a large volume. F
nally, after one Of my times, | went t
Hinesburgh the LIST of October, 1868
but, my friends, if | had listened to m
mothers pleading voice, what happ
Young man / should have been this day
and oh my friends, how many hear
rending, earnest prayers has my kin
mother offered to the Throne of Grac
and Mercy for me. She never upbraide
me, but strove to reclaim me by kline
ness, urging me TO abstain from the sir
| was committing daily. This was Thur
day my mother gave this advice, and
went from her arms with kiss on m
lips, plunging into all sorts of crime an
sin, and on Saturday of the same wee
committed the crime, so great that
will leave stain upon the land forever
and when committed broke the heart {
my mother and hung millstones to tb
hearts of all my friends, and robbie
them of all JOY and comfort On eartl
And only think, l, Henry Welcome, !
the age of nineteen years, placed in tn
horrible situation Tomorrow l mu
suffer the sentence of death. | thinl
my friends, this is hard lot, for youn
man to be sent into the presence of h
Maker on the gallows, but l am to gi,
my life for the life | have taken. Pa
don me, my friends, for saying so muc
to you. My heart is full and my wore
are for you warning that you ma
never come to my sad end. But tea
will avail nothing for me now. Ma
the blood of Christ wash away my Grim
This is my last and only hope.
HENRY WELCOME.