The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-07-22


July 2lst, 1871.
rnILAsT NIGHT.
~ q II. EsawcIl. the sheriff of this
.,,'rt, iclt for Richmond YESTERDAY morn
Conn, returned with Thomas McGiflin
INK ,i %s rycninc. lie was heavily ironed
'' .,,,;, ioGgcl in The county Jail. During
"''' .,...gt nc occupied his time in reading
u" tsllInr 10 those around him. he
'' I IL lc totally indifferent as to his
lid. fate. a0d spoke OF his death in the
,t firht and trivial manner said there
, ,,' t;r,,, for al men 10 dic--lhey could
w.. r>.aIc IL; >oE,e would die one wav,
',,,r another that man could punish the
,.,1x hut the soul was cared for by 4
higher Power he had hoped fora respite,
w. ,hr Governor had refused, and that he
,,,. now to de. but that death was 10y far
ne NoNtr>t punishment that could bc ill.,
4ylCH upon ann.
u,i vlfhou. doubt. the hcidcst, most
,.,-,i,> man apparently. that ever Went to
the rallow>. There seems to Ice Kind OF
dqr-lrvil spirit about him; none OF that
.undiicCi. coni:iic rCnitcnce that should
characterize the truly brave. He said
II die with no malice i'll my heart 10 any
one. hut think II hard that should suffer
death when | did not commit the act my
SEX. and especially before Lewis, the prin-
y,iul. ! tried. | think i he were tried l
could prove my innoceuce."
Ihuut ? o'clock this morning McGittin
,rn' Tor John II. Wilson. E.q., attorney Tor
the commonwealth. He wished Mr.. Wilson
10 make application Ia the Governor for a
respite; said he did not think it WAS too
late" though ne did not have much hope.
lie WI told by MIR. Wilson that bis counsel
lsi done All that could be done for him,
and that il would be perfectly Useless to
make any such attempt. lie then remarked
~ Mr.. wills that this was the second
time hr had been tried, and from al appear
anre> II would be the last before any
rm" by tribunal, but that he believed q
mcrrtul God would pardon his sins and
save his soul unto lie everlasting.
He has confessed the Catholic faith since
h. conviction, and was accompanied by
Faith, r ,Icauses, OF that Church. He drew
from his pocket Il crucitix and thirty cents
III money, which he requested mir. Wilson
rn forward, together with some religious
books to hj> baby boy. who is with his
mother i'll Nash county. North Caro-
naI. >lid il seemed hard he could not
-rr HI c,IliG before bis execution, and that
hrroud nut live 10 train him in the way
h. LIQUID -.
Fer several hours before his execution
Father JCIn>cS remaiucQ alone with him in
hi, cell At twenty minutes TO twelve
rriork the sheriff and his deputies, accom-
panied ~ The other officers OF the court.
lrnr;rr> George {. Slarkc aud John Il.
.ia@,>. ~" IGy~cians summoned, and
auouf rHculy citizens acting as guard,
l.iy the jail Tor the place OF execution. fol-
lowed IL i i..".c crowd. principally ne
sro">.
NyG!1lin was lod up on he @allows, and
the sheriff read the >"n!cnc" at death 4: after
which Ac asked him If he had anything to
~, before Ec proceeded 20 execute il. Me-
Gftin. who seemed 10 be perfectly %clf.pnS
-,.>>"d and unprecedented more - than
ANY ui,c around him-commeGrcd hy saying
b, WAS An Innocent man he was con-
G"lnurl Tor The crime OF another. but that
h. bore hls punishment with resignation.
Hr did not and Dr. Lewis III the murder
ii Constable Drummond by speaking to
him. tot YOU might say Il thousand
words 10 nc but that would not fill
nv belly. but give me bread, and it would.
ii" with malice towards no man;
freely forgive I'll who have injured me.
and hope 10 be forgiven By all | have m
iurru. Let my fate hc warning TO all.
from III" cradle up: let me urge al to alb
stain from Intoxicating liquor, for 1t has
brought me 10 this iynoluiuiouS death
H., thai ! drink. or that | had drank one
drop the day Of the murder. but that The
most ol iilummond,> posse were III liquor
and i-nnruut o! hat they were doing. He
th,n Lu,It AID repeated Il prayer after
thc G!c>t. and received bis blessing !;
after which he arose and shook hands
WITH the sheriff and other officers. telling
each OF them to meet him in Paradise. He
still continued 10 talk 10 the crowd. and
requested their prayers fer himself aud his
hliIr Hnv. And, said me, when | speak OF
IN. little boy that moves me more than
ANYTHING else. Observing DR.. Powell.
"Au resides in III" community i'll which
nTummond lived, in the crowd, lie re-
qUe>t,d him 10 present his regards 10 all
tnc people up there. Looking around, he
sad: II went 10 see somebody | knoW :"
:ua srciug Mr.. K. +. Turnjull, 81 Bruins
wick. be sud: "Hr>v have YOU been get
TIM along, Mr.. rurnbuIi:' The sheriff
1h,A Proceeded 10 adjust the rope. when
Nct'iltin turned 10 IL guard standing by
HIM and said: My friend. DONE treinhlc
so : You make NE ucmble.' The black cap
was placed over his face, aud at ten
minutes alter T. o'clock the trap fell, when
one OF The most icart-icnulng scenes WAS
lTc>cnttd your reporter ever witnessed,
Tor the rope broke ana tie unfortunate man
ic!i, Eall.uuad, 10 he ground. While living
there he said " sheriff, cont let il choke
me-. Ii WAS Ioo>cucd ANA adjusted again,
and rs soon IL possible he was carried upon
The platform, and stood alone without Ut
sciing groan or a murmur until the knot
WAS tied. when the trap again fell and
Thomas q. McG,in was suspended be-
lWctD heaven and earth. After hanging for
twenty lninuicS Drs. Starke and Jones pro-
bounced hun dead, Which, nc was cut down
and buried.
Jhu, died man whose past history
what little of il Is known-is stained with
crlinc-:t man almost destitute of every mo-
raj scnSlbIllty. and obllTiouS of the awful
CON .LLllenncS Of Gl.Ifh q 1tnrnitE