The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-11-30
.rxrcurIoS or HtNrER.a

week Tuesda at Akron, for the muir
der of Margaret Gargett. From the
Akron Beacoa's account of the execu-
ton we extract the following ao
fl HIS ATTEMPT At SUICIDE.
Having SO positively asserted that
he would not die, upon the gallows,
the Sheriff for the past week has kept
him under close surveillance, and on
Sunday, night watched with him all
night, Hunter himself remaining
awake the entire night, engaged in
conversation, writing and reading. On
Monday Sheriff Curtiss made q thor
ough search ofhis prison cell, bedding
&C., and removed everything from the
Jail as he supposed, with which he
could suddenly destroy himself, and
went about his accustomed duties at
the Court House. returning to the Jail
occasionally to SEQ that all was well.
The forenoon was passed quietly, sew
eral persons, editors, clergymen and
others making brief visits to the pris-
oner. AT noon he ate his dinner
as usual after which he passed
back and forth along the corridors
carrying his Bible in his hands and
occasionally reading therefrom. At
about half past two O'Clock, Mrs. Cur
tiss. from her place of observation, at
the west end of the south corridor,
noticed, that he had distributed num-
Der of apples that had been given him
among his fellow prisoners, and while
they were engaged in eating them she
saw him enter his cell and close the
door after him. This being unusual
with him, she at once suspected that
something was wrong, and immedi-
ately sent for her husbana9i HurryiDg
over to the Jail he found the prisoner
sitting in a leaning posture upon his
bed, and the blood squirting in Jets the
size of q small goose quill from his
left arm DIR. j! J. Smith, who hap
pened to be at the Court House, was
immediately called in, who at once
placed a compress upon the orifice and
stopped the flow of blood. The wound
was on the inside of the left elbow
and was about half an inch in length,
and is supposed to have been inflicted
Sheriff Curtiss afterwards found upon
the floor of his cello DR.. Smith, to-
gether with DR., Bowen, who was Soon
after called in, are Of the opinion that
the vein only was severed and but q
dHClStOA I1d0C ftlIG 1ElGIY 80
that probably, death would not have
ensued, but that OH the loss of little
more blood he would have tainted and
itheii CEASED. AS 1t was he probably
lost q qlIart of blood, and while the
compress was being applied he begged
tian and not afraid to die, but did not
want to die on the gallows. He made
an attempt to tear off the bandage
soon after it was adjvsted but was
prevented from doing SO, and after
wards was SO closely guarded that
there was no opportunity to repeat
the attempt. -3, 5ai'Si : 7ioa ~
2stha THE EXECUTION. o.
AT 20 minutes to IL O'Clock Rev. l..
Cooley had religious services alone
with the prisoner, by. reading a chap
ter in the Bible, and by prayer, con-
Guiding his services by some. consola-
tory remarks, encouraging him, to
meet his fate with fortitude and like a
man. He was not inclined to converse
very much, but kept up an almost con-
tinuous moan. At Ii o'clock Father
Scanlan and his Attorney, Mr.. H. G.
Sanford, took their leave of him.
|. AT 20 minutes past H. Sheriff Cur
tiss, and Mr. Cooley led him up the
steps and seated him upon chair on
the platform of the galloWs. Sheriff
Curtiss then read to HIM the death
warrant, in the usual form, and asked
him if he had anything to say, why
the sentence of the law should not be
put in execution. ~
HIS SPEECH UPON THE GALLoWs.
Hunter. then enquired how much
time he might have to speak, the
Sheriff replied that he might have ten
minutes. He then spoke in very
broken and disconnected manner as
follows: s e. an
f" [ am innocent of the crime for
which am to suffer. ibid not intend
to do the deed. ! here pray that the
Lord will forgive my sins and that He
will forgive all my enemies. now
forgive all my enemies, hoping that
they will forgive me. ] have no en-
nifty against my girl, Chloe Gargett,
and l hope the Lord will forgive her.
/ must now take my leave of my
friends and-of the world. / have no
confession TO make ofany crime what
ever. | have never committed any
offence in any country where / have
ever lived Ihope the Lord will take
me to Heaven. have always loved !
Mr.. and Mrs. Gargett, and did not in 1
tend to take their lives. Witnesses
sWore ialse against me but forgive
them. 1 now forgive all and hope the
Lord will forgive my soul. TO the
Sheriff. Give my love and respects
to your wife who has cared for me so
well and to my Attorneys and friends"
He then asked Mr. Cooley to pray
for him which. he did, after reading a |
portion of scripture, in a very Inn
pressive manner. Mr. Cooley then
bade him farewell, saying :.tGood bye,
j Ohm; we have met often, but shall |
meet no, more here" r
The Sheriff and his deputies then
pinioned his hands and feet and placed |
him in a standing position on the drop |
The prisoner continued to utter words |
of prayer and cries for mercy, and |
urging those present to pray for him. |
o, Lord God save nae and deliver me,
o, God, ] will be with Thee in Heaven |
and may Jesus Christ pardon me-
REless all those that curse me, ! will |
forgive them all, and hope to meet |
them i'll Heaven and those that shot. |
Give my love to al, am an innocent |
man.. / never premeditatedi it. Hope
God will take me and all my friends
TO Heaven, my girl and all. Will not
some one pray for me? /
I Mr.. Cooley then ascended the plat |
form again and offered up another fer
vent prayer, that forhtude be given |
the prisoner to meet his impending
fate, and for his eternal salvation, 9t |
Sheriff Curtiss then stepped forward |
with the slack cap, when Hunter plead |
with him not to put that ON him. The !
Sheriff, saying that it was a part of his |
duty to do so their placed the cap over
his head and forever shut out the light
of this world from the prisoner. m |
AT Is minutes to II o'clock the fa-
tai moose was adjusted about his neck, |
and at precisely l6 minutes to u the |
trap was sprung, the body falling just
seven feet and ten inches, the toes of
his boots just clearing the floor of the
Jail, his last exclamation being: o,
inv Lord God Almighty. Give NV |