The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-22
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THE GALLOWS.
Execution Of an Ex-Federal Sol
der in Virginia.
Thomas McGifin. Of Maine, Hanged as
Accessory to a Murder.
>~~,~S>>>~->~.>~.~->~>~
History of the Crime-The Career
Of Two Carpet-Baggers.
Arrest, Trial and Conviction Of
McGiffln.
Affecting Appeal by the Con-
demned Man.
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Oickening Scene at the Scaff0ld-
The Rope Breaks.
Close Of tho Tragedy-The Body Buried
Beside the GallswS.
Arrest, Trial and Conviction Of
McGif1ln.
Affecting Appeal by the Con-
demned Man.
0ickening Scene at the Scatfold-
The Rope Breaks.
Close Of tho Tragedy-Ths Body Buried
Beside the GallyWS

Close Of tho Tragody-The Body Buried
Beside the GallsWs.
01lnsvTLLH CoURF He6ss. Va, July e. 1871.
Hearty four years ago u radical orator named
Connolly OF vne carpst-bag species. proclaimed 70
large assemeiage OF ncgroes IN the African cauroh
~ Richmond that Il was now their time to "hod
high oarniva" lnlmauny that tie military authors
aes were specially seur here 70 psnisa the whites
nd protect tho negroes, aRd that the latter might
WIN impnniy commit any and al SORTS Of ontrages
On the whites in retaliation fer ths wrongs and ep.
Yessslons Of that race Spon the Aegross during
1endage Of I'VE hun tred years. Happily for the pso-
DO OF Virginia the defeat II the policy which the
roconstrucuon acts were meant to secure saved
mem from that lawlessness and We
1enoe which prevailed 70 such an alarming
extent In sAe South whore the Congressional
programme WAS triumphant But they did not
escape altogethsr. During tao years OF 1893 ana
1850 among INA horde q Northern adventuren thai
arrived In Virginia vas Que ~. LewiA who took up
an abode IN Sranswick COUNTY, organised AlsA
League ana became teacher or he negro youth. Foa
lowing the Inspiration ana teachings Of hts fellow
earpetbAgger Connolly, the Rchmead orator.
~ armed hts league and 1t is head
marched the streets OF Lawrsacevilie. the county
seat Of Brunswicx. with haunting banners. Yelling
tlde0usy, making hostile demonstrations ana fre.
Nuently perpetraung the NEST naarant outragss
This was carried " suoA fearful extent that the
people became alarmed Tor the peace and SAFETY Of
Ne community. and Lewis was arrested, tried and
1euna guilty d
nor1No INSTRUCTION.
end was sentenced tS the Penitenary for ave years.
in accordance with his sentence no was lodged In
that institution bus IN taoss days Of military rule
when General Canby commanded District Nc. i, the
arrest and punishment u 'lSyap' man was taken
~ an evidence Of the sNll smouidering rebellious
sptr1t In the Souta; and Governor Tells then ruling
here BY virtue 81 aiSsry authority, az u the custom
with all radical GvvernUrs. pardoned Lewis month
AFTER he was impriseasd. Upon representing TO
General Candy that he persecuted BY the rooels
On account Of his loyalty aad devotion the Union
that military aut0crat GRATED Lewis certain d0ou-
pents exempuny him from arrest by civn process
triumphant. eAuhax and DEFIANT ne rsturnod "
BRUNSWICK county, where no again RESUMED The
tile operations unlh perfect
RslaN OF TERROR
was lnau4urated Ia tue county. In this course no
WIS ably seconded " lnAu named Thomas NO
Qinip an ex-Iedera soldier, recently from N0rtn
Ceroltaa, bot nativs OI toe State OF Axine BY
constant haraiigunw AMI preaching the negroes be-
came frensled Win excitement, aud they united
~ NE csun Under ss. c
Cunstances o fresh elort WAS made bJ the civil
suthorlltes TO MAINTAIN Jaw aud ordsr and prosect
the people IRON outi aye And Violence Accordingly
peace variant wAs issued lor me arrest 0l Lewis.
Dni getting WIND VI y no coasinued 70 elude the
enloer1 In whuye nandS IL Was placed for cOnsld-
cradle perOd. Constable Drammond, the O01csr
VINO had the warrast receiving information
posse Of eleven men. himself MAKING the twelfth,
and with this force he proceeded IA tue Lawrence.
vas not long aftsrw Arus when the posse met both
lewis and AeGinin
nSp-d-pfe. Tie Two pxrtics nai'Sd ut about twelve
PAGES and eyed each other ntenty: Lewis had hts
$ine cooked In MS hand and AcGi11n Tad u navy re
tolver similarly prepared. Constable Drummond
LIwIS-I have projection papers irom General
CANDY exenptinx me from arrest ~ civil process
Let me see your warrant
warrant in bis hands and called out Twin read IL
damn CUTS out No surrender u my motto Bur.
Ecnder amt my MANS.
Hostiiiiiss being now opsnly declared, Lewis and
AoGifin cauMousv lell back some thirty or forty
paOea confronting the constable posse a. they did
Sanos IL u sns bos on oos exCsSs TWO s ''
DxUAMoND lwi.n MS gun At ready).leommand
yoq to surrender IN ts name nam q tue ass ucc,
"A Drying out 'Shoos hinl snoot hmi XIII
IA member O, the posse then ievered his gun at
Lewis. when Druminond exclaimed, Hold! Let MS
have NO bl00dshcd."
his ride TO his face he fred, and Drummond
FILL DEAD in HIS TRACKS,
10OS CnTOuQ0 the ne1rl. LcWIS uuu NM thou
Wheeled their horses round and dashed down the
toad ut Q breagneck speed, which they did not
sacken until tney reached .Se!r homes ~ srosaer
they needed, and IA the money tncy had these TWO
branded murdere1 ned Inc STATE: Few hours
kg that entirs State without making many long
Stoppagos they reached South Carolina and settled
at length In the remote and unfreQuented district or
county OF Horny. Hero tuey resumed their respec-
i've occupations OF iarm hand and school teacher,
yemaining undisturDed nearly twelve months, when
et last the b oodhounds OF jnsucs came upon their
trail After q desperate runnlog fight OF Ovor eight
niles. In which ne received wound 10 the rigAs
x'oIFFrN WAS ARRESTED
and brought to Richmond by Detective Knox, OF
that CITY. Lewis was arrestsd about the same time,
and both were lodged in ihe City Prlson OF hcR-
nond fer saIs keeping Prom Inc time o. NE arrest
eep forsoOx hin, ne stopped talking 70 the jail q
AoIetA lett his meals untouched, walked his cell all
hight muttering incohercnty-at last becoming
fevng maniac 10th were b. ought for trial ~ the
had removed their trial. Owing 70 Lewis ldiotic
condition the Jury could not agree upon verdios,
~0''N'" '''' TRIED THEN AND THERE
slough he could have had II deferred until after the
Srial Of Lewis, who Was the principal In the crime.
Evidence, substantially az above narrated, was
soaed ON the trial. winch occuI,ed iour Gays s Al
Indictment, which made Mcdnln q principal as well
tcry. ana should nave been 50 tried. Sentence OF
death was then passed and tho criminal was re-
burned to Richmond for safe keeping. The con-
Aemned man,
THOMAS MGIFFTN,
Was native Of Augusta county. state OF Maine.
His father ana mother both Iled while ne was
joung. and % Q consequence he grew up In igno-
tance and vice, lie was about Ave feet ten inches
In height, OF slender buld, twenty-four years
or age sallow complexion, dark hair. hazel
tyes, with side wniskers, light mussnche
And g0atee, was ordinarily intelligent, ana MS iea-
lures were rather pleasing than otherwise. he en-
listed IN the 1U4tn New York Infantry and served In
several campaigns III this state; and wnon MS term
OF service expired he joined the navy and was pre-.
sent At the bombardment OF Fort Fisner by Admiral