The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-12-20
A DEEEaRED EXECUTION.

A Devoted Wife and SURPRISED JsiIor.
Over five thousand people were as
sembled here to-day for the purpose
OF witnessing the execution OF Martin
Baynard, one Of the murderers of 81
las Weston and his three children;--
but they were doomed to be wofully
disappointed. 1t will be remembered
that two criminals have already been
executed for this crime, the details OF
which were fully reported in the Her.
aid, both at the time OF the occur
renee and at the time of the execu-
ton OF George Baynard and Goven
Adair. Martin Baynard was also to
have suffered the
ExTEENE PENALTY
of the law when the other two were
hanged, but he was respited from
time to time, to be used as witness
against the elder Baynard and anoth-
er, who were also implicated in this
horrible murder, under q statute Of
the State which provides that a con-
demned felon can testify as a witness
against other parties to the same
crime. All the preparations were
made, the scaffold was in readiness,
and the crowd had been arriving from
all quarters for several days to
WITNESS THE TRAGEDY.
During his imprisonment the wife
of the condemned man was faithful,
conJtant and devoted in her attend
ance upon him. A day did not pass
that she was not in his cell for several
hours. and, at the last moment, with
n heroism worthy Of a nobler cause,
she saved him from al
IGSoMIXIous DEATH
upon the scafiold. The night that
was TO have been the last of Bay
nar,l's earthly existence had arrived,
and upon the earnest, fearful aud sor-
rowful cntreaty Of his wife, the jailor
compassionateiy allowed her TO pass
the few remaining hours of his life
with him in the cell Morning broke
clear and bright, and already the as-
semblcd multitude were astir, eagerly
awaiting the arrival OF the hour when
the execuliouer aud the scaffold would
do their terrible work. About q
O'Clock A. N. the woman came TO the
Jail door TO be let out, with her bon
net drawn down over her iace, and
handkerchief pressed over her mouth,
through which her
HEART.gEoKES soBs
burst as the jailor passed her through
the outer door of the prison. She
walked slowly off with feeble gait,
bowed figure, aud wailing pitifully,
giving vent TO her great grief, aud
she was soon lost TO the sight of the
gaping guards and morbidly curious
spectators. Breakfast time came at
eight o'clock, aud the confident and
compassionate .lailor, with a meal
the last the doomed man was 10
have caten-comprised entirely of
tempting delicacies, repaired To the
cell. The bars were removed, and
the heavy iron door swung back, and
the jailor entered, when a sight that
made him shake like an aspen leaf
met his asionished gaze. In the fur
ther end OF the cell, instead of the
condemned man, crouched up in q
corner, was
A WOMAN
in her night clothes. The plates and
dishes with the breakfast fell from the
.iailor's hand TO the floor and were
broken in fragments. He tried TO
speak, but could find no words for
utterance, aud as he stood in actual
despair the crouching figure arose,
and, in tones of woman who thinks
she has done praiseworthy action,
said, "Well, as Martin is gone, reck-
on had better eat the breakfast"
and She, forthwith began picking up
the scattered portions of the meal
Baynard had escaped
IN HIS wIFE's CLOTHES,
and was doubtless by this time far be-
yond the reach of the county officers.
The Sheriff, as soon as apprised of the
circumstances, set out in pursuit of
the criminal with posse, but in vain;
for, after securing the country for
miles, they returned without their
prisoner. The assembled crowd gave
expression to their chagrin in various
ways, none the least of which was an
anxious desire on their part to see the
woman hanged in place of her hus-
band, and, indeed, many of them were
firm in the impression that such would
be the case. Having come to see "a
hangin" they were not particular as TO
who the victim was, whether guilty
or innocent, as long as their morbid
curiosity was gratitied. 1t is believed
now that Baynard will never be re-
captured.