The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-11-28
A WONDERFUL ESCAPE FROM THE
.... GALLOWS. ......
Martin Baynard's Devoted Wife takes
his Place in the Condemned Cell.

Over five thousand people were assem-
bled on the 25th of October. at Hender.
sonvllle, n. C., for the purpose of witness
ing the execution of Martin Baynard, one
OF the murderers of Silas Weston and his
three children, but th9y were doomed to
be woefully disappointed. 1t will be re,
memoered that two criminals have already
been executed for this crime Martin
Baynard was also to have suffered the
extreme penalty of the law when the
other two were hanged, but he was re-
spited from time to time, to be used as
witness against the elder Baynard and
another, who were also implicated in this
horrible murder, under statute of the
State, which provides that condemned
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 ar
irving from all quarters for several days
to witness the tragedy
During his imprisonment the wife of the
condemned man was faithful, constant and
devoted in her attendance upon him. A
day did not pass that she was not in his
cell for several hours, and, at the last
moment, with a heroism worthy of a more
noble cause, she saved him from an
lgnominious death upon the scatfold.
The night that was to have been the last
of Baynard s earthly existence had arrived,
and upon the earnest, fearful and sorrow
full entreaty of his wife, the jailer COM
passionately allowed her to remain with
him for a few hours in the cell Morn
ing broke clear and bright, and already
the assembled multitude were astir,
eagerly awaiting the arrival of the hour
when the executioner and the scaffold
would do their terrible work About six
o'clock, A. NJ, the woman came to the
Jail door to be let out, with her bonnet
drawn down over her face and hand.
kerchief pressed over her mouth, through
which her heart broken sobs burst as the
jailer passed her through the outer door
Of the prison.
She walked sloply off, with a feeble
gait, bowed figure, and wailiug pitifully,
giving vent to her great grief, and she
was soon lost to the sight Of the gaping
guards and morbidly curious spectators.
Breakfast time came at eight o'clock, and
the confident and compassionate jailer,
with meal-the last the doomed man
was to have eaten-comprised entirely of
tempting delicacies, repaired to the cell.
The bars were removed and the heavy
iron door was swung back, and the jailer
entered, when a sight that made him
shake like an aspen leaf met his astonsh-
ed gaze. In the further end of the cell,
instead of the condemned man, crouched
up in corner, was woman 10 her night
clothes. Therplates and dishes with the
breakfast fell from the jailer's hand to
to floor, and were broken in fragments.
He tried to speak, but could fnd no word
for utterance, and as he stood in actual
despair the crouchiDg figure arose, and,
IN the tones of a woman who thinks she
has done a proiseworthy action, said,
well, as Martin is gone, [ reckon | had
better eat the breakfast" and she forth
with began picking up the scattered
portions of the meal.
Baynard had escaped in his wife's
clothes, and was, doubtless, by this time,
far beyond the reach of the county officers.
The sheriff, as soon as apprsed Of the
circumstance, 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 the place of
her husband 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 whom the victim was, whether guilty or
innocent, as long as their morbid curiosity
was gratifed 1t is believed now that
Baypard will never be recaptured.
y ..c NJ