The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-05-08
Public Execution.


conduct of public executions in Ten
nessee. The programme sometimes
includes great outburst Of religious
feeling, with preaching from the gal
lows and loud singing all around it.
A few days ago we published an ac-
count of the outre demonstrations of
conclave of 900 negroes at the hang
ing of q condemned murderer. And
now comes the Nashville Union and
American with the following details
of the hanging of Joe Logston on the
5th inst:
The sheriff, j. c. Taylor, went into
the Jail q few minutes before eleven
o'clock, and told Logston it was about
time to 20 out il he wanted his funeral
sermon preached at the gallows; also
asked him if he wanted something to
eat, to which Logston said, at is most
too soon for dinner" He also asked
the sheriff if it would be best to put on
his shoes. The sheriff told him he did
not think it worth while, and as they
we're largo it might be that the lid OF
the coffin would not go down if they
we're on. Logston said all right, and
announced his readiness to 60. His
arms we're then tied behind him, his
chains removed, and his shroud was
put on. He was put on two-horse
wagon, seated on his coffin, surround
ed by tho Revs. Wright, Pile and
Greer. DR.. Graham also had a seat in
the wagon. A guard of about forty
men surrounded the wagon, and the
procession moved out, the ministers
singing
II would not live always
ask nOf to stay"
The party arrived at the gallows in
few minutes. The gallows was COM
posed of two uprights, cross beam
and trap. When the wagon neared 1t
Logston raised his eyes for an instant
only and looked at it; he never looked
at it again until he assembled with the
sheriff and Mr.. Greer. After the wa
gon stopped the Rev. Mr.. Wright sta
ted that at the special request of the
CONDEMNED he would preach his funeral
discourse. After singing and prayer
lie took for his text the sixth verse of
the ninth chapter of Genesis, "Who so
sheddeth mans blood by man shall his
blood be she'd" from which he preach
ed about one hour. After the sermon
there were several hymns sung and
prayers made. At about fifteen min
utes after one o'clock the sheriff ad-
|justed the rope on the gallows, and
Logston, accompanied by the Rev. Mr..
Greer, assembled the scaffold. When
he got up he cast look over the
crowd, composed of some two thousand
people. He was very pale, but that
was owing more to his long confine-
ment than anything else. The sheriff
asked if he had anything to say. He
told the sheriff, in a low tone, to say te
the crowd, "Let this be warning tt
ALL" After a pause the sheriff again
said: "He wants you all to meet bin
in Heaven" The rope was then pu
around his neck and the cap drawn
over his face, the Rev. Mr.. Green, ont
of his spiritual advisers assisting, pin
8 ming the cap down and making thing
snug. The sheriff then tied his feet
After this was done Logston asked tn
sheriff to let him live to the last min
> ute, and to notify him when he wa
!. about to swing him of. The sherit
and the minister then descended, leav
q ing the condemned standing alone a
immovable and apparently unmove
r as statue.
y At thirty minutes past one the sheri
said: "Your time is up" and spran
the trap. Logston fell about eightee
- inches, the rope scarcely checking hi
i fall, broke, and he fell to the ground,
!. distance of about six feet. The bloc
\ gushed from his mouth, ears and nos
:. Another rope was instantly place
:. around his neck and he was agai
drawn up. As soon as the body WI
|e clear of the ground and the support
., those aiding in hosting him up WI
If renewed, the rope again broke, an
sr Logston was again on the grour
ID writhing in agony, the blood runnir
,e from him, saturating the cap, whit
- was of white cloth. When adjustir
Is the rope the last time he spoke, ga!
ID ing: "Ob, Lord, don't do thatw (
rs was again run up; this time the rol
d. held him. He made few convulsi'
ii struggles, and all was over with Jam
id Calvin Logston, the most brutal
r young desperadoes.
10 At the time of his death Logston "
u not d years of age.
~
~ How IS THIS FOR VENALITYf-R
Gently a member of the Union Leag
- of Philadelphia in its club rooms a
- sailed the press after the manner Fl
:" lowing: