Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-06-12

retained to manage the boat were put
ashore Upon an t1ninhabited island, and
after reaching the Canadian shore and
scuttling the steamer, the pirates dis
banded, and Beall, the master spirit,
was left to brood over failure. which
had The additional bitterness of possible
success.
Insthe morning the lake-country peo-
pie woke up to hear the news, fncen-
diaries and conspirRtors in their midst,
raiders by land and pirates by sea-
these were the tidihgs of the breakfast
table. Batteries, soldiers and Generals
were hurried hither and thither, stern
Investigations we're ordered, giiards
doubled, afd above it ali rose the sound
of popular. comment in newspapers and
on street corners, until the buzz spread
through the nation. To be sure, the
horse was not stolen, if we call the
Michigan q horse, but there was an i'm
mense amount of shutting the stable
door. And when the old steed appeared
again in the various harbors of the lake,
she was regarded with curiosity and re-
doubled affection as one who had in
deed shuffed the battle, though from
afsr.
In less than four months Beall was
captured near the Suspension Bridge,
and taken to New York. An attempt to
bribe the turnkey with So, 900 In gold
having been discovered, the authorities
sent him to Fort Lafayette, and while
there he made an appeal to the bar of
New York to undertake his defense.
For time no one responded, but at
length Mr.. James Z. Brady offered his
services, and the trial began before a
military court. BealI was charged with
the seizure of the steamer Philo Par
SONS, at Kelley's Island, Lake Erie; with
the seizure of the steamer Island Queen,
at Middle Bass Island, Lake Erie; with
being rebel spy in Ohio and New York;
and with an attempt to throw the ex-
press car off the track between Buffalo
and Dunkirk, for the purpose of robbing
the express company's safe. The Off
GERS of the captured steamers came from
the West to identify him, and it is said
that Beall frankly confirmed their testi-
mony, remarking that as regarded the
lake affair the trial had been fair and
impartial. In the defense a manifesto
from Jefferson Davis was offered, assert
ing that these acts upon the border were
committed by his authority, and should
be recognized as the acts of lawful bel
igerents. But the court pronounced
the verdict of " Guilty." and Gen. Dix
approved the finding, ordering the pris-
oner to be hung on Governors 8 Island,
Saturday, the 18th of February In re-
viewing the testimony Gen. Dix said I:
"The accused is shownsto be q man of
education and refinement, and it is diff
cult to account for his agency in trans
actions so abhorrent to moral sense and
so inconsistent with all the rules OF hon
orable warfare. - In this opinion all
just-minded persons will agree. And
yet, as an example of Judgment, mis-
taken but equally sincere-an example
of perverted vision-take the farewell
| letter of Beal1 to his brother, written on
the eve OF the day appointed for his ex-
l-ecution:
Remember me kindly to my friends.
Say to them 7 am not 0iOGre of com
hitting any crime against society.
die for my country. No thirst for blood
or lucre animated me in my course. .s.s.
Ny hands are clean of blood, unless
spilled in conflict, and mot cent en-
| nched my pocket. yengeance Is
mine, saith the Lord aud I will repay.
Therefore do not show unkndness to
the prisoners -tlfey are e-helplessss
"JoHN sYHTEs BEALI,.'
A short respite was afterwards grant
ed by President Lincoln to enable the
mother to see her son but on the after
noon of the oath of February the-execu-
ton took place upon Governor Island,
New York harbor, the prisoner respond
ing to the prayers of the Episcopal SER
vice for the dying, but otherwise re-
manning apparently unmoyed. One item
in the newspapers saccountssof theSday is
worthy of note. During the whole oi
the long pfoceedhgs before the execu-
ton the young man kept his eyes stead
lily fixed upon the southern horizon, ns
if looking toward the very heart of the
country for which he was giving up his
life.
BeaH was finely formed, about five
feet eight inches In height, with hazel
eyes, brown hair and beard, and firmly
compressed mouth. He was 80 years
old at the time of his death