The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-05-24
this flying troupe. the flower of the southern

l
whole coast at his mercy, aud the familiar
old Michigan. turned into piratical craft,
would have carried terror into every har-
bor. But the plot on shore failed. Cole
spent his money freely in Sandtlsky. and
managed to procure an introduction to the
4 officers OF the Michigan. inviting them 10
supper parties and playing the part of
| genial host, whose wines are good and
generously offered The tedium OF the
| daily life upon the steamer aud in the
! small town was enlivcucd by his hospital
| ity, and tor some time all went well but
gradually he began 10 mar bis own plot by
SO ,rucll RIGHTEOUSNESS and such want
of dexterity in his movements that sus-
| picion was aroused in >andu>ky, and his
| uanuuyres were watched. Tn the evening
| Of the 10Th of September Cole had inyitcd
the officers of the Michigan to Il supper
| party. Everything was prepared for them,
the wine was ,iruSged: ant when by this
| nlcans they had been rendered helpless u
| Si@uaI was TO notify Beall tbat'all was ready
| for the attack But in the mean time Stispi.
cion had grown into certainty, and 1T the
very moment of success Cole was arrested
by order Of the commander of the Michigan,
| the signal WAS never given, and Beail, on
| board Of the Parsons strained his eyes in
| cruising up and down outside the bay. now
talking with his prisoner (the captain). and
now urging his men To dare all aud make tho
attack alone. But The men, Il disorderly rab-
be- gathered together i'm Canala, refused to
enter the bay; and at E-t, disappointed
and disheartencd. BeaIl gave the signal to
turn the boat. aud abandoned the attempt.
Back went the Parsons with her pirate crew
past kelly's island, where the alarmed in
lmbitants were Iurying their yaluables and
looking for the iimcS of burning Sandusky;
past Middle Bass, where the unfortunate
passengers, watching on the beach shortly
after midnight, saw her fly by, the fire pour
ing out OF her smokestark>, and "making
for the Detroit river like scared pickerel."
The Captain aud those of the crew who Ind
been retained to msn,ge the boat were put
ashore upon al unnhabitel island, and alter
reaching the Canadian shore aud scuttllng
the steamer the pirates dI>handed, and }eall,
the master spirit, was lett TO brood over IL
| failure which had the additional bitterness Of
| possible success.
THE WAY TO DEATE.
In less than four months Beall was cap
tured near the Suspension bridge aud taken
lt, New York. An attempt to bribe the
| turnkey with $1,000. in 1old having been
discovered, the authorities sent him to Fort
| Lafayette. and while there he made an ap-
! peal To the bar of New York TO undertake
| his defence. For time no one responded,
but at length Mr.. JameS L. Brady offered his
/ services, and the trial began before milf
tarv court. Iieul was cE.rged with the
| s.2!ue of the steamer Philo Parsons at
Kel,y's island. Lake Erie with tue seizure
of the steamer Island Queen ut Middle Bass
island Lake Erie; with being a rebel spy in
Ohio and Now York. and with an attempt TO
throw the express ear oil he track between
Buffalo and Duukirk for the purpose of
robbinS the Express Commny'> safe. The
officers Of The captured steamers came
from the West to identify him, aud
lit is said that Beall frankly confirmed
their testimony, rcmarking that ~ regarded
the late affair the trial had been fair and i'm
mrtiaI In the defence L manifesto from
Jefferson Davis WAS offered, asserting that
these act upon the border were committed
by his authority. and should he recognized
aS the acts of lawful bcIIl"rrents: But the
court pronounced the verdict OF "guilty,'
and Gcucral DiX approved the finding, or
i dcrinr The prisoner to hm hung Oh Cover
uor's island, Saturday the 18Th of February.
In rcyicwiu. the testimony, General Dix
said /" The accused is shown to bc man OF
education and refinement and il is difficult
Ito account for his agency i'll transactions 50
| ubhorrcnl to the moral sense and so ncon-
>islent with all the rli.rS oI honorable War-
rnrr." In this opinion all 'u~t minded per
sous will agree. And yet, i,s an example of
Judgment, mistaken but equally slnccrc-
an example of perverted mental vision take
the farewell letter of lical to his mot her,
written on the eve OF the day appointed for
| his execution
d" Remcmbcr me kindly to my friends.
Say TO them that am not aware ct conlnit-
! ting any crime against society. die tor my
,o,jutrv. No thirst for blood or lucrc AMI
mated me inlny course. Ny hands arc clean
of blood unless spilled in conflict. and not
cent enriched my pocket. Vengeance Is
| niue, sat'. the Lord. aud | will repay.
| Therefore, do not show unkindness to the
prisoners; they are helpless.
"JoHS YATES BEALL"
| a short resplt. was at1crward granted by
President Lincoln TO enable the mother To
see her son; but on the afternoon oi The
oath Of FcbruIry the execution took place
llupn Governor, island, New York harbor,
the prisoner responding to the prayers ol
the Epscopal service for the dying, but
otherwise remaining apparently llli'ho'eu.
| One item In the newspaper accounts oi llc
day is worldly of note. During the Who'o
of the long pro, crding' before the execution
the young man kept his eyes steadiastiy
fixed upon the southern horizon, as II looR-
| ing toward the very heart oI The country
for which he was girin. up his life. bcall
was finely iorDed, about hyc feet e'sht
inches in height, with hazel eyes. brown
hair and beard, and firmly compressed
mouth. He was thirty-two years old at the
time Of his death.