Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-06-21

Sandusky; past Middle Bass, where the
unfortunate passengers, Watching on the
beach, shortly after midnight, saw her
fly by, the fire pouring out of her smoke
stacks, and anaking for the Detroit
river like q scared pickerel." The Cap
tain and those of the crew who had
been retained to manage the boat were
put ashore upon an uninhabited island,
and after reaching the Canadian shore
and scuttling the steamer the pirates
disbanded, and Beall, the master spirit,
was left to brood over failure which
had the additional bitterness of possible
success.
THE WAY TO DEATH.
In less than four months Beall was
captured near the Suspension Bridge
and taken to New York. An ATTEMPT
to bride the turnkey with $4,000 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 Il. Brady offered his
services, and the trial began before a
military court. Beall was charged with
the seizure of the steamer Philo Parsons
at Kelleys Island, Lake Erie; with the
seizure of the steamer Island Queen, at
Middle Bass Island, Lake Erie; with be-
ing rebel spy in Ohio and New York,
and with an attempt 10 throw the cars
off the track between Buffalo and Dun
kirk for the purpose of robbing the Ex-
press Companys safe. The officers of
the captured steamers came from the
West to identify him, and it is said that
Beall frankly confirmed their testimony,
remarking that as regarded the late af-
fair the trial had been fair and impair
tial In the defense manifesto from
Jefferson Davis was offered, asserting
that these acts upon the border where
committed by his authority, and should
be recognized as the acts of lawful bel
ligerents. But the court pronounced
the verdict "guilty," and General Dix
approved the finding, ordering the pris-
oner to be hung OH Governors Island,
Saturday, the 18th of February.
In reviewing the testimony, Gen. Dix
raid {: ''The accused is shown to be q
man of education and refinement and it
is difficult to account for his agency in
transactions so abhorrent to the moral
sense, and so inconsistent with all the
Il - I0-o.ol1n ,,.ar&.,ra In fhiS
opinion all just minded persons will
agree. And yet,as an example OF judgg-
ment, mistaken but equally sincere-an
example of perverted mental vision
take the farewell letter of Beall to his
mother, written on the eve of the day
appointed for his execution:
"Remember me kindly to my friends.
Say to them that am not aware OF
committing any crime against society.
| die for my country. No thirst for
blood orlucre animated me i'll my course.
Nv hands are clean of blood, unless
spilled in conflict, and not cent enrich
es my pocket Vengeance is mine, saith
the Lord, and / will pay. Therefore,do
/ nOl SHOW utlk luutItSs W tiC pitoOhSA"j
they are helpless.
"JonS YATES BEALn
! A short respite was aiterwaad granted
bv President Lincoln to enable the
mother TO see her son; but Oh the after
ternoon of the oath of February the ex-
ecution took place upon Governors Is
land, New York harbor, the prisoner
responding to the prayers of the Epis-
copal service for the dying. but other
wise remaining apparently unmoved.
One item in the newspaper accounts of
the day is worthy of note. During the
! whole of the long proceedings before
the execution the young man kept his
eyes fixed upon the southern horizon,
as if looking toward the very heart of
the country for which he was giving up
his life. Beall was finely formed, about
five feet eight inches in height, with ha
eel eyes, brown hair and beard, and a
firmly compressed mouth. He was thir-
ty two years old at the time Of his death.