Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-06-12

In the morning the lake-country peo-
pie woke up to hear the news. Incen-
diaries and conspirators in their midst,
raiders by land and pirates by sea-
these were the tidings of the breakfast
table. Batteries, soldiers and Generals
we're hurried hither and thither, stern
Investigations were ordered, guards
doubled, and above it all 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 a 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 snuffed the battle, though from
afar.
In less than four months Beall was
captured near the Suspension Bridge,
and taken to New York. An attempt to
bride 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.
TOT ID bll16 liz OllO lCSDOuoCo, OIU ~
length Mr.. James T. 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 a rebel spy in Ohio and New York;
l and with an attempt to throw the ex-
- O. IL lo11- I4-44- p,,4olo
: and Dunkirk, for the purpose of robbing
l the express company's safe. The Off
=, GERS of the captured steamers came from
the West to identify him, and it is said
4 that Beall frankly confirmed their testi-
t mony, r~emarking that as regarded the
e lake affair the trial had been fair and
: impartial. In the defense a manifesto
from Jefferson Davis was offered, assert
s ing that these acts upon the border were
committed by his authority, and should
8 be recognized as the acts of lawful bel
ligerents. But the court pronounced
n tie verdict of "Guilty," and Gen. Dir
S approved the finding, ordering the pris
1t oner to be hung on Governors Island
Saturday, the 18th of February. In re
viewing the testimony Gen. Dix said
Is "The accused is shown to be a man o
d education and refinement, and it is diff
g cult to account for his agency in trans
actions SO abhorrent to moral sense ant
so inconsistent with all the rules of hon
l. orable warfare" In this opinion al
iust-minded persons will agree. AM
1T yet, as an example Of judgment, mis-
a, taken but equally sincere-an exampl
Ell of perverted vision-take the farewell
/. letter of Beall to his brother, written O
lie the eve of the day appointed for his ez
lie ecution:
rs Remember me kindly to my friends
N Say to them I am not aWare OF CON
SO uniting any crime against society.
Id die for my country. No thirst for bloc
ID or lucre animated me in my course. .
ut Ny hands are clean of blood, unles
le spilled in conflict, and not a cent ell
I'd riched my pocket. Vengeance
mine, saith the Lord, and I will repay
he Therefore do not show u~nkindness t
the prison9rs-they are helpless.
Id "JoHN YATES BEALL."
or A short respite was afterwards gran
ne ed by President Lincoln to enable th
p mother to see her son but on the afte-
noon of the oath of February the excel
q ton took place upon Governors Islan(
as New York harbor, the prisoner RESPOND
lrt ing to the prayers of the Episcopal Sc
er vice for the dying, but otherwise r
bit naming apparently unmoved. One tie
Il, in the newspaper accounts of the day
Ise worthy of note. During the whole
a the long proceedings before the exec
sr. ton the young man kept his eyes stea
cir lily fixed upon the southern horizon,
IRE if looking toward the very heart of Il
,se country for which he was giving up b
IN life.
is. Beall was finely formed, about fl
an, feet eight inches IN height, with haz
eyes, brown hair and beard, and a firm
es. compressed mouth. He was 80 yea
ING old at the time of his death.