The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-17

then asked that sheriff brennan might exclude the
detective who had arrested HIM. me h's nuiit ~,
me down,u he said, his eyes flashing Win rage fie
became caimer in few minutes and said, II for
give HIM; but don't let MIN come TO witness the
execution 1 d0n'G care II all the rest Oh new iork
he lay down and tried to seep. The lamp threw
a ghastly light upon the dileren, objects IN the
cell Hc shut his eyes--but what was that horri-
HE sight that rose up before him There was
blood upon the wa.. human FORM deathy,
classy eyes stared at MIN. WHAT was IL lie
started MP, and
MS cLENonED FIST GRAsPED THE AIR.
Horrible uls blood ran cold as his head Tell back
upon the pillow. Still the bood-large, heavy
c.ots-the blood came gushing out OF wounds.
how u poured down upon the moor tall he b mseli
danced in the moonlight that struggled through
the narrow chink Ia The wall 1t stained his clothes.
heavensi the warm blood began pouring down
upon his very forehead He started up, wth
DARK; no blood, no terrible Visions; but The Kind
tataer spoke to HIM gentle words OF love tnat sank
heavily into his soul.
TWO O'Clock. Seven hours to live. Seven honrsl
How quickly the time New by AS ne was Dlng
upon the seat ne must have counted the minutes
ana seconds, one by one. Every one brought hm
nearer TO death. Nearer ana nearer. Why could
he not stop the rapu Wnlrl OF Tune NO rest. He
lelr o burning lever and his lips seemed parcheu.
terrible heat seemed all at once to consume nm.
Was his blood on fire he could not rest; ne
Jumped upon his feet and c!utched the iron bars
80 ~ "'i he = ' WAS CONDEMNED MAN.
II he had dreamed OF liberty oil escape, 1t was moth
ing but a dream.
What pen could describe the terrors of this last
night upon earth I Sometimes word escaped the
lips OIL the sleeper. "Ecpricyo.' he murmuieu;
and perhaps he was dreaming Of standing under
the galloWs, with the moose round his neck, ana
saw MS VIE rushing into hs arms . WIN td sne
upon his ia face ~ he awoke. An the voices
were hushed, anu he saw that this was his cell,
that he was still hopeless and must die. And then
the strange, strange snaGOws-the dim SHADOWS
on the wall assumed such CHASTITY shapes that 1t
was horrible to look upon them. lie shut his eyes
ana tried to abstain from looking at the wall III
was in vain. There was an irresistible lasc nation
that attracted his eyes to these shadows. lie
looked again and again, and became so frightened
that he thought he should become wild with terror
Now he saw the shape OF the gaOws, now he saw
the snape. OF a man, and now he saw somebody
was dangling from the beam, and the features-the
horrible spectacle at which ne glared-
MADE FLESH CREEP
The features at first so dim and death-liEe slowly
and imperceptiby resolved themselves into his
own. HIS own!
lie woke trembling in every joint and looked
round. Still In his cell.
"And this is my last night" he SAID bitterly
He fell on his knees aud prayed. lie lay down va
again and finally sank to SLEEP HOW w aa ne ne
death-like; his lips were SO pale; MS breathing
was SO low that he looked almost like a corpse.
Before he awoke his lips moved ana trembled, ana
.Gallows," '.Hope," "Wile" God Almighty
He was evidently dreaming; but the dream must
have been pleasant one lor he woke with faint
II was five O'Clock when he arose. He washed
and dressed himself quickly. At q quarter OF six
O'Clock Sherin Brennan arrived. Nixon greeted
him cordially.
swell. Sheriff." Nixon said 81 shall be ready any
time you want me.''
.'Oh know that you will die like a man." the
In your lace that you win die like a man.
Nixon smiled family and thanked the Sherin.
He said, you need have no fear on that account,
Sheriff want
TO THANK YOU FOR THE FAvoRs
you have extended TO condemned ana poor and
Wretched man. have received nothing but KIND
|
Warden Johnson ana his keepers. have but one
request to make-do not let Van Buskirk, the de-
tective VINO arrested me, witness my execution"
The Sheriff told him that his request should be
faithfully obeyed Deputy Sheriff Carroll then con-
Quoted Nixon to the chapel. IL was sad scene.
There were the female prisoners and the child con-
victs standing round and as the priests prayed Tor
the soul OF the condemned man the children began to
cry. Nixon SAID his prayers In low, hollow tone;
He kissed the crucidx fervently As he looked
round when lie had finished praying he saw that
almost every eye moist with tears. The
prayer seemed to nave relieved him, and when he
had partaken for the last time OF the holy COM
munion he seemed to be much happier.
outside the prison an
EAGER CROWD swAYED TO AND FRO.
Some had been there early six O'Clock; still
the crowd was small one compared with that at
Fosters execution. The police under command OF
Superintendent Kclso and Captain Kennedy, had
drawn GORDON round the Prison. At eight O'Clock
the Deputy Sherifs arrived, headed by sheriff Brcn
nan and Under Sheriff Stevens. They were all
dressed in black, wore high hats and had a solemn
air. large number OF policemen were drawn up
before the gailows. Near them were the seats Tor
admitted them and those who had cards OF admis.
sion when they all rushed forward trying to get
'tne best seats" The physicians stood IN front of
the scatold. Everything was ready for the closing
scene OF the gloomy tragedy.
When the Sheriff entered NiXon's cell he found
him on his knees praying III accents OF intense fer
lie was praying for his vile and children, and
he kissed their pictures Then he rose and looked AT
the Sheriff MIR. Brennan looked pale and seemed
10 be unwilling to tell Nixon that he
MUST NOW PROCEED TO THE GALLONS.
you want mey' Nixon asked.
,ha hac yha tbn ftnp
must take place. the Under Sherin SAID
deadly palor overspread Nixon's cheeks. u
am resigned TO die" he said In a trembling voice;
.'our saviour was crucifed, and this is nothing"
No one spoke. II have deserved this" Nixon
ADDED; II know that have done wrong, and Tor
give everybody VINO was concerned IN the prosecu-
Lon."
They brought Nixon out of the CELL Up 10 this
time everybody nad been Joking and laughing,
but when they Nixon in the black cap ana
with the moose around his neck, they looked with
breatiless interest at the CHASTITY spectacle. what
picture OF death, walking between the Sheriff and
Under Sheriff. the one Oh his right hand, the other
his LETT. He held ebony crucinx in his
folded hands kept IL before his eyes and looked at
ii steadily. He walked calmly. The yard was
paved with human faces, but Nixon saw but one
thing-the crucnx. II was evidently that which
gave him the strength 10 walk SO quietly to the
scafod.
IL was the same scarold on which so many
MURDERERs HAVE ExrIATED THEIR GRIMES.
There was nothing unusual about It. The upright
beams, the cross-Deam, the screen above, the
partition behind where the rope Is cut which jerks
the murderer INTO the air, the rope hanging from
the middle OF the cross-beam-it was the very same
scafIod on which Foster and many others have
died. The FIRST stroke OF nine pealed from some
adjoining church NIXON stood under the galows. ,
II was a scene not easily to be forgotten In the
rear oil the yard were the ponce III their bright
uniforms all turning GREATNESS looks upon the
murderer, the reporters sitting right beside him
and noting has appearance, the physicians scan
ming eagerly the features of the man who they
knew would be a corpse in few minutes. And
here stood the murderer. Death had set It's hand
upon him. lie knew that the moose round his
neck would strange him in a few moments, and
still he stood there calmly. But what u face IL
was Of ghastly white, but perfectly livd near the
eyes. which were CLASSY and had duh stare, al
most like that OF the dead His
LIPS WHICH WERE ALSO WHITE,
were compressed. His black hair and black beard
contrastcd strangely with the marble whiteness OF
ms countenance. lie stood straight at first, but
after "a lew moments. when the priests began TO
thlra sIi1h. ran al lIulLs