The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-08-22

est man Of the five, being six feet in
height, with narrow but very thick
chest, which indicated his strength,
light complexioned, with more and
lighter colored beard than any of his
companions. He was very simply
dressed, and upon his only foot wore
a coarse shoe.
The fourth man, Anderson Perry,
came quietly to his position, his face
indicating that he was suffering men
tally. He was small and black, with
very little beard, and was dressed
similarly to Williams.
Antoine Maurice, fifth and last of
the condemned, came listlessly upon
the platform, his head slightly in
clined to one side. He was dark
mulatto, with luxuriant beard, tall
er than Perry and of heavy build.
When the hangman had adjusted
the nooses around the necks of all the
criminals, the priest, who had stood
upon the platform whispering relig-
ious consolation to the unfortunates,
repeated the Lords prayer according
to the Catholic ritual, the prisoners
following in concert. Ross and Will
liams requested that their families be
brought near the gallows, but the
wife of the latter was so loud in her
lamentations that he asked she be ia
ken away again.
LAST WORDS.
The Sheriff then read the several
death warrants, and when he had fins
ished said, John Ross, have you
any thing to sayq" Ross spoke in
substance as follows i" Ny friends, l
am ready to go, and an willing, too ;
my peace is made with God, and /
want no one to grieve; my peace is
made, and | have nothing to fear; my
way to glory is clear before me the
Sheriff and his wife and the good peo-
pie of this town have been very kind
to me in many ways, and | thank
them; Father Orfie has been good to
me, and through him / am going to
God am ready to go; mother, re-
member those words; brother, femem-
those words; Sam, you in particular !;
you too my son am ready to go
Mr.. Jones, your most obedient [bow-
ing to gentleman in the crowd;
that's all / have to say; meet me in
Heaven, one and ALL" His voice was
clear and unfaltering, and his SPLEEN
did courage held out to the last.
Williams was told by the Sheriff
that he was at liberty to speak, and
said: Behold, see justice coming !;
what I mean about justice, my be-
loved friends, is when VIC are done
with this world of sorrow, when there
will be no more jails, and no more
judges and juries to defraud man
out of his life; am going to leave
you in the hands of your God, and
beware how you fool with Gods peo-
Pile; blessed be God; farewell, noble
wife and child, I'll meet you in para
disc, where l have promised to meet
God; I trust God you'll all take warn
ing from this; remember, the Jews
cruciied Christ, who was son of the
blessed Virgin Mary, but on the third
day he arose and went into Heaven;
q day is coming when it will not be
Judge Beattie, it will not be Gov.
Kellogg, but Jesus Christ viii judge
us all !; bless the Sheriff and his lady,
they have treated us we'll | am tired
and exhausted, and have not long to
be with you; don't grieve after me;
pray that we meet to part no more.
Please give me drink of water.n It
was plainly evident that the poor
wretch was nearly exhausted, and
within five minutes he had tainted
and had to be placed in chair, where
he remained until the trap fell. A
physician present said that he was
dying of congestion of the brain, and
if the hanging had been delayed .fif-
teen minutes longer the gallows would
have been cheated of victim.
In answer to the Sheriff's query of
!" James Robertson, have you any
thing to say?" Robertson replied,
Yes, l have /; 1 ask you all to bear
witness, have nothing against any
one. but am not pui1ty of what as,s