The New York herald., 1875-12-18


formality or reading the death warrants gone
through with This and the pinoniDg OF the con
demned occupied the time until nearly half past nine.
Just then Weston asked Tor a cup OF tea which
once supplied to him. perfectly perceptibe quiver
among those present inside the jail once showed
that the end had come, and Weston emerging
from his cell followed closely by Thompson and Ellis
II ghastly sight The appearance Of the wretched
men was completely changed That black cap is an
ominous looking thing Then the rope, closely lttng
K the neck with the moose in 'front.' aud the pinioned
i arms spoke with mute but intense power
Tux DEATH MARCH
Precisely At haipast nine O'Clock the lines Of police
separated and formed 0minous lane through which
came marching ia slow and measured step, the Sheriff
and his deputies In their midst walked the three
condemned men, attended by their spiritual advisers
! A sudden hush fell upon the crowd and every man,
even those in uniform, instpctvely doned his hat
The that inspired this caused BY the
terrible shadow lowering the heads Of the men so
TO die painful and shameful death As the pro-
4 cesslon moved along from the door OF the prison.
through the courtyard TO the place where the scaold
had been erected every neck stretched and every
eve was strained TO catch glimpse OF the doomed
groeS They acted differently under the dreadful or
DEAL as was to be expected from men so different In
their temperaments and characteristics weston the
muiatto, had the outlines Of his face dishgured
by huge lump OF tobacco, which he nervousy rolled
IN his cheek. Ho was defiant and hardened he
looked about him, apparently much Interested IN the
proceedings and ho walked with careless and free
step. There no bravado in his demeanor, simply
hardened indifference TO The dreadful fate hs crime
had brought him 10. Thompson, on the other hand
seemed quite unnamed and evidently appreciated the
full horror OF his situation He walked fceby, and at
times almost ottered on the rough Belgian pavement
upon which he kept his eyes fixed suffering himself TO
i
listened the priests who accompanied them but the
muatio evidently heard the words OF comfort spoken
without fully comprehending their import, while, on
the other hand, Thompson was ervent in his subducd
responses, and drank IN with eager the utter
OF the pale-faced priest beside him. Both
carried crucinxes in their pnioned hands Ellis,
who died in the Protestant faith, presented a sharp
contrast TO his companions both IN his appearance and
demeanor. His careful dress and goved hands showed
that the resigned 10 die for the aw, and his.
action indicated clearly that he had repened and tried
70 make his peace with the Creator OF all things
Marching steadily forward in company with the coored
clergyman who bad faithfully attended him. Ellis
calm and cool He neither avoided the gaze of the
crowd Of spectators did he court attention. While
evidently conscious OF the many faces surrounding
him. he paid strict attention the consultations
minister and appeared fully prepared to die. Poor
ellow had he known the dreadful torture that be-
fore him his nerves would not have been SO steady
nor his mind SO calm. Thus walked these three men
TO death
As the head OF the procession turned the corner Of
the prison building and reached the gate in the
fence that cuts of that part Of the yard TO the more
open the awful stiffness that had fallen upon the
crowd was broken by murmur of expectation, and
If in sympathy with the scene, the little patch Of
sunlight that had fingered on the northern wall sud-
denly disappeared. Before the cloud had passed away
and allowed the sunshine to return the condemned
men found themselves face TO face with tbe dread IN
strument OF death The sight OF the rough boarding
and the fatal crossbeam had no perceptbe effect upon
them, neither did they seem to notice that the
rope which kept the scanold clear OF intruders
lifted for their passage few seconds more aud
the negroes standing beneath the dangling cords
which destined take the lives they had lor-
ieted TO the law. AS they stepped on the loose pine
flooring Weston, who was in advance, took his position
on the right and faced the spectators To his right
space Of few extra feet in the centre OF which,
on the beam above, was an empty hole where the day
beforehand hung the cord Tor Dolan. Thompson took
the middle place and Ellis the left side. From that
moment the scene at the scafold busy The
attending priests and ministers gathered close around
their respective charges and continued praying for the
souls Of those SO soon 10 enter eternity. The con.
demned men were strangely calm Weston
threw his head about, spoke few words
/ in indifferent manner and bade two
HIM as careless goodby as one would use to chance
/ n 10 q
before the black cap drawn his features he
spat Out the tobacco IN his mouth. Yes, I'm all
right" was his brief response TO inquiry OF the
Deputy Sheriff. who with trembling fingers was ADJUST
! ing the nooses 10 the pendent cords Thompson at
that moment quite weak and trembed visibly. he
uttered words, being unable TO do than stand
and wait for the last moment Of life. Ellis was still
calm and collected, though his eyes moved nervousy
the cord around his neck snapped to the pendent
rope above his head. This all that could be seen,
Tor many Of the spectators who had been permitted 10
pass through the gate crowded up TO the gaows and
mingled with the sheridA Suddenly the black
the heads OF the three negroes drawn their
faces there a movement among those nearest the
condemned and they stood alone An awful pause OF
few seconds duration ensued, then there upon
the ihe sound or blow, and the Of the
ecutioper behind the severed the sustain
ing the weignts they fell with terrible thud, and
instantly bodies OF dangled between
earth and heaven. IL was then precisely quarter to
ten O'Clock.
The sudden leap into the air made every shrink,
and few OF those who were before ANXIOUS TO see
the progress Of the execution turned away their heads
afraid look upon the death struggles Of those three
black who had between them murdered poor old
in the lonely Lydg's Woods Weston being OF sen-
| der build and nonchalent in his actions died the
easiest Of the three He had quietly submitted To the
adjustment Of the and had raised the cruci
fix TO his muied lips the weight fell Being SO pas
sive he struggled very little and although his neck
unbroken he did not appear to suffer any pain Thomp-
also died comparatively easy but, being very mus
cular in the neck his struggles more prolonged
Ellis, however, met dreadful death. just as the
weights fell he noticed quickly raise his LEFT
hand and clutch the knot and he also moved his head
10 the LEFT with sudden jerk; These Two movements
q 8ru hfo rn{p and hr.Ixr
sprang invountariy in tho air he dangled in awful
torture, Tor consciousness continued He thus
NAMED for perhaps half minute, presenting most
horrible spectacle TO the shudderng spectators Then
thcro struggle. One OF his hands rose
and fell in spasmodic emotion as " to seize the
rope, and next the unfortunate creature swung
round until his feet touched the board
screen. they did Ellis began actually walk up
the screen, usng his head as lever thus relieving the
strain upon his neck, and, TO the horror Of all, he
uttered terrible moan and cried ont IN angushed ac-
cents, save me- save mei'' As the words were Ut
his feet te only to rise again aud encircbe the
struggling body Of Thompson As If by instinct, Eiiis
cambered up upon bis fellow convict, his hand
clutchng the cord. The most
dreadful one, and Tor a moment seemed to know
how TO just a this juncture Under Sheriff
Cunning passed through the execuoners door to order
Ellis 10 be lowered, but as he disappeared the half
hanged wretch struck the fatal knot with his hand and
caused TO slip TO the side Of the neck Ia an instant
Of time Ellis legs fell, and he began TO die slowly by
stranpnlation. The unhappy man suffered greatly
even then Tor his limbs moved rapidly to aud fro until
death relieved him. When the knot became adjusted
the relaxation Of the body was 50 sudden that the
handkerchief In the hand that had clutchcd the rope
caught the tightencd moose and remained dang
ling Ia the air. Tn 1A died the three murderers.
UNDER sHERIPP's STATEMENT.
While commenting the dreadful scene which had
just transpired Under Sheriff Cunning made the follow
ing statemcnt:-
The moose was properly adjusted When the free
end attached TO the end Of the found
be all right and In proper position. Deputy Sheriff
Maxwell assigned TO this duty. made the attach
mens in the Of the other two just at the
moment the signal given Ellis turned his head.
/ Whether he did II intentionally, Of course do not
know, but II was quick movement The black cap
over his face and he could learned alter
the execution what II had suspected before would
certainly have prevented At his special request
cream gwen TO him just before he WIS led out,
with which be creased his neck IL was given to MIN +
probably with the idea that would aid the tightening
OF the moose and hasten his death The effect was
however, allow the moose 10 slip around when he
hand ne rlnllh