The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1876-11-08
LAMBERTvILLE n j. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER s. 1876.

'
observing
These chaps have hung long enough, 1
guess
The prisoner looked on with glance Of no
common interest, for no felt that mis- soul was
fluttering on the confines OF eternity.
The colored man had passed rope through
he beam where, but fow moments before,
hung tho inanim1te clods that now cucumber
cd, as it were, the ground beneath the gal-
lows This done, he said
There, Mr.. Cunningham, is rope that
win hold the prisoner long enough, reckon. .
AS he finished this speech no very deliber-
ately kicked tho body of one Of the dead sol
diers aside, and rolled the other very coolly
into the grave where lay the man and the
dead rested upon the living A shudder ran
through the frame of the youth, as he felt
pressing above him the solid form of one who
bH& day before had been as full Of life as he
now was but not sornd escaped him, for
silence was his only preservation.
"Well, rascal, you see what you are COM
ing to for deserving from his majcsty's ser
vice. A halter, suppose, is more agreeable
than good treatment and q soldiers pay"
Thus spoke Cunningham to the prisoner.
81 entered into the refugee corps for my
reasons. They have proved satisfactory"
the prisoner said, looking at Cunningham
with bold countonanCc.
eyes, Internally satisfactory, you rcbol.--
A spy, s'pose DeLancev's refugees would
be pretty set if they were all like you, rogue.
No, no had my eye on you when you list
ed, month ago, and told Colonel Delaney
what believed you was. Not a royal refugee,
but a rebel scoundrel. I was right, rogue,
.eh?"
Eyes, you were right as to my enlisting.---
AS to being rebel soonndrel, why, there is
an ofset--you are royal knavo and blood
thirsty villain. All the information wanted
to send to the great Washington lie has got
before this--so hang away But / should
like five minutes communion with my God
first, u you have the inanliness to grant it."
Astonished 81 Cunningham was by the bold
ness Of mans speech, he know full well that
he himself was detosted by the English SOL
diery for his tyranny, and that refusal of
snch request, to o man on the point Of execu-
tion, would only make him still moro odious
among them. With an III grace, he said
spray, rascal, pray don't wonder that
7 n knave like you fears death. A man who be-
trays his God, and 1t is full time that you try
to mako your peace with Him. Three minutes
--three minutes That's oil the time you
have from me. Go on your knees at once,
then. Sambo, havo the halter ready. Three
minutes only"
Tho negro had placed tho lantern on the
ground, directly under the gallows. Its faint
light cleaned upward, showing q dim outline
Of tho gallows frame, and partially lighting
| the faces and forms or tho soldiers grouped,
with their muskots to MI order, in seniicir-
clio around the scene of execution.
Tho prisoner bent down, resting his knee
upon the earth thrown up around the new dug
grave. He had no hope of escape !; and as he
looked upward toward the heavens, although
all was black with night, yet his eye pierced
through the gloom, and lie saw in the future
redemption for the past The quivering of
his lips showed his sincerity he was prepar-
cd to die. OF a sudden he bcnt his head
All t his prayer was heard-rcscue was at
hand. His life-oh glorious thought--was
not to set in blood through the hands of men!
"Harry said voice, in n whisper, proceed
ing from the grave where the prisoner had
seen dead body tossed but few moments
before, " make no alarm. IT'S / your COM
rade, Dick Martin, of Washington's life
guard, como to save you. Make some excuse
to turn your back toward the hole whore
have hidden myself, and will cut the rope
by which your hands are tied When this is
done and you hear me groan, kick over the
lantern and make for tho cast corner of the
graveyard will follow. Things are ready
for otlr escape Remember, make no alarm p
Tho prisoner felt ais if he had won empires
upon empires. His life was then safe
"Come, rogue, your three minutes arc up.
Sambo, the rope there"
The prisoner, without rising from his knees,
turned around SO that he faced the lantern,
his back toward the grave. The negro adj
vanced with the halter to place it around his
neck. The scene was striking. In the FORE
ground stood the soldiers gazing with no very
pleasant emotions b5 the dim light, upon the
man, upon the poor prisoner, Cunning
ham was in the centre, his brutal and harsh
features lighting up with dcvilish expression.
Just as Sambo got within arms length Of the
prisoner, the latter felt the thongs cut which,
bound his arms. He was free
But why starts the colored man, his eyes
protruding from their sockets, as If death was
before him The halter drops from his hand /;
he is paralyzed with fear. Slowly, from the
grave rises the dead body Of tho soldier he
had himself rolled into it
Cunningham beheld the sight, and SO did
the soldiers. The vision was awful-so APP
parently contrary to human reason--that with
ono accord all fled, excepting Sambo and the
prisoner. The former rolled on the ground in
terror.
In the meantime, the prisoner and his COM
rade, who had SO opportunely rescued him
from an ignominious death, hurried from the
graveyard and made for Lispenard's woods,
which then skirted the North river near about
where Canal street ends.
There they found boat, in which Dick