Evening star., 1877-11-23


subjeeJ has been set al rest by The confession
which Hawkins m sde yesterday in his cell,
and which, after being reduced To writing,
be s gntd with his own hand. The confess lon
il a. follows:
TowsoNrowN. BALTIMORE COUNTY.
November -. lS,1-My Dear FHhsr nat
AofheT oIsd Brothers aud SiSfers,-i hope YOU
VIII forgive me for my past deeds and also
for the past sins that / have committei ou
this earth, as hope God will forgive me my
Sins In heaven; and 1 hope all the broth rs
and sisters of the congregation which / ne
lorg 10 will forgive me, for feel reconcilci
10 The fate now awaiting me. lam young In
overpowered by fearful actions, AMI hope
and pray that the Almighty God will forgive
me for the sins 1 have committed, and /
freely forgive all mankind for whatever
wrongs they have done 10 me.
My dear friends, i hope my untimely end
Will be warning TO you all never 10 do any
thing that would place you in such a post
tion as am now placed In.
My dear father and mother and sisters and
brothers, will confess 10 you and 10 the
world that am guilty OF the act that am
now about 10 suffer death for, and 1 hone
that you Will forgive me. knowing. as YOU
soon must know, that have been too foolish
and sinful for my worldly good. but II had
longer life 10 live. and knew as mach as L
know now. would lead quite different life
Now will wish you all and the world 4 long
heaven. tsigned) JAMES r. HaWkfNs. IN -
Witness: MARTIN BRIGG.
He also wrote short letter 10 Charles A.
Williams, his class-leader for three years
past, of the same tenor as the above aud on
the back OF IL il, " Him that cOmeth TO me I
will in nowise cast out" with the bymn.
" Just as am, without one plea"
HIS LAST NIGHT on EARTH.
After his friends retired last night az : :
o'clock, he remained awake until 10 O'clock
when he laid down, and considering that ne
had ate hearty supper of fried oysters slept
soundly. Not a sound was heard from him
except his loud breathings, which continued
nntli nve O'CLOCK This morning. onswaken-
Ing he appeared In good spirits, and said
that he felt well, and he hoped he was pre-
pared 10 die. When questioned about the
hatchet he denied that he knew ANYTHING
whatever about il. He was asked If he had
any confession TO make, and replied that he
had said all he intended on that su beet.
THIS MORNING.
Atthe jail there were Samuel J. Worth
ington, sheriff; Z. o. Kemp, VIM. Risteau,
and NJ. Ellwood, deputies; VIM. Todd, W ar
den; Thomas A. Smith, watchman; Rev. VI.
+. b. Rice, chaplain, with other clergy, DIR.
Jarrett, and special guard OF > deputy
sheriffs. WHO reported at o'clock, and were
assigned positions at the gates aud around
the gallOws ard building.
About O'Clock this morning his breakfast
was sent into him, but he partook OF nothing
but small piece OF bread and a cup of coffee.
Shortly afterwards he sank intoa stupor with
his face on his hands, In which position he
remained until o'clk, when number of his
aCqusintances from the neighborhooi of his
fathers home called and he exchanged salu-
tations with them, ,admonishing some of them
all good bye. About thistim
THE SISTER OF THE CONDEMNED MAN,
who had been locked up in one of the upper
cells: was removed " ith another female pr.s-
oner 10 the court house, a few hundred yards
distant, where she was kept until after the
execution was over She seemed TO be much
depressed as they led her from the jail.
JUST BEFoRE THE HANGING
AtSn O'Clock the Rev. Messrs. Rice aud
Prout, and q few moments afterwards Rev.
Mr.. Gray and Rev. Lewis Daniels called and
Rev. Mr.. Rice said: How do You feel, Haw.
kink? Tne condemned, without looking up,
replied: "Tolerably." Mr.. Prout. Are you
trusting in the Saviour? Prisoner. / am.
Mr.. Rice. And that be saves you? Prisoner.
Yes, Sir. Mr. Rice. Have you no fears or
doubts? Prisoner with a tear trickling
down his cheek) No, sir. Mr.. Rice proposed
to hold prayer service, aud another bench
having been brought in the party took seats
and the hymn "Hallelujah, 'Tis Done" was
sung, the condemned joining in the chorus in
a loud voice. Rev. Mr.. Prout offered prayer,
in which the prisoner responded, and after
another hymn the prisoner led in prayer,
warming up as he proceeded, aud he prayed
loI & aid earnestly for his parents, brothers
and sisters, and hoped all would forgive
him. He hoped "Bny friends will meet me
IN JeIusalem. I THIS is perhaps The last time
here thank God that my colors are a. the
/ mast head of Jesus" Then he broke off into
singing "All is well, all is well!' repeating
the words, Fare you well, fare you well!"
over and over. swaying his body back aud
forth, and said he would soon be crossing the
| golden streets where Sabbaths would have
see him this day there. After this prayer,
| Rev. Mr.. Rice read the history of the Cruci-
fxion, and offered some brief words of Coz
ISOLATION 10 the prisoner. The favorite hymn
OF the prisoner, +" Just as am, without one
/ plea, !" was sung, and Rev. Mr. cray offered
! prayer. The colored minister, Rev. Lewis
Daniels, started "A hymn with the refrain,
"Oh, Lord, have mercy on mel" in which the
prisoner sung Justify.
The Execution
About 9l5 O'Clock The corridors in front of
the cells were cleared, and every officer hsv
ing beer instructed as TO his duties, Sheriff
Worthington entered the cell, and remarked,
"Hawkins, IL is disagreeable duty have
TO PERFORM" and sSked If he was ready.
The prisoner replied In the Affirmative. The
sheriff was accompanied by Deputies &. q.
Kemp and VIM. R1steau-the other deputy
Mr.. Ellwood, having special charge OF the
sCaffold-and Mr.. Kemp asked, James,
have you no shoes?'' The condemned man
responded, "Never mind, doa't want any
shoes TO go to glory" The sheriff aud depu-
them with stout cord both in front aud be-
hind, and a white shroud was drawn over
TO THE sCaFFoLp.
The hymn "I'll March through the Valley
III Peace" was sung, the prisoner leading OIL,
ard the solemn procession started from tue
lowing order: Sheriff Worthineton. Warden
Todd, The deputies; the cordemned man, fol-
lowed on the left by Rev. Mr. II ce, on the
right by Rev. Mr.. Gray; Rev. Messrs. Prout
al d Daniels bringing up the rear. Going TO
Two or three OF the cells he babe the Prison
ers there "good bye" The prisoner walked
mp the scaffold steps with firm tread. Rev.
Messrs. Gray and Rice went up on the plat
form, as also the sheriff and Messrs KEN %
and Resetau. Rev. Mr.. Gray read a portion
OF the 5lst Psalm, during which the condemn
ed man seemed looking for some In the
crowd. Rev. Mr.. Rice offered a prayer
Hawkins at this point was asked If he had
anything 10 say, and made a few remarks,
urging that they would all meet him on the
sunny side OF glory. Recognizing a friend
In the crowd he bade him good bye. Noti-
cling Constable Mitchell, VINO arrested him
he said: .'Mr. Mitchell, please tell my father
10 come here and take me home, please"
Mr. Mitchell answered; 81 wall, James"
THE LAST SCENE.
The black cap was then drawn over his
face by The sheriff, while one OF the deputies,
drawing down the moose, placed IL on his
neck, and those on the scaffold having said
TO him goodbye" descended. At 9s
O'Clock the bolt holding the drop In place
was drawn, and the condemned man fell q
distance of about five feet. His neck was not
broken, however, but he died OF s;rangula-
ton. After the body had hung for some
minutes, the legs and arms writhed convul-