The Hawaiian gazette., 1879-04-16
Condemned and Executed.
An Account OF the Last Hanging In mienlga

AN ENGLISH TRAVELLER IN 1880.
From the Detroit Free Press.J
MARQUETTE, March al read with interest in
one OF The letters OF your Lansing correspondent,
~ usef.' an account OF the presentation by Sen
ator Huston OF claim of one Watson for three
days service, from October Il to 20, in the year
1880, three dollars for his SAID service. and for
playing upon his fife the death march for the
prisoner 5. g. Simmons TO the scaffold.
Tour correspondent remarks that this was
the last execution for murder 10 the State of
Michigan" which believe is generally conceded
to be the fact. "Yusef's' allus0n TO the subject,
recalls to my mind the reading Of an old book,
purchased year or two since in Cincinnati, en-
titled, Tour of the American Lakes in $780,
published in London, 1885, 10 which may be found
an account oil the trial and execution above al
luded to. copy it entire. 1t is entitled:
REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF CAPITAL CRIME"
We will no. detain the reader any longer at
Detroit, except TO notice remarkable instance
Of capital crime. On the 26th of Jolly, 1880,
during our stay at Detroit, 5. q. S. received the
sentence OF death. from the proper tribunals for
the murder of his wife, under circumstances ag-
gravated by brutality and savageness too painful
for recital. and in the contemplation of which hu-
mainly shudders. The wretched mans own
children were the principal witnesses. on whose
test imony he bad been convicted. In telling the
story Of their mothers dreadful end, they
BROUGHT THEIR FATHER TO THE GALLONS.
10 the progress of the trial o history of savage
violence was disclosed, such, we would fain be-
lieve, as rarely passes upon the records Of crime.
What demon of bell can be more fatsl to human
happiness and to the souls of men than ardent
spirits? The children. II son and two daughters
nf admit tpstifiad ahn nlantIu In tho
amiabeness and sffectonate kindness, IN coniu-
gal and parental relations, not only of the mother
but also of their father, in sober moments But
when intoxicated be seemed possessed of the
fures OF more abandoned world. As the muir
derer entered the place Of judgment, and was
conducted TO the bar to receive the sentence of
the law observed in him noble human form,
erect, manly and dignI6ed; Of large but well
proportioned stature; bearing a face and head
not less expressive than the most perfect
BEAU IDEAL OF THE ROMANS; ~
With q countenance divnely fitted for the play
of virtus of every parental and copjugal affection;
and an eye beaming out soul which might well
be imagined to have been once susceptible OF the
love and worship of the Eternal 0ne-all, all
marred and spoiled by the demon OF intemper-
ance and now, alas allied to murder of the
most dlabolical cast Rarely is seen among the
sons of men more commanding human form, or
q countenance more ftly set to intelligence and
virtue made, all would say, TO love and be hon.
ored. But now what change by the debasements
of brutal appetites and the unprovoked indulgence
and instigatiOn of fatal passoni By what a
fearful career of vice he had come to this What
piece of work is man ! how noble in reason
how infinite in faculties in form aud moving,
how express and admirable in action, how like
m IN ;Loao t,ho
beauty OF the world, the paragon of animals r
But when debased and ruined by vice, how like
feud-In shape SO unbe6tting such spirit
And yet, who could see the fendly stamp upon
this poor and wretcbed manl For he wept-he
sobbed. His Utmost soul heaved with anguish !
He bore
THE MARKS OF CONTENTION.
AS man, and such man-if we could forget
bis crime--he was to be respected as being in
condition Of suffering. be was to be pitied, and
as seeming the image of repentance, Heaven
might forgive what man could not. 1t was an
awful hour, when he approached the bar even Of
this earthly tribunal, anticipating we'll bis doom.
For jury OF bis country, as he knew, had set
their seal upon it. As he entered this now aw-
full chamber of justice. he cast his eye around
upon the expecting throng, whose presence and
gaze could not be mockery of his condition !;
and with the greatest possible effort for self.
possession, braced his muscular energies to sup
port his manly frame, while trembling under the
tempest of passion, which agitateG his soul. But
the moment he was seated all his
FIRMYEss DISSOLVED INTO THE WEAKNESS
OF a child, and be wept; he sobbed aloud. A
silence reigned through the crowd, and thrill of
sympathy seemed to penetrate every heart. The
court unaccustomed in that land to such an
Office, felt themselves in a new and awful cond-
ton with fellow being arraigned at their bar
charged and convicted of a most atrocous, and,
10 Its circumstances. an unparalleled crime. and
his doom suspended at that moment on their
lips. Their emotions were too evident to be
mistaken, and in the highest degree honorable to
their hearts. IS. g. S. the name in full being
pronounced by the court, broke the awful silence
OF the place, Have you anything to say why the
judgment Of the court should not now be pro-
nounced p The prisoner was convulsed and
with faltering voice and in broken accents re-
Piled Nothing. if it please the court, except
what have already communicated and he re-
sumed his seat. Upon which a very appropriate,
ELOQUENT AND IMPRESSIVE ADDRESS
Was made by the court to the prisoner. setting
forth the fact and nature of the crime of which
he stood convicted. appealing to his Own kBow-
eOge Tor the Harness OF dis trial, and 10 Dis own
consciousness Of the justice Of his doom, COM
mending him to Heaven for that clemency which
be could no longer ask Of men, and then the aw-
fol sentence was pronounced, "And may God
Almighty" said the judge. with that subdued
emphasis and touching pathos which became the
responsibility of his Office and the nature of the
OCCASION May God Almighty have mercy on
your soul |"
THE PRISONER,
By all the testimony was in his nature kind.
He had loved bis wife excessively. and loved
Der. strange as it may seem, unto the last. And
for that very love he was the more cruel and the
greater monster. He was Jealous of her fidelity
without cause. Jealousy Ills monster begot
upon itself-born on itself" That's he-that
tcas Othello y And only when intoxicated with
strong drink did this terrible passion gain its
dominion over him. In the moments OF his So
briefly he loved and coD6ded, and could say in
company with bis wife
any soul hath her content so absolute
- That not another comfort like to thee
s1ceeeds In unknown fate" a
But it would seem that hell itself were scarcely
more furious or more terrible thanhe when the de-
mon of ardent spirits assumed control Of his pas-
sions. If demoniacs we're nowadays about. the
name of that mac, in such predicament and mood,
were worthy to be written as prince of the host.
Burin prison and before the tribunal ofjustice this