The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-04-25
UNION c. H, SOUTH CAROLINA, APRIL 25, 1879
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.
"A touching story is narrated in connec-
tlon with the execution of Walter Watson,
at Highland, Indiana, ON Friday last, for
the murder of Ezra Compton. The parties
had quarrelled about the charge of quarter
dollar Tor some soap made by Compton, who
was storekeeper. The wife of Watson, to
whom he had been but year married, en-
deavored to restrain him from the quarrel
but her entreaties failed. A week before
the execution Mrs. Watson visited the
Governor, with her babe in her arms, and
made strong personal appeal for mercy,
but that official declined to interfere because
the sentence had been confirmed by the
Supreme Court. The faithful wife was a
daily visitor to her husbands cell, and Joined
him in fervent prayers for forgiveness
During the last night most of the time she
sat on his knee breathing words of love and
encouragement, or at his feet, caressing his
hands. He was truly penitent, and cx.
pressed himself as having made peace with
God. As the time approached for the ex-
ecution she was for moment overcome,
and fell on her husbands neck in uncon-
trollablo anguish, but suddenly she raised
her faxen head and assisted in arraying
him for his doom. She had contributed a
necktie and pair of slippers, and put them
on him with fierce determination that
overmastered her agony. She combed his
hair, and seeing all was ready, said she
would go with him. All present remon.
strated with her, in which tho minister
Joined. Her reply was a rebuke that few
women would have ventured. IL should
not have expected this from a minister
When was married promised to cleaye
to my husband for better or for worse. I
promised this to minister, and am going
to keep my word as far as God will let me"
On reaching the gallows the pair soon to be
sundered mounted the steps hand in hand
They were seated side by side over the fatal
trap. She again took his hand and sobbed
with her little head resting upon his shoul-
der, while the minister made tho closinp
prayers.
Meanwhile tho culprit sat in his chair
unmoved. A heart broken wife was Sob
6ing on his bosom, strong men sobbed. but
the man about to be hanged seemed an
uninterested spectator of the absorbing scene
of which he was the central figure. For
fully five minutes he sat there without the
least perceptible twitch Of q muscle. There
was no bravado in this composure; it was
the calmness of resignation. At the close
of the religious exercises the two stood
up, and for the last timo she embraced
her husband, kissed him passionatcly,
and, with Goodbye, Walter" stepped
back and fell into the arms of the good
Christian ladies who were there to receive
her. The last words of the unhappy man
were a.fervent prayer for mercy and for
heavenly aid to his poor wife. At the
sheriff's house she saw the remains of the
husband in his coffin, and kissing his lips
and arranging the hair, turned away with
look of woe and said, II can cry no more ;
l have no more tears. God have mercy on
me an! my little baby"
An hour later the coffin was in an east.
bound train, accompanied by the wife. At
Richland, bleak station seven miles from
this point, it was deposited on the barren
ground, and as the train moved on only one
other person beside the widow was in charge.
The face that broken hearted woman turned
up to the occupants Of the passing train,
mo1s Of whom had seen the hanging, will
haunt many in their dreams