Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-04-24
FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH.

A touching story is narrated in connection
with the execution of Walter Watson, at
Highland, Indiana, on Friday last for the
murder of Ezra Compton. The parties had
quarreled about the charge of quarter dol
lar for some soap made by Compton, who was
storekeeper. The wife of Watson, to whom
he had been but year married, endeavored
to restrain him from the QUARREL but her en-
treaties failed. A week before the execution
Mrs. Watson visited the Governor, with her
babe in her arms, and made q strong person.
al appeal for mercy, but that official declined
to interfere because the sentence had been
confirmed by the Supreme Court. The faith
full wife was daily visitor to her husband g
cell, and joined him in fervent prayers for
forgiveness. During the last night, most oi
the time she sat on his knee breathing words
of love and encouragement, or at his feet,
caressing his hand. He was truly penitent,
and expressed himself as having made peace
with God. As the time approached for the
execution, she was for moment overcome,
and fell on her husbands neck in uncontrol-
liable anguish, but suddenly she raised her
faxen head and assisted in arraying him for
his doom. She had contributed neck.tie and
a 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 60 with him. All
present demonstrated with her, in which the
minister joined. Her reply was rebuke
that few women would have ventured. III
should not have expected this from minister.
When was married promised to cleave to
my husband for better or for worse prom.
ised this to minister, and am going to
keep my word as far as God will let me. I"
On reaching the galIows, the pair soon to be
suntered mounted the steps hand in hand.
They were seated side by side over the fatal
trap. She again took bis hand and sobbed
with her little head resting upon his shoulder,
while the minister made the closing prayers.
Meanwhile the culprit sat in his chair un-
moved. A heart. broken wife was sobbing 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 min
utes he sat there without the least peceptible
twitch of muscle. There was no bravado
in this composure; it was the calmness OF
resignation. At the close of the religious ex-
ercises the two stood up, and for the last time
she embraced her husband, kissed him pas
sionately, and, with "Good-bye, Walter
stepped back and fell back into the arms Of
the good Christian ladies who were there to
receive her The last words of the unhappy
man were a feryent prayer for mercy and
for heavenly aid to his poor wife. At the
sheriff house sbe saw the remains of the
husband in his coffin, and kissing his lips and
arranging the hair, turned away with q look
of woe and said, 81 can cry no more; l have
no more tears; God have mercy on me and
my little baby" 81.
An hour later the coffin was in an east.
bound train, accom- panied 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, most
of whom had seen the hanging, will haunt
many in their dreams.