Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-04-17

worse. promised this to . minister.
and am going 10 keep my word as Ear
as God viii let me"
Precisely at ~ o'clock Sheriff Dallas
led the way TO the Jail yard. About
100 witnesses were there assembled.
Holding her husbands hand, the little
woman ascended the scaaold. Two
chars were placed over the fatal trap.
One was assigned 10 Watson, Che other
| to his wife. She tenderly took his hand,
cafessed Il, end then fell sobbing on his
shoulder. Then the Rev. Mr.. Wains-
colt began 70 read a carefully prepared
prayer from manuscript. and On closing
the prayer sad "BFolher Watson, be
calm and trust in God"
Meanwhile the culprit sat on his
chair, unmoved. A heart-bFoken wife
was sobbing on his bosom, strong men
sobbed, but the mar about TO be hanged
seemed an uninterested spectator Of the
absorbing scene Of which he was the
central figure. For fully Eve minutes
he sat there without the least percepti-
BILE twitch Of a muscle. There was no
bravado in this composure; il was rath-
er the calmness Of resignation.
Then the Sheriff said, "Stand up,
Walter Watson"
Mrs. Watson arose with her husband.
She threw herself on his breast, and
ssid, "Good by, Walter" kissed him
passionately on the lips, turned her
white face, full OF bitterness and re-
proach, on the multitude, stepped back,
and fell into the arms Of good Christian
ladies' who stood near TO receive her,
and was led away. The ordeal was a
terrible one for the doomed man. For
an instant his face relaxed as his wife
pronounced the last good-by. A tre-
NOR passed over his frame, but in an
other moment he recovered himself,
and stood up as unmoved as block of
stone while the Sheriff read the death
warrant. Following this, the Rev. Mr..
Wainscott said: walter, have done
the best could for you. May the Lord
have mercy on your soul. Farewell"
The Sheriff and his deputies then ap-
preached with long strip of cloth. His
hands and feet were firmly tied, The ia
tai moose was passed over his head, and
adjusted to has neck, and then a white
cap drawn over his face. Now for the
first time since ascending the scafFold
Watson's lips were unsealed. A fer
vent prayer was muttered underneath
The cap. "God have mercy on my soul.
Jesus save me. God help my poor.
wife, The minister stepped up, placed.
hand on hIs shoulder, and said HWal-s
ter, this is your last momeDt."- The
next instant the drop fell. In thirteen
minutes the physician pronounced Wat
son dead.
In the Sherilf's residence the widow,
who had been weeping bitterly, sud-
denly dried her eyes, and approached
the coffin with firm step, looked long
Ingly at the face, kissed the lips, eyes,
and brow, arranged the hair and neck
tie with tender hand. and then said.
very quietly: "Now please close the
coffin and let none see my Walter
again." Her request was complied
with. She turned away with look oi
woe, and said, in voice full OF strange
meaning: 81 can cry no more. have
no more tears. God have mercy on me
and my little baby"
An hour later the coffin was in an
east-bound tram, 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.
most of whom had seen the hanging,
will haunt many IN their dreams.