Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-17
KEEPING HER MARRIAGE VOW
ClingInu 10 Her Husband Even up 10 the
Fatal Trap Of the Gallows.

the jail Aaru IN port, lnuldla. lie
was twcnty-Seycn years of age. The
hanging was attended with what may
be called scaifold effects, in their ma
ture almost beyond the power Of pen
TO describe. WatSons wife, a most
respectable and Christian young wo-
man, to whom he had been married
about a year, mounted the scaffold
with him, We have this account by
an eyewitness;
She was with him up to midnight
on Wednesday, and was at his side
again at 4 o'clock Friday morning, and
finally she mounted the scaflold with
him. During the last night most Of
the time she sat on his knee with her
arms about his neck, breathing words
Of love and encouragement. Then
anon she sat at his feet, cMeSsing his
hands. At IL o'clock the sheriff told
the prisoner he must make ready,
For a moment the little wife was
overcome. She fell on her husband
neck in unutterable anguish but
suddenly, she raised her faxen head
from his shoulders. There was an
almost fierce determination in her
eyes, and the lines of her mouth were
set With a tender hand, but without
a tear dimming her fixed eyes, she set
about to array her husband for his
doom. A neat suit Of broadcloth had
been procured forhim. She herself had
contributed a pair Of slippers and a
necktie. The 6rstshe placed on his feet,
the other she tied about his neck-the
neck that was so soon to feel the fatal
cord-with a care and attention to
details hal could not have been ex-
eeeded had she been decking him for
a marriage feast. She then cOmbed
his hair and having added the last
loving touch and made him a really
handsome fellow, remarked Now
you are ready, Walter, and | will 60
with YOU" She had announced the
day before her determination to ac-
company her husband on the scaffold,
but no one dreamed that she meant to
carry it into execution. All the at
PENDANTS demonstrated with her. One
of the ministers said, softly Mrs.
Watson, this will never do" Quick
as a flash she turned on him, replying;
II should not have expected this from
a minister. When | was married
promised to cleaye to my husband
for better or for worse. l promised
this to a minister, and | am going to
keep my word as far as Ged will lot
me. Precisely at y o'clock Sheriff
Dallas led the way to the jail-yard.
About one hundred witnesses were
there assembled. holding her hus-
bands hand, the little woman as
cended the scafold. Two chairs
were placed over the fatal trap. One
was assigned to Watson, the other to
his wife. She tenderly took his hand,
caressed it, and then fell sobbing on
his shoulder. Then the Rev. Mr.,
Wainscott began to read a carefully
prepared prayer from manuscript, and
on closing the prayer said Brother
Watson, be calm and trust in God"
Meanwhile the culprit sat in his
chair unmoved. A heart broken wife
was sobbing on his bosom, strong men
sobbed, but the man about to be
hanged seemed an uninterested spec
tator of the absorbing scene of which
he was the central figure. For fully
Eve minutes he sat there without the
least perceptible witch of a muscle
There was no bravado in this compo-
sure it vas rather the calmness o.
resignation.
Then the sheriff said, Stand up
Walter Watson
Mrs. Watson arose with her hus
band. She threw herself on his breas
and said, GOOD. bye, Walter" kissed
him passionately on the lips, turned
her white face, full Of bitterness anC
reproach, on the multitude, stepped
back and fell into the arms of GOO
Christian ladies who stood near TO re
ceiyc her, and was led away. TIL,
ordeal was a terrible one for tn
doomed man. For an instant his face
relaxed as his wife pronounced the las
goodbye. A tremor passed over hi
frame, but in another moment he re
covered himself, and stood as unmove,
as a block of stone while the sherii
read the death warrant. The mex
instant the drop fell. In thirteel
minutes the physicians pronounce,
Watson dead.
In the sheriff s residence the widow
who had bean weeping bitterly, sud
denly dried her eyes and approaches
the coffin with a firm step, locke
longingly at the face, kissed the lips
eye and brow, arranged the hair an
necktie with a tender hand, and the
said quietly: Now please close tn
coffin and let none see my Waite
again" Her request was compile
with. She turned away with a look {
woe, and said, IN a voice full of strang
meaning Il can cry no more.
have no more tears. God have mere
on me and my little baby"
An hour later the coffin was in a
east bound train accompanied by h.
wife. AT Richland, a bleak static
seven miles from this point, it was dc
posted upon the barren ground, an
asthe train moved on only eotherpe
son beside the widow was in charg,
| The face Of the broken hearted woma
turned up to the occupants of tn
train, most Of whom had seer Il
hanging, will haunt many in the
8 dreams.
e The Tramps Stirring.
Wahlsticks New York C%erresponden
G Courier-Joprnal.
{ W;tbfn Co.. Jo,e 4horo Los Loon