The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-03-26

sion was probably haif mile long. Men,
women, and children, white and black, on
foot and in all manner Of vehicles, made up
the procession, and the occupants Of the
various faru,-houses on the line hurried to
the roadside to see the strange sight. The
prisoners appeared as unconcerned as ever.
They muncned gingerbread with great
avidity or smoked cigars with rs much gusto
as II on a holiday iaunt, and were evidently
pleased to see tue interest they excited.
At Talleysville. Julius Christians mother
came up to the wagon, and embracing and
calling him her "precious lamb" bade
final farewell 10 her sou. There was some
thing pathetic in her utterances, but Julius
was unmoved; and when she besought the
sheriff to send the body 10 her the son re-
piled, $50 way; the body amt no ac-
count" "s,it,tua ~.
When the procession arrived within sight
Of the gal,ows, Pat. Smith, looking at the
vast crowd In its vicinity, exclaimed:
"GREAT LORD! LOOK AT DE PEOPLE. j..
Oar dey is set,in' up in de trees like turkey
buzzards."
Arrived at the spot, the condemned men
were dismounted and carried in the court
room, where the shrouds Of black cambrlc
were placed upon them. The collins were
then placed in the wagon and the prisoners
seated upon them. The ga!lows, which was
erected about one fourth OF mile south OF
the courthouse, was soon reached, the men
placed upon the trap, and the moose ad-
iusted. After reading the death-warrant
Sheriff Royster said : "Juius Christian,
have you anything to say before the sem
tcnce Of the law is executed upon your"
Christian replied that he had, and for about
fifteen minutes poured out in singing tone
sro hor N
declaring his readiness to die, and saying
that he would soon awake "in Abraham's
BOSOM" He then made short and unsat-
isiactory confession OF his crime.
Pat. Smith also declared his readiness to
die. He said, "Tbe Lord had told him no"
thing should harm him at that hour"; and
concluded by saying. "Good.byc, all! The
Lord done spoke peace to my soul. | am
prepared to die, and am gwine to Heaven
l reckon" @'
When the confessions had been made
there was some feeling manifested among
those present, and . .E
ONE MAN VOLUNTEERED TO PULL THE TRAP;
but Sheriff Royster replied, "No, sir; it is
my painful duty to do so." After adjusting
the caps Pat. Smith said, ''Mr. Royster,
send my things home," aliuding to u small
bundle Of clothing.
At 11:40, everything being in readiness,
Sheriff Royster and Deputy-S Sheriff Crump
seized the rope tied to the stake supporting
the trap, and, giving sudden pull, the
sup cort fell from beneath them and Julius
Christian and Patrick Smith were ushered
into eternity. Smith being the heavier OF
the two died without struggle; but Chris
tian died OF stransulation, aud his body
swayed back and forth several times before
his struggles ceased. :,
At l2 O'Clock DR.. L. A. Slater examined
the bodies and pronounced life extinct. The
bodies were then cut down-that OF Chris
tian given to his friends and Smiths buried
at the foot OF the gallowS.
tits estimated that
TWO THOUSAND PERSONS ..
were present on the ground, and the day
appeared more as a holiday than otherwise
i tent had been erected on the green, in
which a negro minstrel entertainment was
gong on, palent medicine man was Yend-
ing his nostrums, and 4 good business was
done by the vendors OF oysters and other
edibleS.
Good order prevailed, however, and
Sheriff Roy yster deserves commendatlon for
the propriety which characterized the con-
duct OF all under his charge, and the care
full and skilful manner with which he dis
charged the unpleasant duties devoivlng
upon him. ~...