The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1879-05-01
A WIFE FULFILLING HER MAR
RAIGE vow EVEN TO THE
GALLOWS.

A touching story is narrated iu
connection with the execution Of
Walter Watson, at Highland, In,
diana on Friday last for the murder
OF Ezra Compton. The parties had
quarreled about the charge of quar-
ter dollar for some soap made by
! Compton, who was a 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 10 her arms, and made
a strong personal appeal for mercy,
but that official declined to interfere
because the sentence had been con.
hrmed by the Supreme Court. The
faithful was daily visitor to her
husbands cell, and joined him in
fervent prayers for torgiVeness.--
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 expressed
himself as having made peace with
God. AS the time approached ap>
preached for the execution she was
TOR a moment overcome, and fell on
her husbands neck in uncontrolla-
BILE anguish, but suddenly she rails,
ed her haxen head and assisted in
arraying him for his doom. She
had contributed necktie add a pair
of slippers and put them on him
with fierce determination that
overmsstered her agony. She comb
ed his hair, aud seeing all was ready
said she would 60 with him. All
present demonstrated with her, in
which the minister joined. Her re-.
ply was a rebuke that few women
have Ventured 81 should not have
expected this from minister. -
When | was married | promis ID to
ceave TO my husband for better or
for worse. | promised this to a
minister, and going to keep my
word as far as God will let me. -
Ga reaching the gallows the pair
soon TO be snndered mounted the
steps hand in hand. They were
seated side by side on the fatal trap. |
She again took his hand aud sobbed
with her little heading upon his
shoulder, while tho minister made +,
the closing prayers.
Meanwhile the cllprit 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 unin
terrupted spectator Of the absorbing
scene OF which he was the central
figure. For fully five minutes he sat
there without the least perceptible
witch of muscle. There was no
bravado 10 his composure; it was
the cslmness OF resignation At the
close of the religious exercises, the
two stood up, and for tho last time
she embraced her husband, kissed |
him passionately, and, with Good |
bye, 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 iervent prayer for mercy and |
for heavenly aid to his poor wife -
At the Sherilf's house she saw he
remaius of her husband in his cof~ !
fin, and kissing his lips and arrang |
ing the hair, turned away with "a
look of woe and said, 81 can cry
no more tears. God have mercy on
me and my little baby"
An hour later the coffin was in an
East bound train, accompanied by
the wife. At RichIand, bleak sta
ton 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 oc>
cupants of the passing train, most of
whom had seen the hanging, will
haunt many in their dreams.