The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1882-07-20

-.:---- 81. -.
ss5 III
and Colonel %. II. Jones, the proyosf
marshal arrived opposite the point
where was standing, the carriage was
halted and Colonel Jones asked me if +
would 90 out and officiate as chaDlain. Il
replied that / disliked to witness an
execution Of the sort and suggested that
he procure some other minister. At
this point the prisoner addressed me "a
rather subdued tone and remarked:
II would be glad to have youpo. q s. / re-
marked to the Provost Marshal that /
could not refuse such q request and i'm,
mediately took my seat IN the carriage
He gave me3a full history OF his birth,
parentage and adventures. He was as
before stated, a native OF, West Virginia.
His parents were strict Presbyterians
and at the time his execution were re-
siding, in southwestern Missouri. In re-
ply too question Of mine he said he had
no family, although he added, With q
slight tremOrs voice, he was to- have
been married on the It'll Of June. He
disclaiMed all personal emnity to the
southern people, but said that he was q
Union MAJ and he regarded the expedi-
ton he conducted as Legitimate military
expedition. He was willing, however to
abide his fate.
Of course i spoke to him on the sub
ject Of personal religion and His, readi-
ness for the summons, of DEATH. In re-
ply he told me, with manifest emo ton.
that he had never united with, the
church, but that recently in his great
and sore trOuble he had tried to seek
God; / labored to show him in a few
words the way Of salvation and urged
him to let his last breath be an inyoca-
ton for Divine mercy. II
Upon our arrival at the place Of exc
cution we found a very large assemblage,
eager to witness the horrors of the gib-
amphitheatre, with the gallows in the
centre. At the distance Of forty feet
from the gallows a strong rope was
stretched in circle so as to prevent in
trusion. But few persons were allowed
TO enter the circle Everything being
prepared, after a moments conference
with the prisoner. during which + told.
him should not remain f. see tha ava.
cution, Iascended the scaffold to address
the multitude. There was Derfect ordar
no jeers, no taunts, no unseemly behav.
ior to mar the deep solemnity az tha a.
casion. made the prisoners statements
as nearly as possible in his own words
and then endeavored to make a profita
BILE use Of the circumstances. AT the
close of this brief address. + asked the
Rev. Mr.. Conyers ia lead N 7nravar
which he did in a most feryent snnnlica,
ton for the Divine blessing on the nr;s.
oner. again had short conference
with the prisoner. admonishine him that
in God solely was his help, babe him.
4. a Il
back to the CITY : 80 ., ' '''' ~ Vo''s
2 Thus Captain' A ndrews stbe leader of
the expedition had ! failen.' hit more re
thrilling scenes we're to folIow althnmab
undreamed of nv fhe swritar.s-T haze
omitted to state hitherto chat at this
time was pastor of Wesley Chanel. now
the First Methodist church. Atlanta On
the 18th of June. 1869 + was seated at
an early dinner at the Tparsonaee When
I received message from the ,nrnvost
marshal. requesting "a call AZ his If.
fee and accomDany him IN a v;s;t -
some federal spies who were Fto'ha ava,
cuted. In few minutes T reached tha
Office and found only a SINGLE clarl
present. He informed me thai Colonel
Foreacre was called off and would 70.
turn in short willie for mo HAVING
learned fromsthe clerk that thew were to
be executed that afternoon. reouestad
him to tell Col. Forearcre that / had
walked over to the Jail. To this he as
sented, and remarked that I could read
lily gain admittance to them In reach
ing the jail, I passed the parsonage OF
Trinity church and asked the Rev. G. G..
N. Mel onnell to Join me. After a few
words Of explanation he consented to, do
at the same time ~ on must
do the, talking" 's3 Ii E
At the jail We were ushered into q
large room, where we saw the seven
doomed. They impressed me at once as
a body Of remarkable fine-looking Young 4,
men. Their names, as we subsequently
learned, were George D.. Wilson, Com
pany 3, Second Ohio Regiment; M. A.
Ross, Company a., Second Ohio ,Regi-
ment; VIM. Campbell, citizon of Ken
lucky; 2. G.. Shadrack, Company X,
Second Ohio Regiment; Samuel SlaYens,
Thirty third Ohio Regiment; John Scott,
Company G, Twenty first Ohio Regiment.
j, have already said / was struck by their
fine perBonnelle ItcOuld but notice all
SO their cheer ihness under such painful
environments. saw at q glance that
they were disinclined to communicate.
] arrested their attention Ia a moment,
however, BY saying:sf Gentlemen, we are
the bearers OF, unwelcome tidinrs to
,you.Y One Of them. then. nuifa to NV