The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-09-27
In s;pht If the Gallaws

In Slgnb OF LIE GalloWSs s
An octoroon named W. H. Fink, who
was sentenced to be hanged for q double
murder at Fort Smith, Ark, recently
addressed the court as follows:
MAY it please the court: | know not
which weighs the most upon me-won-
der or grief. Both weigh heavily upon
me- l must first call to mind the occa-
sion for which am called upon to make
my appearance before the court to-day
This to me is most solemn and serious.
1t is as the sadness of death itself
death which, in a brief while, will come
to me with sickle and terror. Alasi
aias for such unlucky stars that BEAM
ed at my birth. But am not possessed
of that obstinate stubbornness charac-
teristic of one who is about to have sem
tence of death passed upon him, or,
more generally speaking, hardened
criminal. Being truly sensible of the
singular and serious position in which !
am placed, ] cannot help but shudder,
and | must say that these are the sad
dest moments of my life.
death is the destiny of all men; and,
being debt of nature which must be
paid, / do not fear TO meet it in its nat
ural form. But shudder-I fear-the
best of us do so, to die disgraceful and
ionomiHious death. / do not make this
talk an effort to save my life. 1t is an
effort to seek justice and to save the rep
utation of my family, whose honor is
dearer to me than my life. Fer what is
life? 1t is but vapor; it appears but
little while and then it vanisheth
away. 1t is but a spark struck out of
nothingness and expires in darkness.
Nav. it is but flash out Of darkness,
soon again to return. As the old Saxon
imagination pictured it. it is like the
swift flight of bird from the night with
out, through a lighted chamber filled
with guests, heated with the breath of
passion, back into the cold night again. ;
The strange uncertainty of life is but a
mock theme of pathos. No description
can touch all the sorrowful tenderness
which death in me excites, now become
so tragic and so bitter. Oh, ignominy!
thou art far more bitter to me than the
gall which Socrates drank. 1t is not
death fear; it is the form of death
its ignominy and the shame of the gal
lows. Under my present circumstances
l can but till my mind with the gloomy
images of death, and so torment the
present by apprehensions of the future.
"But religion does not countenance
any such morbid anxiety. She comes
bearing in her hands the flowers of
hope, and, like the angel which she is,
whispers of the crucified Christ; He is
risen The star of hope that first
beamed upon men like me shone from
the murderer's diving faith, as he hung
upon the cross, champion in death
with Christ, and that same star of hope
scatters its rays in my heart. Yet find
it hard to Danish the dread events from
me. Yet why so? have ALWAYS been
honest, and stand guiltleSs to-day of the
crimes fCT which am about to be sen
fenced. | stand here and boldly say,
and with clear conscience, that | did
not Kill those two men. II | speak
falsely, miserable or happy souls, who
ever YOU are, make YOUR appearance up
on the threshold of this room and cry ont
Thou lest And from You (addressine
the judge whose duty it is to be tender
As we'll as Just, | ask all clemency you
! give. And now farewell, earth, made
wet with tears and blood, farewell t.
my enemies, farewell. Times brie
work in the face Of eternity, ray o
celestial JOY falls upon me and take
away ever fear, and know how easy i
| is to die. "
The effect on the Judge and audenc,
was marked. The prisoner was impas
stoned in his utterance, and was mort
| thap a,-nr. ra+batto anJ tOuahinr