The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-06-28
In Sigbt of the Gallows,

AN OctOTOOu nNllltu w. III. FINK, VINO
was sentenced to be hanged for double
murder at Fort Smith, Ark, recently,
addressed the court as follows;
MAY IL please the court: I know not
which weighs the most upon me-won-
der or grief. Both weigh heavily upon
me, must first call to mind the occa-
sion forwhich am calledupon to make
my appearance before the court to-day.
This TO me is most solemn and serious
1t is rs the sadness of death itself
death which, in brief while, will come
10 me with sickle and terror. Alas!
alas, 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, L 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
ignominious 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. For what is
lifeP 1t is but vapor; it appears but
a little while and then it vansheth
away. 1t is but a spark struck out Of
nothingness and expires in darkness.
Nay, 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 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
80 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
| can but fill my mind with the gloomy
images Of death, and so torment the
present by apprehensions of the future.
But religion does not countcnance
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 Christi He is
risen. The star of hope that first
beamed upon men like me shone from
the murderer's dying 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 l find
it hard to Danish the dread events from
me. Yet why SOP | have always been
honest, aud stand guiltless to-day of the
crimes for which | am about to be sem
fenced. | stand here and boldly say,
and with clear conscience, that i did
not kill those two men. II | speak
falsely, miserable or happy souls, who
ever you are, make yeur appearances up
on the threshold ofthis room and cry out,
Thou lest And from You addressing
the judge whose duty it is to be tender
as well as just, ask all clemcncy you
give. And now farewell, earth, made
wet with tears and blood, farewell to
my enemies, farewell. Times brief
work in the face Of eternity, a ray OF
celestial joy falls upon me and takes
away ever fear, and know how easy il
is to die
Tho effect on the Judge and audience
was marked. The prisoner was impas.
stoned in his utterance, and was more
than ever pathetic and touching