The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-07-19
TERM st
In sight Of fila gallows.

An octoroon named W H. Fink, who
was sentenced to be hanged for q doubls
. murder at Fort Smith, Ark, recently,
addressed the court as follows:
MAY 1t please the court: know NOT
which weighs the most upon me-won-
der or grief. Both weigh heavily upon
me. I must first call to mind the 0cca-
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 brief while, will come
to me with sickle and terror. Alas!
alas! for such unlucky stars shat 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, o hardened
criminal. Being truly sensible of the
singular and serious position in which l
am placed, I 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 o debt of nature which must be
paid, do not fear to meet it in its nat
ural form. But I 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, wi nose honor is
dearer to me than my life. For what is
hfeP 1t is. but vapor; it appears but
q little while and then it vanisheth
away. It is but spark struck out of
nothingness and expires in darkness.
Nay, it is but flash out of darkness,
soon again to return. As the old Siaxon
imagination pictured it, it is like the
swift flight of a 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
so tragic and so bitter. Oh, ignominy.
thou art far more bitter to me than the
gall which Socrates drank. 1t is not
death l fear; 1t 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 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 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 / find
it hard to banish the dread events from
ME. Yet why SOP have ALWAYS been
honest, and stand guiltless to-day Of the
crimes for which am about TO be SEN
fenced. l 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
OH the threshold of this room and cry out,
Thou iest!' And from you addressing
the Judge) whose duty it is to be tender
as well as just, ask all clemency 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, ray OF
celestial Joy falls upon me and takes
away ever fear, and know how easy it
is to die
The effect on the Judge and audience
was marked. The prisoner was impas-
stoned In his utterance, and was mora
than ever pathetic and touching.