The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-19
Tn Sight Of tha Gallnwa.

An octoroon named w. H. Fink, who
was sentenced to be hanged for double
murder at Fort Smith, Ark, recently,
addressed the court rs 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. Alasl
alas! for such unlucky stars that beam
ed at my birth. But am not possessed
OF that obstinate stubbornness charac-
terlstlc OF one who is about to have SEN
tence OF death passed upon him, or,
more generally speaking, a 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 a 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
ignomi1ious 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 n vapor; it appears but
little while and then it yanisheth
away. 1t is but a spark struck out of
nothlngness and expires in darkness.
Nay, it is but q 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
so tragic and so bitter. Oh, ignominy
thou art far more bitter to me than the
gall which Socrates drank. It is not
death fear; it is the form Of death
its ignominv and the shame of the cal
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 snch morbid anxiety She comes
bearing i'll her hands the flowers OF
hope, and, like the angel which she is.
whispers of the crucificd Christ: He is
risen The star OF hope that first
beamed upon men like me shone from
the mTderer's dying faith. as he hung
upon the cross, Il champion in death
with Christ, and that same star of hope
seatters its rays ia my heart Yet find
it hard to Danish the dread events from
me, Yet why so? | have always beer
honest, and stand guiltless to-day of the
crimes for which | am about to be sen.
fenced. | stand here and boldly say
and with clear conscience, that ! die
not Kill those two men. II | speak
falsely, miserable or happy souls, who
ever you are, make y0ur appearance up
on the threshold of this room and CRY out
Thou liestr And from YOU (addrcSsine
the judge whose duty it is to be tender
as well as just, | asi; all clemency YOU
give And now farewell, earth. made
wet with tears and blood. farewell tC
my enemies. farewell. Times briet
work in the face II eternity. n ray q
celestial joy falls tlpon me and take;
away ever fear. and know how easy il
is to die"
The effect on the Judge and audience
was marked. The prisoner was impas
stoned in his utterance, and was more
than ever pathctic and touching