Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-22
SAVED ON TaE GALLows.

hinR TO- hepuDllcan Cen. Com.
SAVED ON TaE GALLOws.
a Good Minister Praying Against Time
The Days when Then was q Cap
ital Crime IN Canada.
was child at the time, and it hap
pened at Victoria, Canadian town Just
across the lake, about fifty years ago.
The affair formed the theme for many
atrocious ballads by villainous village
poets, just as the execution of the three
Thayers in Buffalo did. One day, / re-
member well, the village was thrown
into great excitement ny the dis
covery of q crime for which the
penalty was death. The whole village
OF Victoria was in an uproar. Some one
had stolen an OK. A diligent search re-
sulted In the discovery of the hide, and
suspicion fell upon Richard Carr, who
was known to be poor. and In whose
house the odor of cooked meat still
hung. The village dogberry and shall
low dignitaries. that were next to del
ties In my eyes then, succeeded / ex-
torting a confession Of guilt from Carr
and another poor fellow named Smith.
The culprits were brought to trial, and
a jury OF twelve fellow men found no
difficulty in consigning both to the
scaffold, after the learned Judge had ex.
pstiated for hours upon the enormity of
the crime against God and man.
Sentence of death was passed upon
Carr and Smith, and they would prob.
ably have been executed the next day,
but / suppose the Sheriff thought ID
would be received as ungentlemanly
and unfriendly IL he did not arrange
the time so that his distant constitu-
eucy could get in to witness The sight.
Travel was slow in those days of no
railroads. Among those who were hor-
rified and shocked at the approaching
execution we're ny uncle, who was spir-
itual adviser of the poor fellows, and
DIR. John Rolf, whose memory still
elinRs to the village.
"Dr. Rolf was more excited than any
other of Smith and Carr's sympathizers,
and he determined to ride to Toronto
and intercsde with the Governor, who,
| think, was Sir Sohn Colborn. Before
departing on his hazardous errand of
mercy, DR.. Rolf Was closeted with my
uncle, Rev. John Ryerson. The latter
subsequently told me that he had agreed
to delay the hanging all he could by
making the closing prayer as long as
his strength and power Of utterance
would permit, provided that Rolf had
not returned. Good DIR. Rolf calculated
on getting back few hours before the
time set for the execution. He set out
on the swiftest horse to be had in the
village. but the people had little faith
in his ability to make the journey in
time, and less faith in the Governors
inclination to interfere. The days few
on and the people focked in from the
surrounding coantry. Uncle John did
all he could to comfort the doomed men
and lead them to q realization of q
greater mercy than mans. bat they re-
fused 10 be comforted. The fatal morn
came, but without any tidings Of DIR.
Rolf. The hour arrived, and the men
were led out TO die. Private hangings
had not come into fashion then. It was
considered good and wholesome for the
common people 10 witness the awful
and Just punishment OF the horse, sheep
or cattle steaier. The gallows were
erected out in the open and in the full
view of all. II was none of your patent
latest style instruments Of death. No
sand hag or scientific tests we're made
to assure the quickest death possible.
II was rude structure, upon which the
village oarpeRter may not have expend-
ed more than two hours labor.
Smith and Carr we're placed in posi-
ton, and when the haneman's little
preliminaries were over the sheriff was
informed that all vas ready for the par
sons fnal blessing or prayer. Then
Rev. Ryerson got down on his knees
and began the longest and most re-
msrkabls prayer on record. His voice
was low purposely. for be wished 10
husband his vocal strength. He prayed
for about twenty minutes without cre-
ating remark. for long prayers we're not
% distasteful then "a now. But when
he entered upon the second half hour
great restlsssness was manifested. The
sun poured down upon the uncovered
heads and many did not hesitate 10 say
aloud that they were getting too much
| OF a good thing. The Sheriff Was i'm
| patient and the hangman looked weary.
| The proceedings made him tired /; even
the poor wretches waiting death showed
signs of annoyance, for uncle had not
told them OF his compact with DR.. Rolf.
| The murmurs rose higher and higher,
bus uncle prayed on without cessing. An
hour passed and be was still on his
Il
his appeal. He merely uttered words
and disconnected phrases to consume
time. The muscles Of his throat CON.
uacted. his tongue Was dry and Glove n
his mouth and his voice was hoskv, bat
he prayed on. his words falling without
meaning on his hearers At the end Of aE
hour and half there vas quite an up
roar, and the discomfort had almost be
come a riot, when q voice cried " Herr
comes DIR. Rolf p Ny uncle did mo-
hear or heed the new tcmult that nov
arose, but prayed on. becoming weake
each minute. Soon the horseman ap
preached near enough 90 BE- recognized
and the doctor dashed 20 the very foo
Of the sca6old. scattering people riRh
and left. He wss too weak 10 speak o.
move. but man in the crowd snasche<
document from bis hand. and. mount
inc on the back Of the horse. shouted
q Reprieve Reprievs r Il vas %. an.
that is how Ctrr and Smith we're saved
I-Dy. n. J. Clark, Of Ere. Pa.