Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-04-09

"Onc day, remember well, the village
was thrown into great exc tcment by the
discovery Of crime for which the pen
atty was death. The whole village of
Nittolia was in an uproar Some one hal
stolen an OK. A diligcnt search resulted
in the discovery of the hide, and suspi.
cion fell on Carr who was known to be
poor, and in whose house the odor of
cooked meat still hung. The village dog
berry and shallow dignitlrics, that were
next to dcities in my eyes then, succeed
ed in cXtorting confession of guilt
from Carr and another poor fellow named
Smith, The culpritS were brought to
trial, and a jury OF twelve fellow-mcn
found no difficulty in conSigning both to
the scailold, after the learned Judge had
cXpatiated for hours upon the enormity
Of the crime against God and man.
Sentence of death was passed upon
Carr and Smith and they would probably
have been executed the next day, but
suppose the sheriff thought it would be
regarded as ungcntlcmanly and unfriend-
ly if he did not arrange the time so that
no NIGAuIl NOtlNlIllltHNN IDlll Stb III W
witness the sight Travel was slow in
those days Of no railroads. Among those
who were Mortified and shocked at the
approaching execution were my uncle,
the spiritual adviser of the poor fellows,
and Dr. John Roll, whose memory still
clings to the village. The Rev. John
Ryerson was brother to DR.. Egerton Ry,
erSon, d. d., superintendent of educa.
ton in Ontario, who died two years ago,
the houses of parliament adjourning to
attend the funeral.
'Dr, Rolf was more excited than any
other of Smith and Carrs sympathizcrs,
and he determined to ride to Toronto
and intcrccde with the governor, who,
think, was Sir John Colborn. Before de
parting on his hazardous GRAND of mercy,
DR., Rolf was closeted with my uncle,
Rev. John RyersOn. The latter subSc-
quently 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 utterancc would permit,
provided that Rolf hid not returned.
Good DR.. Rolf calculated upon getting
back Il few hours before the time set for
Ln r u> w h, ~ 't ~ ou, ; III VIZ Iw,i.Is'
people had little faith in his ability to
make the journey in time and less faith
in the governors inclination to interfere
i, fron; tho s,rra,nd;na prnpn' A 49,
Inbn did all 10 onni5 w w., fort A ~
doomoJ man ond ,oI thon, ~ roaI;,a
tion Of nrn,ter ror,v th,n MANS hnt
thcv refused to he cnmforted The fatal
morn cam. hnt wi,hnnt ory +idina "' 81
DR. Rolf Tho HAM arrived and tho
mon ware lol ort 70 din Priy,to bonn,.
in,, had no, coma into "a shion tben +
vrGs consi1oroI Good and wbnI,yon,o for
tho conn, IN nonnIo to witness rho awful
and met punishment If tbn horse sboon
or cottle strolcr Tho collows was erectod
ont in tbo onon and IN fyll Wow Of oil
If was none Of vour notonf latest stvIn
instrument of dooth M sand .han mr.
.rientifc tosts woro nodo "a osonro ,ho
onicI,n.t dootb noss;hlo II wos rndo
st,nc,,ro m,,np wbinh tho y;,lono oar
ncntor NAV nnt havo oynonJod mnTo tban
Two hours; Inbor ''' ''''"
~Smi,b and .uoro ,,loood - ma
sition md whom tbo hopnmon,s l;ttlo
,,rnlin,inarics woro ovor ne shnr;r v,ns
imf,rn,aG tbat all was roadv fnr tha ,or
cons fraI hIo.,ino ~ rr,voy Thon Pou
Prorsnn ,,ot dowH On fh;s ,noos ond Lo
can tho Ion"ost and most romartobio
nr,vnr on rGcord Tie vo;co was low
rrnrnosoly for bo wiohoJ 70 hrshond b;s
TroaaI stronmtb IIo nr,yod fnr about
tno,+r r,;n,7tos ,.i,to,t aroot;na. r,n,,,,.
ror inno or,roro nnro NO, so 5;s,ostof',i
tbon ,S r p" 10 pnt ,rhan h ~ 1850 tol1im
Wv 20 . ne" % .n m 49,. L uP
Wa non T Tb p '', r's 5nv.
""o ,',I"',Isse ~ 49, SUI p"u.ou uoM
WIN w. "a'to',,vr i'v,'I' % %ne iay VIZ
~. ;,o"'."'o ~ sIS %., 'i.i .noy ~ MY
s.s, .;r W. ; '"o - 60 ~, us. Inv
i Snoi - was hul''' ,rL ".o 'liu slian
icoNtu I0"tS nv nv l'oo,oo''5o NAVY
mn; J Si.Uu i i-'un "a. loo' "io'Dnos ""iV'
inS ue1.ii s1o"9u siSns VI Hnh?yancc'
III ''..io nav, ny IU'' ,.o''i W. MS colli-
paoL "l.n , - J:.t i.oi'; io Il''l'iiuis rose
n'S,ici anu ni5h''' '"' "lolc Playeo Oh
Il'nou' t tn -; n' , aoe' l Ts an"
nc was sun oh MS Niecs' lncre was
ho" ho lclcNnhcy III ms appeal ne
lieIely ut'ereu "oI''s anu G ,,n
PURSES 10 consume consume ''lne; i nc muscles
VI Ills ',ir0"' cohtrac'cu, MS tongue was
was husHy, put ne prayed on the words
Ealing without meaning upon ms hearers
lie toId me later that ne qua not know
"hat he was saying ana tnat Inc only
real prayer uttered IN all that time was a
silent one and composed OF tour words
Nod hasten holl $ footsteps When,
ever see the play OF Damon ana
Fy'hias, am reminded OF that fearful
scene, continued DR.. Clark. Sat the