Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-20
SAVED ON THE GALLONS
The Days When Theft Was a Capital
Crime in Canada

AhC lays " wa Capital
Crime in Canada.
The following brief news item. saws an
Erie, Ont, letter to the PHILADELPHIA
Times, appeared in an Erie paper on
Thursday:
Richard Carr, an old Canadian oetooena.
rian, who had lived on this side of the
lake for many years, died on Monday last
and was taken to Ontario for iuterment,
He was once sentenced to be hanged.
1t was seen by DR.. NJ. j. Clark. and the
doctor furnished the following account OF
Cars escape from the gallows:
Il had 70 idea that Carr was living on
this side OF the lake, or that he was living
at all. Not having heard ANYTHING of him
for thirty years [ supposed him long since
dead. His arrest, conviction, sentence
and escape are events closely connected
with my family and my Childhood. nv
uncle, Rev. John Ryerson, being the
clergyman who attended Carr to the scat
fold and who prayed against time for the
purpose of cheating the hangman. He
succeeded, and this is how it all hap
pened: l was child at the time. and it
happened at Victoria, a Canadian village
just across the lake, about tiftY-five years
ago. Who did Carr kill? No one. He
was quiet and in0tfensive Young man.
and so was Smith, condemned to die with
him. The affair formed the theme for
many atrOciOus ballads by yillainous
village poets, just as the execution of the
three Thayers in Buffalo did. see bv the
papers that nowadays a cOld-blOOded mur-
derer frequently escapes the attention of
her most excellent Majesty's hangman
through some fine point OF law: but In the
good old days no poor wretch, whose
suffering family prompted him to steal
sheep or oxen, escaped. They were swung
off promptly if not artistically.
"One day, L remember well, the village
was thrown into great excitement by the
discovery of a 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 resulted in the
discovery of the hide, and suspicion fell
upon Carr, who was known to be Door.
and III whose house the odor of cooked
meat still hung. The village DogberFy
ana shallow dignitaries, that We're next
to deitles IN my eyes then, succeeded in
eXt0rtlng 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 diff
Guilty in cOnsigning both to the scatfOld.
after the learned Judge had eXpatiated
for hours upon the enOrmity of the crime
against God and man.
"Sentence of death was passed upon
DN'AA ttAiN pAiAOh ttilNl lLtl WOlIu DTODHDiN
have been executed the next daV. but |
suppose the Sheriff thought it would be
regarded as ungentlemanly and unfriend-
~ II he did not arrange the time so that
his distant constituency could get in to
witness the sight. Travel was slow in
those days of no railroads. Among those
who were Mortified and shocked at the ap-
preaching execution were my uncle. the
spiritual adviser of the poor fellows. and
Or. John Roll, whose memory still clings
TO the village. The Rev. John RVers0n
was brother to DIR. Egerton Rverson. d.
d., superintendent of Education in On
tarlo, 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 Carr's sympathizeIs
and he determined to ride to Toronto and
intercede with the Governor, who, | think.
was Sir John 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 clos
ing prayer as long as his strength and
power OF utterance would permit. prOvi-
ded that Rolf had not returned. Good
DR.. Rolf calculated in getting back a few
hours before the time set for the eXecu-
ton. He set out on the swiftest horse to
be had IN the village, but the people had
llttle 1alth III his ability to make the Jour-
ney III time and less faith in the Cover
nors inclination to interfere. The DAYS
New on and the people flOcked in from the
surrounding country. Uncle John did all
he could TO comfort the doomed men and
lead them to realization of a greater
mercy than mans, but they refused to be
comlorted. The fatal morn came. but
without any tidings of DIR. Rolf. The hour
arrived and the men were led out to die.
IrIvate hangings had not come into
fashion then. 1t was considered good and
wholesome for the common peOple to wit
ness the awful and Just punishment of the
horse, sheep or cattle stcaler. The gal
lows were erected out in the open and IN
full view of all. 1t was none of YOUR
patent, latest style instrument of death.
No sand-bag or scientific tests were made
to assure the quickest death possible. Ii
was rude structure, upon which the viii
lage carpenter may not have expended
more than two hours labor.
''Smith and Carr were placed in posi
ton, and when the hangman's little pre-
llmlnaries were over the Sheriff was in
formed that all was ready for the Darson Is
nnal blessing or prayer. Then Rev. RIVER
son got down on his knees and began the
longest and most remarkable PRAYER on
record. His voice was low purpOsely. for
he wished to husband his local strength.
lie prayed for about twenty minutes
without creating remark, for long pray
ers were not so distasteGul then as now.
But when he entered upon the second
nall hour great restlessness was mani
Tested. The sun poured down upon the
uncovered heads and many did not hest
tate to say aloud that they were getting
TOO much OF a good thing. The Sheriff
was impatient and the hangman looked
weary. The proceedings made him tired.
Even the poor wretches waiting death
showed signs OF annoyance, for uncle had
told them OF his compact wiCh DIR. Rolf.
The murmurs rose higher and higher. but
uncle prayed on without ceasing. An
hour passed and he was still on his
knees. There was now no relevancy in
his appeal. He merely uttered words and
disconnected phrases to consume time.
The muscles Of his throat contracted, his
tongue was dry and Glove to his mouth
ana his voice was husky, but he prayed
ON, the words falling without meaning
upon his hearers.
Gle told me later that he did not know
what he was saying, and that the only
real prayer uttered i'll all that time was Il
silent one and composed Of four words:
God hasten Rolls footsteps When
ever L see the play of Damon and
Pythias' | am reminded of that fearful
scene," continued DR.. Clark. cat the
end of an hour and a halt there was
quite an uproar, and the discomfort had
almost become riot, when Il voice
cried: Here comes DR.. Rolfp NV nm
Gle did not hear or heed the new tilmult
that now arose, but prayed on, becoming
weaker each minute. Soon the horseman
approached near enough to be recognized,
and the doctor dashed up to the very foot
Of the scatlold, scattering people right
and left. He was too weak to sneak or
move, but man in the crowd snatched a
document from his hand and mounting
on the back of the horse, shouted: RE
prieve! Reprievep 1t was so, and that
is how Carr ana Smith were saved,
Ronfuft~,.,cs zz1S1~.,.x