The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-02-06

Others ran the risk OF total bankruptcy.
Curiously enough, the taking of the
daring captain did not cause half the JOY
that might have been expected. There
had been rumors afloat of the romantic
cause of his crime. 1t was known that
it was love that had driven him into this
hazardous expedition, and all the women
were on his side. Thus it came about
that the news of his being sentenced to
death, although forcscen, because his
had been a crime of high treason, ex-
cited general pity. From the three
great divisions of India people focked
to Delhi to witness the execution inso-
much that the city was to small to hold
them all.
AT this point public curiosity was still
more excited by the sudden change that
had taken place i'll the prisoners situa-
ton. 1t was learned that an American
gentleman, two weeks before the execu-
ton, had obtained permission to see
the captain in his cell, and there had
long conversation with him. When
this interview was finished Sir
John was removed from the cell
and transferred to the mosque of Jam
mouna, where, until the final day, the
jailers We'd with one another to make him
comfortable. AS for him, whom there
were the best of reasons for believing
ruined-he had drawn up will be-
queathing enormous sums to the military
hospitals of the city and colossal for
tune to the beautiful Lady Darlington.
Plainly there was mystery some
where.
Meanwhile nothing had been left I'M
done to give this execution immense
publicity and to proclaim the event unbi
ct orbi. Immense notices in five languages
had been posted in the principal quarters
of Bengal, Bombay and Madras, announc-
ing the day, time and place of the execu-
ton. The government, on its side, had
wished to make this case an example to
surround the death of the guilty man
with great military pomp.
The fatal day at last arrived. The
rising sun showed the city of the great
Moguls in all its Orient splendor. Ever
since daybreak the streets along the
route of the procession had been blocked
by an immense crowd, half European
half Hindoo-the latter grave, and impas-
siVe; the Europeans, on the other hand,
noisy and bIstling, excited by the
romantic mystery that shrouded the end
of the adventurer's life.
The place chosen for the execution
was the great forum of Delhi. The
sepulchral mosque, with its brown,
enameled walls, made the background of
the picture; on the left rose the palace
of the Moguls, its gorgeous facade bright
with decorations in blue and gold, while
on the right stood the lofty tower of
Selimgarth embowered in roses and jesa-
mine. In the center of the place had
been erected a platform on which stood
a cannon.
At noon salute of twenty-five guns
from the fort announced the arrival of
Lord Lytton, the vceroy. The pro-
cession advanced, precet ded by dctach-
ment of the Seventeenth lanccrs, Morley's
old regiment; next came twelve trump
eters on gray horses, and finally sur
rounded by his bodyguard, the viccroy
on a gigantic elephant, four native officers
holding above his head a canopy of red
and gold. These were followed by a
squadron of huzzars-the escort of the
Indian council and the secretary of the
governmental and last came the native
princes mounted on elephants covered
with gorgeous trappings, around which
were carried on long red poles the two
gilt fishes that are symbol of native
royalty. Each person, according to his
rank, was placed in a semicirclc around
the platform. In the midst of this crowd,
bustling hither and thither, might have
been observed the American gentleman
who had had the last interview with the
prisoner, apparently taking the utmost
care that all the principal persons should
be so placed as to hear and see everything
to the best advantage,
Suddenly there was general move
ment in the crowd. The condemned man
was coming.
The military bands Numbered forth
"God Save the Queen" the troops
kneeied, and the flag of England waved
above the soldiers. who presented arms
to their comrade to die. When Morley
saw the cannon flash of Joy shone in
his eyes-he had feared the hangmans
moose. And when they saw him so
young, so handsome, great emotion was
visible in the crowd-the women waved
their handkerchiefs and all the men
gravely removed their hats.
Strangely enough, however, in spite of
his well known bravery, Morley seemed
agltated, and two or three times his eyes
turned suppliantly toward the Ameri-
can, who, perfectly unmoved, followed
all his movements with the strictcst at
tention. The death warrant was read,
and Morley with a firm step mounted the
platform. Two stalwart Sepoys were
about to lash him to the lannon's mouth,
when Morley, after stroking with his
hand the instrument of his punishment,
turned toward the officer:
"Sahib captain" said he, 81 have
word to say"
The Jemmadar raised his sabre and
there was deathlike silence in the
crowd. What would he say! Was
he finally going to tell the secret
of this sudden fortune and give
up the key to the mystery that had sur
rounded the last days of his lifc3 An
involuntary shudder ran through the
multitude as at the approach of some
great event.
Then Sir John Morley raised himself
to his full height and in q voice of thun-