Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-01-06
that the family did not want the body for
TIE LAST NIGHT.

| THE LAST NIGHT.
All through the trial the prisoner has
SHOWN an Unconditional face, whatever
ne might have felt This advantage
did not desert him at the last. Rev
MT Bunting, of the Episcopal church,
who has been visiting him for long time
held service in the adjoining cell last
night. Two cells are divided by a wide
space OF heavy iron grating. In one the
prisoner slept. while IN the other q stove
was placed, tie heat from which warmed
both. 1t was through this grating Finch.
um could participate in the religious SER
vices. Rev. j. D. Donovan, of the United
Brethren church, who is familiar TO your
Staunton people from having conducted a
long revival in the U. B. church there,
J made the acquaintance of Finchum some
! two months since. and ag his request has
since Joined With Mr.. Bunting ID admins
tering religious consolation. Last night,
after the religious services had closed, Mr..
+ Donovan remained with the condemned
man until O'Clock in the night.
| Mr.. Donovan had much conversation
with him as the night hours slowly passed
away. AT one time Finchum said, Il
nave told the truth the best know how
to tell it. The woman knew nothing Of
what was going to do until l told her
mad done 1t. There was stranger in here
not long ago that looked like he yanted to
, force me to say the woman knew of it,
But told him she did not.n Later, he
said in a longing sort of way, II aUish
could see my mother once more in this
| world, and then he added: ''But reckon
they feel mighty bad about it, and they
don't want to come" For some time past
| he has been showing a very strong reli-
gloHs faith aud little apprehension Of
death. During last night he seemed s2me-
what disturbed about 1t, but after con
versati0n in which he repeated many pas
sages he had memoriZed from the Bible, Lo
seemed at peace again. He asked that tie
hymns beginning Lord Jesus long to be
| whole, ~ US as I anl" and "IIere Lord
give myself away" be sung. Towards
midnight he expressed desire to send a
letter to his father and dictated the fol-
lowing which MIR. Donovan took down,
and which was sent to his parents:
Dear Father:
I have been thinking about you o-night,
and sinc5 this is my last night en- earth I
would like to write you a few words. L have
confessed my sin. L have asked the Lord to
forgive me. Oh, I have prayed with all my
heart and do feel that the blood of Jesus
Christ, His Son, cleanses me from all sin
and that Jesus is my Saviour. l do not fear
Death, for, living or dying, I feel that am
His and He is mine. Father, the other even
ing there was man in here who has been q
drunkard for a long time, and when l told him
how felt since the Lord saved me, he began
to cry and went out. And now, father, I am
sure the dear Lord will save you from sin and
drink if you would seek his help. My dear
father, drink has brought me to disgrace and
death. Won't you give up drinking? Won't
you meet me in Heaven. L am mighty sorry
for the trouble have brought on you ALL l
, hope you will forgive me and think of me as
tenderly rs you can. shall never see you on
earth, but trust I will meet you in a better
world, Father, never drink any more.
Now comes the last farewell. I want to
meet Death like man and Christian. |
have done the wrong and feel that the punish
ment is just. My father, goodbye until we
meet at the Judgment. May God comfort you
and mother, and have mercy on my soul and
receive my spirit in peace; for [ shall soon be
in His presence. [ would like to have seen
seen you and mother before die.
Your son,
WILLIAM FINCHUM.
About / O'Clock at night Finchum went
to bed and was soon asleep, and MIR. Don
ovan took his leave.
TIE LAST DAY.
At 7:l0 in the morning the condemned
man was awakened He seemed yet drow-
sy and said he had slept soundly. After
eating good breakfast. sent i'll by the
Snellff, ne smoked a cigar given him, with
a relish, and very soon after, the barber
came in and shaved him and dressed his
hair. He was then carried in the adjoin-
ing room where the stove is, to change his
old suit for new black cloth suit. An
enforced spectator at many executions,
don't recollect any prisoner that behaved
as this one. He seemed absorbed in some
thing else than what Was going on around
him, and while he replied promptly to
was told as promptly, he seemed to take
little interest in what was passing. His
nerve was simply wonderful. A glass of
wine. which by the bye he had not asked
for, was given him by the kindhearted
Sheriff, and his hand was steady as stone
as he drank it. There was not the faint
est show Of fear or agitation Of any kind,
and in that he was strong contrast to
Shjffiett, who [ saw taken out of that
same cell ten years ago moaning and cry
ing like child as he walked to the gal
lows.
Rev. Mr.. Donovan who had been with
him since early in the morning, was joined
about 10 O'Clock by Rev. Mr.. Bunting and
Miss Annie Gray, who in Harrisonbury is
Sister of Mercy to the prisoners in jail, the
condemned and those in misery of any kind
This lady gave Shfistt religious lnstrue-
tions during his imprisonment and has
dole the same for Finchum. Religious
services an hour in length were held, in
which the condemned man joined Some
how the prisoner had gotten a strong i'm
preston that he would get q letter from
his mother bsfore be died, and the kind
Sheriff put off the execution until long
after the morning mail came in and was
distributed. 1t brought no letter.
THE JAIL YARD.
The arrangements for the execution
made by Sheriff V. II. Lam were COM
plete and perfect. The Harrisonburg
6 uard under Capt. Roller did the inside
and outside guard duty of the Jail with
the strictness and silence of regular troops.
The gallows, the same on which Shifflatt