The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-04-07

4
ously clean BY the Seventy first tegi-
insnt (SixtA cavalry. Colonel james
Biddle commander. who built It. and
made It quite q favor,te resort or ct :
zens who liked to see dress parade and
military display. Subsequently it was
occupied by the veteran reserve corps.
and was under charge of General
Hovey at the time the Sons of L berry
were held at perl of the necks. The
site was as level as floor. Here the
m tary executions of this state during
the war occurred-the first of d desert
er and spy In 1868. The second OF three
"boantv Jumpers In 1864
The FIRST was the only one that elicit
ed much sympathy. and that was part
ly the effect of the offenders intelli-
gence. OF his pers silent denial of a
guilty purpose. and of the general lack
of appreciation of the Nervousness of
the offense. Encouragement of deser-
ton and protection of deserters were
openly practiced by large portion OF
the copperheads and was so effective
in reduc ng Indiana's contingent In the
army that more than 1000 assertions
occurred in the single month of Decenl-
Der, 1862 Detachments of troops sent
10 arrest deserters were repeatedly fired
upon and foiled by companies of demo-
cratic neighbors. 1t took long t HE
10 eflace the notion that soldiers en-
gagement with the government was
greatly indifferent from his contract
with an ordinary employer and that
he could break 1t when he pleased by
giving up his claim to wages.
The offender in this case was Robert
Gay, enlisted from the southwestern
part of the state. He had been school
teacher, and was certainly man of
good Intelligence, and more than aver
age requirements. He was arrested ut
or near his residence. and tried by n
court-martial here as deserter and
spy. discriminating papers. it was
said, were sewed in his trousers. He
denied all guilty intent, but the ev.-
dence was strong, and the troops were
getting thoroughly imbued with the
feeling OF true soldiers against deser-
ton. and he was found guilty and sem
fenced to he shot The execution took
place early in the afternoon, and was
attended by large crowd of people,
The Seventy-first regiment to which
the unpleasant duty was intrusted,
formed square, with the side to the
east open. The spectators were gath
cred all about the troops two or three
deep. Reporters, with a few friends of
the commandment, were admitted in
side the square.
The lines had been formed but few
minutes when a close carriage drove
into the open end of the square and
two or three men-one or two minis
lers of the city churches-and the de
serter got out and walked slowly to
near the center of the open space. The
coffin, rough black box. was brought
| in at the same time and put down lit
| tie in the rear of the central group.
Here the attendants drew off to one
side and left Gay while his arms were
being bound. There was no trepida-
| ton in his look or tone. He was
| dressed in the blue blouse and trousers
of the army, and but for the coffin and
tied hands might have been taken for
military preacher addressing his COM
| rades. The commandant asked him if
he had anything to say. He spoke for
three minutes, clearly, coherently and
in good language
Two of bis remark s must have i'm
pressed all who heard him. IL say in
the presence of that God before whom
am so soon to appear that never in
tended the offcnse for which ] am so
soon to suffer-" His last words were
addressed TO the firing party. which
had moved out in front of him. some
twenty or thirty feet away. when his
arms were tied. Il have only one
favor to ask of you. my comrades; fire
straight Don't let me suffer. Hold
herer' laying his right baud on his
heart He moved back step. his
eyes were blindfolded and he sat down
on his coffin. At motion of the Off
Ger the firing party cooked their rifles.
and Gay heard the sound, 20, that l
could see nv DEATH" came low but
audiblv to all near him.
The sound had hardly died on his
lips when the fall of the officers white
handkerchief was followed instantly
by the roar of the guns as one report.
Gay for a moment seemed to straight
Ell up n little. and then fell over on
his back. Surgeon Spottswood and
the sergeant of the firing party, with
the reporters. went up to the corpse,
the sergeant carrying carbine to give
final shot if it should be needed to
end the mans suffering. But he was
dead. Two or three motions OF the
breast was all that was seen. Not a
drop of blood was visible, but the CLOTH
of the blouse showed that all the bull
lets had struck the breast over The
heart in a space hardly larger than a
mans hand. except one in the collar
bone. There were ten in the firing
party. and one of the rifles had no ball.
The party took them as chance offered.
and no one ever knew whether he had
the innocent gun or not. When the
corpse was lifted up it unco vered q
great pool of blood that had poured
through the gaping shots in the ba ok
-Chtcago Tribune.
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