Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-02-14
LED OUT TO DE-

Story Of a Dese'ter Who Died OF Fyight.
1t is q sight never to be forgotten to
see a man led out to execution by hang
ing, yet the picture is softened a great
deal by the surroundings. There are
generally two or three clergymen
present-friends and acquaintance who
look their pity-a hymn is sung and q
prayer offered. and if the executioner
does not bungle mi can get through
with it very we'll. But it is the sight Of
a man led out to be shot to death which
makes a picture to haunt you while you
live. No man had ever seen it who does
not shudder at the recollection.
Desertions from the Federal army
had become so frequent and had so de-
moralized certain regiments and brig
AIDES that it was determined, in the
winter of 1864, to put a stop to them by
infiicting the penalty prescribed in army
regulations. A general order that this
would be done was read in every m
and it, no doubt, served as q warning to
some. There were others, however.
who were not to be intimidated, and on
the night Of the day the order was
issued a man in my company coolly left
us. He went out of camp in the wagon
OF a teamster, and before roll call next
morning was far away. His name was
Hardness, and he could not even plead
homeslckness as an excuse. He had
neither home nor near relatives, but
was a tough young fellow of %. A
week after his desertion he got into some
trouble in Washington, the papers pub
lished his name, and in that way he
was located and brought back. He
returned in defiant mood, evidently
having no fear that the sentence would
be carried out.
A court-martial was called, a trial
had and Hardness was convicted and
sentenced to be shot. The finding had
to go to the President for his approval,
and it was only when it had been sent
away that the condemned would admit
that he was worried. [ was one drawn
to act as a guard over him and saw him
at least every other day. About the
time the verdict of the court-martial
was sent to Washington the press was
clamorous for some remedy for deser-
ton, and there was a public statement
from the President that he would par
don no n duly convicted. This set
Hardness to thinking, and he was not
greatly surprised when the finding was
returned approved. The day of execu-
ton was set for a week ahead. This
was, l suppose, that the matter might
be generally talked about in the whole
army corps, and so it was. At noon,
when Hartness was informed of his fate,
he was red-faced, and showed no trace
of anxiety. Four hours later, when
came on guard. I had to look twice to
be sure that it was he. His face was
very pale, care-lines appeared here and
there, and his eyes were sunken. Had
he been ill for a month the change
could have been no greater. 1t was the
shadow Of death.
l watched him from day to day, and
every day there was a change. For the
first four days he was in astate of dumb
despair. Then 1 saw a strange light in
his eyes, and we searched him to dis
cover that he had secreted a knife and
contemplated suicide. On the morning
OF the day he was led out to die Hart
ness was as weak as q child. [ believe
he lost at least twenty-five pounds Of
flesh within a week. For an hour or
two he prayed and wept Ey turns.
Then he got his nerve and braced up
for the inevitable. Not one word did
he say as he marched to the place of
execution. He looked around at the
soldiers gathered there, but I don't
think he saw q single face. I think he
was stone blind from fear. When
blind-folded he moaned out in his agony
of spirit, but sat bolt upright. At the
first low word spoken by the officer in
command of the firing party Hartness
fell over backward, and when he was
lifted up it was found that he was dead
dead of sheer fright.-Detroit Free
Press.
4 HINT FOE YOUNG Girls.