Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-05-13
AN ACT OF HUMANITY.
How Bishop Beckwith Obtained
Decent Burial for q Spy.

who knew no fear, says tho Atlanta
Constitution, and during all the years
hc served as chaplain on General Polk 8
staff he was never known to swerve
from the path which he considered duty
marked out for him. A striking exam
pie OF the determination Of his character
was given toward the close of tho war,
when, in defiance of tho findings Of q
court-martial and in opposition to tho
sentiment OF tho entire army, he used
every effort to save the life of a spy.
1t was during the last year of the
Con!ederacy that man was found lott
erlng about General Folks headquar-
ters. He was unable to answer the ques-
lions put to him satisfactorily, and, as
his whole bearing proclaimed him a
Northerner, Immediately it was said:
This man is spy. Let him be hanged"
A drum-head court.martial listened to
the testimony, and as the prisoner could
only bring forward his unsupported as
sertion that he was innocent he was
quickly sentenced to be hanged.
1t was while the prisoner was waiting
to be executed that Bishop Bcckwith
heard Of tho case and hurried to offer
what consolation he could. Something
IN the story he was told by the con-
demned man convinced the chaplain
that there was some truth in tho story
he had listened to, and by the exercise
OF his wonderful eloquence he procured
new trial.
Tho accused mans unsupported testi-
mony was, however, not sufficient to
convince a court composed of stern SOL
diers as it had the man of God, and he
was again found guilty and sentenced to
be hanged the next day.
All the intervening hours the Bishop
passed preparing tho condemned spy
for tho dreadful ordeal through which
he was to pass, and he even consented
to 60 as far as the gallows with the man
he had tried to save, though he could
not bring himself to promise that he
would stand by and see tho execution
performed.
In the gray light Of the breaking day
dismal procession took it's way to the
borders of the camp. In the midst Of
the soldiers marched a man with his
arms pinioned behind him and by his
side was the friend he had found in tho
midst of his cuomics, striving to com
fort the doomed man in that hour of his
sore trial.
Not until the ropo was around his
neck did tho clergyman turn away, so
as to avoid seeing the death struggle,
and as soon as it was over he hurried
back to render tho last services posi-
bic and see that Christian burial was
given the lifclcSs clay.
About the foot of the gallows tho
soldiers stood looking at tho swaying
body. There was no pity in their hearts
for tho life cut off in it's primo, and
when tho chaplain asked them to cut
down the body and place it in tho rudo
coffin which had boon prepared, they
all turned away, saying: "He was u
spy: let him hang there till he rots."
When the chaplain found all his en-
treaties useless ho advanced with u
knife and quietly but with dctormina-
ton commenced cutting down tho body.
Every man there had received somo
Kindness from tho Clergyman, and they
al loved him we'll. When they saw
that he was in earnest reluctantly they
lent their aid, and in fcw moments tho
body was lying on The grass.
Under the same force of example tho
soldiers oven consented to place the
corpse in tho coffin, but dig u grave for
convicted spy was asking too much Of
thcm, and they refused absolutely to
even mako beginning.
Without word of upbraiding or com
plant Chaplain BCckwith procured a
spade and commenced digging. One by
ono tho hearts Of tho men softcncd at
tho sight Of their bravo pastor perform
ing, for duty's sake, such an unusual
task, and soon n big soldier who had
boon earnest in his assertion that tho
spy should be left for the buzzards to
feed on" took tho spade from his hands
and continued tho work.
When tho coffin was finally lowered
Chaplain Beck ~ith road the Christian
burial SERVICE, and saw To- It that y
wooden cross was placed at tho head of
the mound.
After tho waT nCWS of tho mnnnCr nv