New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-10-14
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Grams, and asked what he should do, i
ana IN short time received an order
to "try them by a drum-bead court
martial, and if found guilty to hang
them immediately" The court was
convened, and before daylight the case
was decided and the prisoners in
formed that they must prepare for
Immediate death by hanging
At daylight men were detailed to
make scaffold. The prisoners were
visited by the chaplain Of the Seventy
eighth Illinois, who, at their request,
administered the sacrament to them.
They also wrote letters to their
friends and deposited their jewelry,
silver cups, watches and other yalu-
ables for transmission to them.
Ihe gallOWs was constructed by a
| wild cherry tree not far from the de-
pot and in a very public place. Two
| ropes hung dangling from the beam,
reaching within light feet OF the
ground. A little after 9 o'clock a. M
the whole garrison was marshaled
around the place of execution in SOL
emn sadness. Two poplar collins
were lying a. few feet away. II
Twenty minutes past the guards
conducted the prisoners to the scaffold.
| They walked firmly and steadily, as if
unmlndful OF the fearful precipice
which they were approaching. The
guards did them the honor to march
with arms reversed.
Arrived at the place OF execution,
they stepped upon the platform of
the cart and took their respective
| places. The provost marshal, Cap
tain Alexander, then tied a linen
handkerchief over the face of each
and adjusted the ropes. They then
asked the privilege of bidding a last
farewell. This being granted they
tenderly embraced each other. This
over, the cart moved from under
them and they swung in the air. In
two minutes the lieutenant ceased to
struggle. The colonel caught hold of
the ropes with both hands and raised
himself up for about three minutes
and ceased to struggle at five MIN
| utes.
At six minutes Dr. Forester, sur
geon Sixth Kentucky Calvary. and
DR.. Moss, Seventy eighth Illinois In
fantry, and myself, who had been de-
tailed to examine the bodies, ap-
preached them and found the pulse OF
both full and strong. At seven min
utes the colonel shrugged his shoulders.
The pulse OF each continued to beat
seventeen minutes, and at twenty
minutes all signs of life had ceased.
The bodies were cut down at thirty
minutes and cofined in full dress.
The colonel was buried with a gold
lOcket and chain on his neck. This
locket contained a portrait and a
braid of hair OF his intended wife; her
portrait was also in his vest pocket.
These were buried with him at his re-
quest. Both men were buried in the
same grave-companions in life, mis-
fortune and crime, companions in in
fanny, and now companions in the
grave.
I should have stated in another
place that the prisoners did not want
their punishment delayed, but, we'll
knowing the consequences oftheir acts,
even before the trial, asked to have
the sentence, be it hanging or shoot
ing quickly decided and executed.
But they deprecated the idea of death
} by hanging, and asked for a commuta-
ton OF the sentence to shooting
The elder and leader OF these unfort-
innate men was Lawrence Williams of
Georgetown, D. c. He was as fine
looking a man as I have ever seen,
about six feet high, and perhaps thirty
years old. He was a son of Captain
Williams, who was killed at the battle
of Monterey. He Was one of the most
, intellectual and accomplished men
that | have ever known. Ihave never
: known any one who excelled him as a
tall1er. He was member of the reg
, ular army with the rank of captain
, Of cavalry when the rebellion broke
out, and at that time was abide
: camp and private sectary to Gen.
and respect shown him by SO distin-
guished man may be judged his edu
cation and accomplishments.
2 He was a first cousin OF General Lee,
: commanding the army of the Kappa.
, hammock. Soon after the war began
he was frank enough to inform Gen
l eral Scott that all his sympathies
e were with the South, as his friends
7 and interests were there, and that he
: could not fight against them. AS he
l was privy to all General SCOTS plans
t for the campaign, it was not thought
l well to turn him loose, so he was sent tc
9 Governors Island, where he remained
7 three months After the first Bull
$ Run battle he was allowed to go South
7 where he joined the confederate army
and his subsequent history l have
I not been able to learn much about
7 He was a while on General Bragg's
l staff as chief of artillery, but at the
e time OF his death was his Inspector
e general. When he joined the confeder.
t ate army he altered his name thus
Lawrence W. Orion, Col Cav. p. A
l G. S. A."-Provisional Army Confed
crate States ofAmerica Sometimes
e he wrote his name "Orton," and
r sometimes ':Auton," according to the
object which he had in view This WE
: learn from papers found on him
/ These facts in relation to the persona
: history of Colonel orion I have gath
e. Ii ~ ! IL -.