The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-17
AN OLD TIME HANGING.
Last Hours Of Murderer in Portland
Century Ago.
Rev. Ephraim Clark Comforts the Doomed
Man and At the Same Time Admonishes
Very Large Audience Solomon
Goodwin's Crime and Its Expiation-

very Large Audience Solomon
Goodwin's Crime and Its Expiration
Mr.. Charles GUSTS. of this city has loaned
to the PRESS curious little time-stained
pnamphlet. which throws an interesting
light upon the IDEAS and ways of the PEG ple
OF Portland century and quarter ago.
Th, title page of the phamphlet diseloses
at glance the contents and aim of the
work. A rude representation of the skull
and cross bones adorns the top of the page,
while below comes the titls: Sovereign
Grace Displayed insthe Conversion and Sal
walton of Penitent Sinner This was the
theme set forth in the sermon preached be-
fore the execution of solomon Goodwin.
who was executed in Falmouth, NOW Port
land) November IL, 1172. for the murder OF
David Wilson. The murder, if anything
may be Judged from the confession of the
murderer, which has place in the PAM
phlet, was an ordinary case of mansIa ugh
ter. Wilson and Goodwin were coming
from Georgetown to Portland in "a canoe.
Meeting esloop- they went aboard and were
treated so literally to rum that when. they
resumed their journey they soon became
quarrelsome. IL the course of an alterca-
ton Goodwin struck Wilson with an oar,
knocking him overheard. Wilson was
drowned and Goodwin was sentenced to ex-
ecution.
Sermons preached before condemned
murderers were an important portion of the
literature of that day. On the last leaf of
this phapmhlet is the advertisements at the
execution of Moses Paul. an Indian. The
preacher before the execution of Solomon
T<o Ix.,;,, I,,h rai,
abeth. and pastor of the church there :,
John Boyles. of Boston, was the publisher.
The text of the sermon which was evident
ly preached in the presence of the murder
er about to be executed, and with a large
concourse ATTENDING, was very appropriate
~ taken from the passages of Luke relat-
ing to the conversion of the dying thief on
the cross. After disquisition of some length
habout the theological status Of the dying
thief. the preacher launches directly
into his main purpose
Il come now to address myself to the pris-
oner of death, who stands here before u.s."
All. unhappy man! You are now como
almost to the very close of a miserable life.
OF late your time has been reckoned by
weeks; and since that by days; now it is
no longer days, but hours; and soon, OIL
very soon, it will be no longer hours, but
minutes you'll have to live in this world
then you must die and enter upon eternity
This day God requires your soul OF you;
you are summoned this day to make your
appearance before the Judgment seat of
Christ. to give an account of all the deeds
done in the body. Oh, therefore now consid-
er before it is too late. what an awful thing
it is to appear before the tribunal of the
great God when the sins of your ps at life
will be set in order before your eyes with
all the aggravations that have attended
them; that if you are found an impenitent
sinner. destitute of faith in Christ. and re-
dreadful sentence, Depart We cursed into
everlasting fire.
But the condemned one was not to be left
without grain of comfort.
There are some of tie very chiefs of sin
ners," pursued the preacher, such as Ma
nasseh, Mary Magdalene and prosecuting
soul, who now shine in the kingdom of glory.
Let the consideration of these things. en-
courage You instantly to make your fight
to Christ by faith,."
Having satisfact orily warned the con-
demned man, the minister turned next to
the spectators:
81 now come to address myself to tits
very great congregation.
Here is a vast number of people met to-
gether this day, and God and your own cou-
siences know best what ends you have in
view; whether to satisfy your curiosity, or
that you might reap some good to your
selves from the heart-atfecting scene, that
now is presented to your sight.
"Sure am" continued the good man,
..that unless you are much wanting in your
duty 10 God, and your own souls, You may
learn various useful lessons from this mel
ancholy providence"
s'Be We thei efore warned against the sin
of drunkenness. Drunkenness is a sin that
awfully abcunds in our land at this day.
This is very heinous sin in ITSELF and il
is the more so. as it oftentimes leads on to
many otherr. sins. and sometimes to the sin
of murder
..''Be We also warned against rash anger. y
would also warn you against inordinate
love of the world. When mems hearts are
sinfully in love with filthy Iucre they are
in great danger of being tempted to covet
other mems goods; which covetous desires
sonnet INES hurry them ON to commit the
horrid sins of theft, robbery and murder
And as those vices awfully prevail in the
land, would the more earnestly exhort you
to guard against the SHARES of the DEVIL
What effect the sermon had upon the spec
tators has not been recorded: but poor Sol
ONION Goodwin was already in as devout II
frame of mind as the most exac,ing con-
fessor could ask. As an appendix to the
sermon are published two letters dated
man and addressed one. to- his
other to his daughter. These letters abound
In the most excellent advice, and in ex-
pressions indicating the thorough repent
anca of he WRITER