Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-04-14
CHAPTER ".

the court room with the Yerdlct:
Guilty Of murder in the first degree
This verdict was d foregone conclu-
sion: it called forth no expressions o.
surprise, or of pity fer the condemned
men.
Three days after this time the pris-
oners were arraigned before the court
in order to receive their sentence. 1t
was to the effect-withOut following
the usual preamble-that James Ire
lawney and John Symonds Should pe
hanged by the neck until dead. inns
TO be done on the third Friday IN De
cember following, between tAe hours
of 10 a. u. and 8 p. N.
Before passing the sentence the court
had asked the prisoners, as IS the Gus
tom. il they had anything to say why
sentence Of death should not be passed
upon them. This question was ni5I
proDounded to SymOnds, but he snooA
his head in stolid despair and remained
silent. Then, when the court turned
TO Trelawney with the same question,
he arose deliberately, and SAID:
have nothing, Your Honor, TO say tnaU
can change this verdict. l merely
arise to protest again my innocence
and the innocence OF my companion
think our innocence may DE proven
within the lifetime Of some now here
present. If not, it viii be proven IN
the world to come. / will admit tnat
| il is a erievous thing for me, VINO haY4
always lived an honorable life, to die
an ienomiuious death. l shall Try 10
bear my last burden here, as l. nave
horne misfortune in other lands.
With this he sat down, and shortly
thereafter the prisoners were. returned
to their cells.
The few remaining weeks were occu-
pied by the condemned men IN making
appropriate preparations for their end.
But they continued TO observe unusual
reticence in regard to their past lives,
claiming that their past had nothing
to do with their present forlorn condl-
ton. But it was learned from the
meager details let fall at different
times. that Trelawney, though English
bv birth. had served for q long time IN
some army in Asia, and that Symonds
had been his military servant
After the trial the effects Of TrelaW-
nev had been returned to him by oidtS
of the court. 1t was found that he had
eight or ten thousand pounds IN Eng
fish money, besides papers or memo
rardums concerning property IL EnS-
land He wrote his viii with ms own
hand. leaving this money and properly
TO a nephew. one Edward TrelaWney,
who was supposed to be serving win
the English army in Europe. lie sent
a letter directed to the CLUB trequehled
bv his nephew when in London, memo
randa by which he might be loenJllcd
If he should ever call to claim has be-
quest. His best horse he presented to
Col Donovan, his friend" and the
other he gave to LutTell lin remeln-
brance Of the last days sport he ever
had on earth" And he also rewarded
literally the few persons Wnd lau
shown him any kindness or had ne
friended him in any way. lie maze
only one request, but that was q very
singular one, indeed; it was to the ell
feet that his body, after execution,
might be permitted to remain III the
omen air for two days before intefmenJ.
There was no one TO claim the re-
mains Of this doomed man, and, as the
sheriff had profted much by his gen
erosity he consented to this strange
proposition, and promised to carry out
his wishes. The execution was 10
fake place not far from the TagSarC
house and the platform OF the seal
fold could be removed and placed un-
der the porticO Of that ancient house,
and on this he said, the body could re-
main in the open air for two days,
under the care of Waterman. for
the service a liberal sum was appro-
priated.
arrived, as all days come whether
freighted with JOY or sorrow. How
ever. there is not much to be told ABOUT
ii. except to relate, in detail, the dark
and mysterious occurrences which gre"
| out of this last and most singular re-
| quest of Trelawney.
The day was as bright and beautiful
as ever shOne in December. Col. Don
ovan and Luttrell were early at The
prison to bid farewell to their friends,
! as they were not to be present at the
execution. The Colonel called II
legal murder" and he was very much
downcast; but Trelawney himself
cheered him up, saying: Colonel,
YOU have done all you could for me;
! there is nothing with which to blame
yourself; go on and enjoy your lie;
may heaven bless you! Farewell, my
friend"
And then for a moment he ga2ed
through the open door, and his eyes
marked the blue lille that lined the
distant horizon; then turning 70 hut
trell, he slapped him on the shoulder
and said: This would be fine day
| for a chase, old man! Goodbye;
long farewelli'
The friends then parted to meet no
more.
There was a great corcourse Of peo-
pie about the gallows, and it was eA-
Dected that Trelawney would make
some remarks, but he did not do so.
BY this time, after the fates Of these
men had been sealed irrevocably,
there was something OF a ro,ulsion in
public sentiment in regard to their
guilt. and there were those present
who began to doubt. the business of the
sentence that had doomed them to
death.
As they mounted the scaf'Old, their
foreign. semi-military dress, and espe-
cially the distinguished bearing OF Ire-
lawney. were subjects of comment by
the vast multitude Of people who had
throngeG to the execution as TO O
show. Trelawney stood calmly view
ing the landscape while the last prep
arations were making. Symonds, who
stood at his left side, seemed TO take
his cue from him. as if content to fol-
low where he might lead. in conciu-
sion, the sheriff asked them if they
were ready; the elder man bowed; and
the other bowed, like an automatCni
IL. .I.-- d.. tn aDL.l.