The Portland daily press., 1895-05-11

rect me to send them TO be hung somewhere
else, would like it, but if not or do not hear
from you they will be executed This dis
patch is written at the request of Colonel
Watkins. We are prepared for a fight.
J. P. BAIRD,
Colonel Commanding.
By this time General Rosecrans must
have been awake and at headquarters,
but General Schofeld was still asleep,
having retired after midnight, leaving
Major Bond, senior aidde-camp, in
charge General Rosecrans must have
been annoyed at the delay in Franklin,
for he sent the following terse message.
1t was certainly positive enough and
| left Colonel Baird no alternative:
No. Z.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT
OF THE CUMBERLAND
MURFREESBORo, June 9, 4:40 a. m
| Colonel ]. P. Baird, Franklin:
The general commanding directs that the
| two spies, if found guilty be hanged at once
| thus placing it beyond the possibility of For
| rests profting by the information they have
| gained. FRANK S. BOND,
Major and A. D. c.
Not the least remarkable feature of
this remarkable event was the fact that
to the chaplain as we'll as to Colonel
Watkins, who visited them again, the
prisoners, in the face of all the facts and
of their own confession, persisted that
they were not spies. They did not, per-
| haps because they could not, explain the
| grounds on which they made this plea.
Had they done SO truthfully the mys-
terry still surrounding the case might
| have been cleared up. 1t was believed
| then, and it is very certain now, that
| no such unimportant matter as an at
| tack by Forests cavalry on the outpost
| at franklin could have induced two
officers of their rank and character to
undertake SO hazardous an enterprise.
Upon finding themselves about to be
executed Williams or Anton sent for
Colonel Baird, and, handing him pa
per covered with nervous writing, said:
''For Gods sake, colonel, send this.
the request of dying man, to General
| Rosecrans
Colonel Baird did SO, adding his own
explanation, as follows:
No. s.
| franklin, June 9, 1868.
| To Brigadier General Garfield:
| GENERAL RosEcRANs-Will you have any
clemency for the son of your old companion in
arms, Captain Williams, who fell at Monterey,
Mexicof As a soldier and gentleman pro-
xst the innocence of myself and companion
| md solemnly declare that we arc not spies.
| As son of the south resigned from the
| service Of the United States when hostilities
| began, and since entered the service Of the
| confederacy have endeavored as a soldier
and gentleman to observe the rules govern
| ,,- n.l~~. ,11l.- l.-A
| case is dark against us, and have no fault to
4 ind with the findings of the court convened
1 IN our case nor with the treatment received at
| the hands Of your subordinates at this post.
| But do implore you to suspend the time Of
| execution till can have an interview with you
| Or can collect myself sufficiently to give you
| IN exact statement Of my peculiar case Isend
/ This as dying request.
W. ORION WILLIAMS.
| Colonel Baird added to this:
| The men are condemned, and we are prepar-
| Ing for their execution. They prefer to be
shot If you can answer before get ready, do
| j. T. BAIRD,
| Colonel Commanding Post.
While waiting for an answer the
colonel did not delay the preparations
that were to terminate this tragedy.
He had been up all night, and he could
not have looked more haggard or felt
more miserable had he been ordered to
execution himself
! At $3.50 the rude scaffold on which
both the men were to be hanged at the
same time was completed. The sight Of
the grim affair and the noise of the
hammering were kept from the unfortu-
nate prisoners.
A good breakfast was sent in to them,
but they refused to eat. At Anton's re-
quest bottle of whisky was brought
| him, and of this he and his companion
drank freely without any visible effect.
They were evidently hoping to brace
themselves for the terrible ordeal.
They knelt down and prayed with the
| clergyman, but by no other sign or word
did they take part in the devotions.
In the hope that the horrible work
might be taken from his hands at the
last moment Colonel Baird deferred
the execution till 1890. Then, fearing
a reprimand from headquarters for his
hardness the men were ordered to exc
cution.
As was anticipated, they grew stron-
ger as the fatal moment arrived They
submitted without a murmur to being
bound, and with heads erect and no
sign of nervousness in their bearing they
assembled the scaffold.
The younger man never looked at the
rope and did not seem to see the crowd
of bronzed, pitying faces about him.
The clergyman prayed, but no other
word was said on the scaffold. From
the time of their ascent till the signal
was given did not take three minutes.
The last dispatch in this case summa.
rizes the story:
No. 8.
FRANKLIN, June 0, 10 80 a. m.
To General Garfield, Chief of Staff:
The men have been tried, found guilty and
executed in compliance with your order.
j. P. BAIRD,
Colonel Commanding Post