Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1901-04-10

wa III .cpid without being braggart.
He rede no speech. Whether he de-
sired 10 make one or not do not know.
Had he desired it, it would not have
been permitted. Any speech OF hig
must of necessity have been unlawful,
as eng against the peace and dignity
Of the Commonwealth, and as such
could not be allowed by those who
were then engaged in the most solemn
and extreme vindication Of the law.
His manner was without trepidatioD,
but his countenance was not free from
concern, and it seemed to me to have
little cast OF wildness. He stood
upon. the scaffold but short time,
giving brief adieus. to those about him,
when. he was properly pinioned, the
white cap drawn over his face, the
moose adjusted and attached to the
hook above and he was moved blind
folded few steps forward. 1t was
curious to note how the instincts of
nature operated to make him careful
in putting out his feet as if afraid he
would walk off the scafold. The man
who stood. unbalanced on the brink OF
eternity was afraid of fallinga few feet
to the ground.
MET DEATH WITHOUT SHRINKING.
He was now all ready. The Sheriff
asked if he should give him privat
signal before the fatal moment. He
replied in a voice that sounded to me
unnaturally natural, so composed was
his tone and 80 distinct its articulation,
CHAT it did not matter to him if only
they did not keep him too long wait
ing" He was kept waiting, HOW ever.
The troops that had formed his escort
had to be put in their proper position,
and while his was gong on he stood
for some ten or fft(,n minutes blind
folded, the rope around his necA and
his feet on the treach' fous plattol m,
expecting instantly re fatal act. But
h. stood for this comparatively long
tim, upright as a soldier in position
and motionless. / was close to him
and watched him narrowly to see if /
could perceive any sign of trembling
or shrinking in his person; but there
was none. Once I thought saw his
knees tremble, but it was only the wind
blowing his loose trousers. His firm
ness was subject to still further trial
by hearing Colonel Smith announce to
the Sheriff owe are all ready, MIR.
Campbell" The Sheriff did not hear,
or did not comprehend, and in a louder
tone the announcement was made. But
the culprit still stood steady until the
Sheriff, descending the fight of steps,
with a well-directed blow of the sharp
Ratchet, severed the rope that held up
the irap-door, which instantly shrank
sheer beneath him, and he fell about
three feet, and the man Of strong and
bloody hand, of fierce passions, OF iron
will, of wonderful vicissitudes, the ter.
rlble partisan of Kansas, the capturer
OF the United States Arsenal at Harp
ers Ferry, the would-be Cataline OF
the South, the demigod OF Abolitionis's,
the man execrated and lauded, damned
and prayed for, the man who in his
motives, his means, his plans and his
successes, must ever be wonder, q
puzzle and mystery-John Brown
| Was hanging between heaven and
earth.
There was profoundest stiffness dur
ing the time his struggles continued,
growing feetler and feebler a. each
abortive attempt to breathe. His knees
were scarcely bent, his arms were
drawn up to right angle at the elbow.
with the hands clenched; but there was
20 writing of the body-no violent
heaving of the chest. at each feebler
effort at respiration his arms sank
lower and his legs hung more relaxed
/ IL and 1onk ha