The Saint Paul globe., 1901-07-14
WANTED LITERARY FRILLs.

New Orleans JTirues-Democrat.
Mature is very kind to u.s. said the
Old reporter, "and makes it easy for man
to submit to the inevitable, even If the
inevitable is death. This submission is
frequently confounded with courage by
the historians of executions. With them
the condemned always die game, when,
as matter of fact, most criminals are
towards, and don't make a scene simply
because they submit to what they know
they cannot prevent. When I was young
in the business ] frequently fell into this
common error. and, now that 1 come to
think of it, I cannot recall writing up
an execution where did not devote a
considerable amount Of space to a de-
scription of the nerve of the principal
actor, The last execution 1 reported was
in one of the adjoining parishes. AT
that time much space was devoted to ex-
ecutions. The crime had to be rehashed,
the particulars Of the trial warmed over
and served smoking hot, and the last
night of the condemned done up in the
most narrowing, manner. This Iast-night
business afforded opportunities for de-
scripttve writing The reaches PLAYING
catch on the prison floor, the crafty jail
rat, gray and rheumatic, eating lunch
from the convict's hand, and the jailer's
rusty key that always grated harshly in
the ponderous lock, were never overlook
ed-7and the dawn. When 1 remember
those descriptions OF the awakening of
the, felon on his last day on earth l can
almost weep. The little rays of sunlight
that chased each other through the
barred windows and over the bare floor,
lingering caressingly on the brow of the
man who was so soon TO die, and who
slept so peacefully, were sure to be IN
the message. ] was very fond of those
rays, and worked them IN whenever it
did not rain.
well, OH this particular occasion I
devoted most OF the night to writing
the description, and must say l was
well pleased with my work. According
to the death warrant. the execution was
to take place between the hours of II
a. IN. and 2 p. m, and the sheriff, a
kind-heaTted man, so as to let his charge
live as long as possible, had fixed the
hour for the actual hanging at 1870
o'clock This was unfortunate, as the
train for New Orleans, passed at l. and
the carrying out Of his programme meant
my remaining another night in the town
and the cutting OF my report SO that
l could send it by wire I tried to get
the sheriff to advance the execution a
Bit but he would not move an inch
anu IN moment OF desperation i aD-
pointed myself a committee Of one to
discuss the proposition with the con-
demned. We talked the matter over
very calmly. The man who was SO soon
to die was perfectly reconciIed to his
fate He knew he had no show of a re-
spite, was proud CT the fact that I had
been sent from the great city TO detail
the particulars of his taking off, but for
all that he could not see why he should
give up an hour Of his very valuable
time. His argument was unanswerabIe,
and ! was about to give up, when an
idea occurred to me. read him my re-
port Of the execution up to and including
that description Of the dawn Of his last
day. He was as proud as Punch, and
his vanity was tickled TO the last degree
to think that he should he the central
figure in such a big affair then pro
ceeded to explain that il his execution
took place at the appointed hour It would
be necessary to telegraph the report,
and, in that event, all the descriptive
part would have TO he cut out and the
bare facts only wired, whereas, il the
execution was advanced an hour I could
bring in my own copy and write an ad-
ditional column or two descriptive of
his death and the courage he displayed
at the crucial moment. That settled Il.
The sheriff was called, and at the urgent
request Of the condemned the execution
was completed in time to permit me 10
catch the train. That negro went down