Arizona republican., 1914-03-16
TRIAL OF GENERAL WILLIAM WALKER

When General William Walker was shot for filibustering at Truxillo,
 Honduras, on September 12, 1860, he said to the people who had gathered about the police square to see him meet his doom. ''Ine war which I made on Honduras was unjust. Those who accompanied me are not to blame. I alone am guilty. I ask pardon of the people. 1 receive death with resignation. Would that it were one for the good of society"
 He then sat on a chair to which he was bound. A file of ten soldiers ad- vanced and fired on the instant He died immediately. The soldiers gave three cheers and all was over Walk CT was but thirty-six years of age at the time.
 Walker was a daring character and seemed to believe that his star of destiny had great things in store for him. Few adventurers of his class ever ran such a race of short sighted and fatal folly. In 1853 he was the leader of an expedition which sailed from San Francisco with the intention of taking possession of Sonora, then northern state of Texas. adjoining California. He land- ed at a place called La Paz, where he met with but little resistance He proclaimed ''an independent Republic of Lower California" and himself president, at the same time appoint ing each one of his sixty followers to some official station. He very soon, however, had to eXacuate or starve and surrendered himself to the United States authorities. On his arrival at San Francisco he was tried for a violation of the neutrality laws, but was acquitted.
 Early in the summer of 1855, Walk CT placed himself at the head of an expedition numbering about sixty men to proceed to Nicaragua, then in a lat Realejo and marched to Leon to
 join the headquarters of the Nica- raguan Democratic party or army.
 Here he hoped to have his dream realized, that of forming on the lsthmus a broad domain to be ex- tended into Mexico and South Ameri- ca. He succeeded partially at first.
 Brushing the Democratic chief aside
 Walker now proclaimed himself a candidate for the Presidency, and
 was, of course, elected Being now dictator he began to run things to
 suit himself, and to his credit it
 must be said that his acts were upon the whole, fair and just. But the odds against him were too great and will all Central America in league against him, backed by Europe and the United States, his cause was doomed Defeat followed defeat, and in January, 1857, he abandoned Gren- ada and took refuge on a United States vessel, which landed him at Panama.
 Two other attempts were made by the impossible man to invade Nicar- agua. both of which were frustrated by the United States authorities. and in June. 1860, he invaded Honduras where he met with a vigorous re- sistance and was eventually captured by the British and turned over to the native Honduran authorities
 It was on the third of September that the arrest was effected and or the following day he was turned over to the Honduran authorities witf
 several of his officers. The march of the captured men to prison was
 slow and solemn Walker, at the head of his men. Keeping time tC the beat of the drum. and dressed
 with much simplicity. was the object upon which every eye was fixed. As soon as Walker had entered the prison he was placed in heavy irons and, being asked if he needed any 1 thing, replied with but one word a chaplain. As he knelt at his feel he said: q am resigned to die; my political career is ended.
 There was a mock trial which was wholly unnecessary for the outcome was known before it started, he wa. | to be shot. It was not until the eleventh hour that Walker was in formed of his doom. It was sever o'clock in the morning when the | messenger brought him the news
 and his only reply was his asking al what hour he would be executed
 and if he should have time to write On the twelfth of September. al eight o'clock in the morning. the condemned man was marched to the place of execution. He showed throughout the greatest coolness not even once changing color. while walking from the prison to the place
 where he was to be shot Two soldiers, with drawn swords, ad- vanced in front of him, and three
 with fixed bayonets followed behind
 In his right hand he carried hat and in his left a crucifix. It was
 here his great dream and his event
 ful life went out together.
 Tomorrow-Trial of Murderers oi
 Thyme.