The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1916-12-01


He was taken to the tower Of Lon
don where he sobered up completely,
and justified the theory that he was
naturally a charming man. All who
came in contact with him during his
Imprisonment agreed that he was just
too sweet for anything. In due season
his trial occurred, and he conducted
his own defense, introducing a great
deal Of testimony calculated to show
that he was insane when the crime
was committed. There were no pro-
fesslonal alienists in those days, and
his showing didn't make much of an
impression upon the jury. He was
found guilty of wlllful murder and SEN
fenced to be hanged and then turned
over to the college of surgeons for dis
section. This little matter being set
tied, he expressed regret that he had
tried to prove himself insane. He did
1t by the advice of friends, he said.
Had his defense resulted In acqult-
tai, he'd have been greatly ashamed
and embarrassed.
On the morning Of May 8, 1850 the
sheriffs of London and MiddleseX
made a formal call at the tower of
London and demanded the body Of
Laurence Earl Ferrers for execution.
His lordship, being informed of it,
asked that he might ride to the gal
lows in his own landau, and this was
granted. eve strive to please" was
the motto OF the sheriffs of London
and Mlddlesex. His lordship came
from his cell, cool, intrepid, suave, at
tired in his wedding suit, which was
trimmed with silver. His toilet had
been attended to with great care, and
he was a fine figure of man.
Sheriff Valiant and another promi-
nent citizen seated themselves in the
landau with him. This carriage was
drawn by six horses, and would have
been a credit to an American circus.
The grand free street parade was then
organized as follows: A large body Of
constables In advance, on foot; party
of horse grenadlers and another Of in
fantry; Mr.. Sheriff Errington In his
chariot; the landau, escorted by horse
grenadiers; private carriages;
mourning coach drawn by six horses;
hearse, drawn by six horses. The
calliope wasn't invented then, or there
would have been one at the end of the
procession.
The streets were absolutely packed
with humanity. All London was there
to see real nobleman go to a felon's
death. Every few rods the procession
was halted until the grenadlers could
clear the way. SO 1t took nearly three
hours for the pageant to reach Ty-
burn. Meanwhile his lordship sat in
the landau as serene as though going
to a clam-bake. He discussed litera-
ture, art and religion. He criticized
new book by Lord BolingbrOke, and
reeited several recent poems which
had caught his fancy. Sheriff Valiant
used to say In after years that he
never heard such refined and help
full discourse.
At last the pageant reached the
place Of execution. Everything had
been done to make the scaffold seem
cozy and cheerful. The timbers were
covered with black balze, and there
was a comfortable chair for his lord
ship, In case he wanted to rest. The
whole mechanism of the gallows had
been changed to make death as pleas
ant as possible. The earl assembled
the steps jauntily, gave five gulneas to
the executioner smiled cheerfully on
everybody, and died without a tremor
During his last night on earth he tried
his hand at poetry, and produced the
following three lines:
I'm doubt lived, in doubt die,
Yet stand prepared the vast abyss to
try,
And. undismayed. exnect eternity"