Newspapers / The Charlotte Democrat (Charlotte, … / July 18, 1865, edition 1 / Page 2
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fcXECTTION OP TBB CON8PIBA- Payne, Harold, Atzerot W Mrs Surrai were bung in Washington on the 7th inst for being concerned with Booth in the assassination of President Lincoln and the attack on Secretary Seward. All of the prisoners had spiritual counsel with them during the whole of Thursday night and Friday morning up to the time of execution, and without exception wero, benefitted by it. They all exhibited a great deal of emotion and appeared very contrite. Mrs Surratt suffered from nervous spasms and her cries during the night were heart-rending. Miss Surratt, herself, made -the most strenu ous efforts to obtain a pardon for her mother. Failing in this she, aided by her counsel appeal ed for a postponement of the execution. Her friends did everything in their power to assist her. Her efforts were almost superhuman. All day Thursday she visited first one official and then another, and her appeals for mercy were distressing. The Government was firm inits decision and withstood the influence brought to bear upon it. A short time previous to the execution Payne, Atzerottand Harold, each made a confession in Which they admitted their complicity, and freely developed the existence of a plot as extensive as the officers of the Government had surmised. Up to the last moment Mrs Surratt proclaim ed her innocence, and repeatedly stated that she was as clear of complicity with the murder of the President as Mrs Lincoln herself. She be trayed the utmost agitation. When the prisoners were brought out of their cells, and conducted to the scaffold, Mrs Surratt continued to betray the greatest nervousness. It was with great difficulty that she could stand on the platform, and repeatedly asked the atten dants not to let her fall. Almost her last words were "please don't let me fail!" When the rope Was adjusted ber lips moved as if in prayer. She and Atzerott died easy almost without a struggle; Payne and Harold struggled violently, and their contortions were fearful to behold. After life bad been pronounced extinct the bodies were cut down and given to their friends with the exception of Payne's, which was dis posed of by the Government, as no one called for it. O'Laughlin, Dr Mudd, Arnold and Spangler have been sent to the Albany Penitentiary. From the Herald of the 8th we condense the following account of the hanging of Harrold, Payne, Atzerot, and Mary E. Surratt, on the 7th inst: After the announcement that the foreeroinor persons were to be hung, there was great ex citement in Washington on the 6th, and much sympathy exhibited for Mrs Surratt. Efforts were made in her behalf to stay the execution, and a writ of habeas corpus was issued by Judge "Wylie and served upon Maj. Gen. Hancock, com manding him to bring the body of Mary E. Sur ratt before the criminal Court of the District of Columbia, then in session. Whereupon Presi dent Johnson issued a special order, suspending the writ. Her spiritual advisers and her daugh ter both sought her reprieve, but President John son answered that he had already maturely con sidered her case and that a determination had been reached. The morning of the 7th was extremely hot. The great anxiety evinced the day before to wit ness the execution had increased, but the ingress to the Penitentiary yard, where the hanging was to take place, was effectually debarred by senti nels posted in long lines facing inward, "and ad mitting only those who had received passports. Of these, about three hundred gained admittance, among them the reporters for the press and artists or niusiraiea papers. prisoners haa been so closelv guarded that It. . 1 venue ot escape was leit open: so mat a und, as usual in their cells. st night of the assassins was said to have pamiui. l ayne aione, ot tue wnoie anything of hrmness and cour- earing throughout, says the report, rtaKing neitner ot mamerence ana of cowardice. He alone slept 1 1.. k I.a j .j to "l 1 i . P i I reahty of an ignominious stered to bv preachers ot was surrounded bv such comfort as his and reciting cure, Atzerot and Minister. The lat- ate conviction n, and express- nuine contrition, putting an enor- ;cution , about halt was seated upon a h drawn under him, and ross his knees, with his whole attitude expressive foiling like fear, to which he He was entirelv alone. P1 The .a : t . .1 ilea ) ir r iii: 1 (1 1 1 1 i I J J M having given his final confession to his spiritual adviser; and was dressed iu sailor's pants and shirt, the latter very low and open jit the front being the same dress in which be often appeared at the trial. Mrs Surratt was lying at full length upon her mattress, clothed in some white undress gaiment, looking very pale and debilitated. She was attended by two priests, who were about to administer the sacrament to their hopeless daugh ter. Two ladies were also in the cell endeavor ing to calm the almost continual shuddering of her shrunken figure, and summon fortitude for her to bear the wretched fate that was at hand. Harrold lay upon a cot, looking very pale and livid, with eyes rolling frenziedly and .conversing in a low tone with his sisters, who were grouped around him in sitting postures. Atzerot was alone, with the exception of his minister, and, like the rest, was reclining upon his mattress, and though evidently seeking comfort in the spiritual advice of his campanion, and nearly beside him self with fear at the nearness of his sudden death, had his feet elevated some two or three feet above his head upon the side of the wall, at an angle occasionally assumed by luxurious smokers, and thus in this singularly irreverent attitude was he receiving and apparently consoled with the min istrations of his companion. About a quarter to 12, the friends of the con victed began to arrive Miss Anna Surratt being accompanied by a friend, and the sister of Har rold and also a sister of Atzerot, each one clothed in black and densely veiled. Scarcely half an hour had elapsed before they all again issued, nearly swooning with anguish, and were borne to an inner apartment, where restoratives were ad ministered. Many eyes were bed i mined as this mournful cortege passed from sight and hearing. One o'clock had now arrived, and the heavy door opened for the procession to the gallows. First came Mrs Surratt, leaning upon two gentle men, followed by Fathers "Wiget and Walter, the latter of whom carried a small cross with an effigy of the Saviour thereon, and also a book of prayer. She looked very pale; her limbs seemed to fail her, and it required no small exertion on the part of the gentlemen alluded to, to lead her as far as the scaffold steps. Step by step she as cended, her hands manacled behind her, every eye united on her now shrunken cheeks. Her face betrayed more of horror than of physical fear, her upper lip, as sometimes seen in the new ly dead, curled upwards from the now incomplete teeth, which added greatly to the ghastliness of her expression. She sat on a chair placed at the northwestern corner of the scaffold, and imme diately the reverend gentlemen waiting upon her leaned forward, applying the crucifix to her ash en lips, and pouring into her ear the words of comfort. . . . Next came Atzerot, shackled hand and feot, and presenting to the spectator a face so full, of fear, of woe, of horror and of supplication, that for mere relief they turned from him to rest un the regal face of Payne. Atzerot was attended to and up the steps of the scaffold by the Rev. Mr Butler, and he too was bidden to be seated on a chair placed at the southwestern end of the grim white structure. And next came Payne, manacled like atzerot, dressed only in the navy pants and collarless shirt he wore during the long trial. So instinct Iy is the admiration which men feel for any man who in the last hours meets unmoved the king of terrors, that this youth with the bull neck and close shaven crown, short face and quiet blue eye, drew more sympathy than the fears of a thousand Atzerots could ever evoke. On he went to the steps, side by side with the minister of his choice, Mr Gillett. Checked in his gait, but seemingly unembarrassed, he reached the platform aud sat down near to Mrs Surratt, and there he remained gazing, as he used to do in the court room, through the bars at the white fleecy- clouds that shifted before the intense rays of a sun that glided with all the pomp of a summer noon one of the most solemn scenes ever exhibit ed in this land, so free hitherto from such crimes. Payne (we prefer the more generally known name) looked neither to the right nor to the left, but straight forward and upwards. It was evi dent that to him the crowd were nothing, his own thoughts everything. His face might be likened to that of a builder of castles in the air. Fear there was none, no more than on the face of a sleeping infant; braggadocio, or the morbid vanity that so often supplies courage, was not to be read in the quiet dreaming eve, whence the old wildness alone had fled, as the sun faced him as truly as he faced it. The photographer whose instrument stood in a window of the western wall will hand down Payne to posterity with a face on which no man could read either remorse for past crimes or the fear of a present punishment. The memory of his horrid crime, which had appalled a nation, was lost in contemplating his bearing, which at the very foot of the scaffold a soMier who had braved death from Chattanooga to Sa vannah, styled right regal. Last, and in every way least, came Harrold, with bloodless, sallow cheeks, stiil sufficiently self contained to walk or hobble as well as his shackles would permit, and, attended by Dr. Olds, he too, mounted the stairs and sat between the quaking Atzerot and the quiet Payne. When all were seated Mr Gillett stepped for ward and returned the thanks of Lewis Thorn ton Powell, well known as Payne, for the kind ness he had received during his imprisonment; and breathing a fervent prayer for tha soul of the convicted niah.V Payne still at gazing up on the fast dissolving clouds. Dr Olds then re turned thanks for, Harrold, and ottered a pray er; and so did the Re?. Mr Butler in behalf of Atzerot. This being ended, an order inandible from be low was given, and Payne stepped forward to the noose prepared for him. The others moved up to their places, quivering and horror-stricken. Mrs Surratt wm apparently more resign ed. Atzerot and Harrold were pictures of ter ror. When the noose was placed over the heads of each one. Payne bent gracefully to it, and never resisted. Their arms were tied by strips ot muslin above the elbows, and their legs be tween the ancle and knee. The cap was now slipped over the heads of each. Atzerot exclaimed "Gentlemen, beware!" And as the cap was being placed on Harrold, he said again "Gentlemen, good-bye." And at half past one o'clock, as the ministers moved back, he said again, "may we all meet in another world." The trap was then sprung and swaying to and fro swung the four bodies. The four bodies hung as motionless and straight as plumb lines in the glare of a sum mer meridian sun. ' They were cut down successively first Atze rot, then Harrold, next Payne, and last Mrs Surratt. The four boxes prepared for coffins were then brought forward, and the corpses being laid up on them, another examination was made, and it being perfectly evident that life was extinct in all, they were placed each in his narrow house and buried in the four yawning boles prepared for them. NEWS ITEMS. A terrible fire occurred last week in New York. JJarnum's Museum caught from an ex plosion, (nature of explosion not known, and the fire spread thence as far as the Herald office, consuming it and the intervening houses. Governor H olden has appointed a Commission to proceed to Washington to gain official infor mation in regard to the confiscation of the prop erty of rebels. Communication is now open from Chattanoo ga, Tenn., to Columbus, Ga. The ship William Nelson, from Antwerp, for New York, with passengers, was burned on the banks of Newfoundland the 1st inst. Thirty or forty of her passengers were picked up and ta ken to St. Johns, N. F. The boats, it h crews, &c, are missing, and it is supposed that four hundred lives have been lost. Hon. James Johnson, the Provisional Gov ernor of Georgia, is a native of .Fayette ville, North Carolina. The expenditures of the government daring the past year amount to the enormous . sum of 81,200,000,000, or over ?3,500,000 per day. The latest phase of Napoleon's Mexican scheme is the rumor that Maximilian is about to issue a decree ceding the States of Sinaloa, Durango and Mexico to France as security for the war debt due that Government. Rev. Dr. Palmer, formerly of New Orleans, who has been notorious for his secession ism, is endeavoring to organize a colony for the pur pose of emigrating to Brazil. An official order has been issued to muster out the remaining volunteers of the Army of the Potomac. News from Virginia represents the condition between the whites and freedmen, as bad and growing worse. The whites trying to get rid of the freedmen, and to replace by white laborers. The Committee from Richmond that waited on the President, for the purpose of persuading him to revoke the $20,000 clause, returned un successful. The holders of notes on the Virginia Ranks, it is thought, will cot realize more than twenty per cent, on the dollar. It is reported that the trial of 31 r Davis will probably be postponed till September. Mrs. Gov. Vance. We are pained to learn that the wife of Gov. Vance has been for a num ber of weeks and is now very ill at her residence in this place. Her condition requires the un remitting attention of friends, night and day. This is the more to be deplored, inasmuch as her husband, whose affectionate and delicate at tention she so much needs, is still immured in prison in Washington city. Since the above was written, we are pleased to learn, that upon information of Mrs Vance's critical condition coming to the knowledge of Gov. Holden, he promptly sent a dispatch to the Secretary of War, requesting that Gov. Vance be paroled. Statesvitle American. Fight is Mexico A fiht occurred at Bagdad, in Mexico, a few days ago, between some rebel soldiers and the Union forces, in which several persons were killed and wounded. The Mexican soldiers interfered and put a stop to the fracas. THE INDIAN WAIl. The oriein and history of this conflict i. . unknown at the Sooth, yet from a recent d paten, it woum new uiiucuuiea k., originated wuu iuc woucio. Gen. Pope has arrived in Washington b . r . ! J II m . der ot the 1'reaiaem anu uen. uum io com, concerning the treatment of the Indians i.i . w C Department. It is believed the Governuie, Win proniDii irauer irum vunmig m c0fit with Indians, aud that the whole njaoatrm... including trading, will be taken in hand bjti uoverumem, as utr " piuuauiv on! means oi preveuiiu vvunuuni ,-inuie!.!1 the various tribes of savages in the ISorthWtK Another dispatch, dated Fort lramie, Jf. 3, states that it is ascertained, beyond all gV 1 . ... Tl' .1 f pute, that Ine Arapaooe luauns, wnoiur time hve been fed by the Government ht F. Halleek, as friendly Indians, have been L perpetrators ot most oi me outrages commit on the overland mail route, west of lkmn Tbey ascertained by some means, thai were suspected, and have now taken tbeti patn openly and denantiy. iroops are tuju suit. No friendly Indians are east or north Denver or Camp Collins, neither can aotr . j .;i .i '. De expeciea uuui my are cercreiy cm ine success tney nave met wun junnng roe jit year has made them exceedingly bold aod darW in ineir expiuus. There are three columns of infantry, tml and artillery preparing to march ojtahtt hostile Indians on the frontier. A oluiun ca sisting oi tne second .Missouri juigni Ariuj. equipped as cavalry, and the Twelfth Mij cavalry, have passed Columbus, NebraiU, their way to the Powder Biver country. uv ous reports show that there is to be a very tigot ous campaign. bgainst the Indians unle.viibt yield to the suggestions of the Government it adopt means for conforming to the rerjoinuot of civilized life. The Cherokee Indians, vt were associated with the insurgent States.v in a very destitute condition, and near attrn tion. Texas has been appealed to for relief. Braxton Bragg. This old and proiuitn citizen of Louisiana, whose fortunes havelw so varied during the late war, arrived in our eh by the Mobile boat yesterday morning, idI stopping at the St. Charles. General Bni in excellent health, and looks as if he cm "cife 'em a little more crape" yet, as io tV more haloyon aod glorious days ot the reubic Like all the generals of the Confederate araiv he recognizes the march of events, and is otilj ambitious to retire, as before the war, and fur- the duties of an American citizen. A ic Or leans l'icayune, June 23. Trouble in Tennessee. There U pa trodbU in Tbmm MTloa thm. TmmV law. It is being violently attacked io publii speeehes by certain candidates for office. Got Brown low has accordingly issued a proclamat'101 informing the people that it is the supreme In I of the State, and denouncing its enemies a rt j be Is. The civil authorities are directed ton i rest the assailants of this law. Kmrnerooo Kit j ridge, formerly a member of Congress from Tei i nessee. has been arrested as beinr one of tt baranguers. Northern Istxcs. Unfortunately, the people of Tenncs.cti' cursed with a brutal and tyrannical man ssG ernor. Tbey are suffering much from therii dictive rule of Brownlow. If the people f T nessee have not the right to advocate ther; of an obnoxious law, we should like tol' what rights they have. Emerson Kthridge aIvpavr hpen a hottpr TTninr. mn thnn lirtr. lnw. vet he is arrested bv '(lnprnnr" llrnvnl because be is in favor of repealing a mot just and tyrannical act of the Lczuhrt it as exnected that the "loval men" ! lent ft mm m see will snnn renndiafe and lonnrn Kmurnlow -r , A colored boy named Cherrin was arre fur comtnitttn? a rane on a while trnmun. 1 19 In Inirn uaa I hut. ham nr-currarl in ihll t i' . m tv fn trie rvatt lirn mnnlht J.r h'J' tier. Davidson College. Th Annnal tlinrr nf tltu rtf TrUStl) Davidson College will te held at tie College on 1141 h injl Itm n.il rt 1 1. t rr -. c imnnrtllTA' the Institution will require the nllention iv Board. E. NYC HUTCH!?. 30,000 Shingle wanted At Davidjon College. Applr to 11. 1. McPnei:.f or to iYi Priilnt nf t)im I!i11rra nr tn chisen at Charlotte. July 10, 18C5 2t ill. illcINNIS, COMMISSION 31 E UC II A NT & W SALK GKOCKR, (At bis old BtAnd,) No. 1C, North Water Wilmington, IV. . All Produce consigned to mjr ndJrfM, i-itlt or shlpincut, ehall hare ;rrfonnl attention. Liberal ci.h adrnnces rnnde on co af ter the receipt of Hill Ladinp. July 10, letjj 3m tiii y 1 1 v - "..f
The Charlotte Democrat (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 18, 1865, edition 1
2
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