f, taking as his
text the forty-second and forty-third verses of the twenty-third chapter
of St. Luke: "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest
into Thy Kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today
shalt thou be with me in Paradise." Nothing is recorded of the sermon
beyond that it was "a pathetic, concise, and excellently adapted
discourse." Elder Vining closed the religious exercises by a solemn
appeal to the throne of grace for mercy and forgiveness, as well for the
vast auditory as for the prisoner.

The condemned man seemed deeply affected, and perfectly resigned to the
justice of his fate. His penitence was manifest, and drew forth tears of
sympathy from the spectators. After the exercises the prisoner seated
himself on the coffin for a short space, when he was informed that if
he wished to say anything to the people he might now have opportunity.
He arose and addressed a few words to the surrounding multitude,
earnestly urging them to be warned by his fatal example to place a
strict guard upon their passions, the fatal indulgence of which had
brought him to the shameful condition in which they beheld him,
notwithstanding he never intended to commit murder. He concluded his
address with these words: "It appears to me that if you will not take
warning at this affecting scene, you would not be warned though one
should arise from the dead."

At the conclusion of this speech the sheriff stepped forward and made
ready for the hanging, finally adjusting the fatal cord, except for
fastening it to the beam of the gallows.

Near by was a palsied crone, so eager to witness the hanging that she
had been carried to the scene in her rocking-chair, which was placed
upon an improvised platform. Here she had rocked to and fro in her chair
during the whole proceeding, until, when the hangman made ready his
noose, the old hag rocked with such nervous violence that she toppled
over backward, chair and all, her neck being broken by the fall.

The prisoner remained apparently absorbed in meditation which was
entirely abstracted from terrestrial objects. The thousands of
spectators waited in silent and gloomy suspense for the final
catastrophe. The sheriff stood forth and addressed to the condemned man
a few remarks pertinent to the occasion.

Having carried the proceedings to this crucial point, the sheriff,
Solomon Martin, then changed his role, and produced from his pocket a
letter from hi