Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 March 1884 — SAVED FROM DEATH. [ARTICLE]

SAVED FROM DEATH.

The Longest Pratek on Record Makes a Reprieve Valuable. Richard Carr, a Canadian octogenarian, died the other Day m Erie, Pa. A gentleman of that city remembered how when a boy, fifty-five years ago, this Carr narrowly escaped hanging. He had been tried and convicted ot murder (of which, however, he was innocent) and with an alleged accomplice sentenced to death Among those who were convinced of his innocence ere a Rev. Tohn Ryerson, D. D., au uncle of the gentleman who furnisiies this story, aud a I)r, John Rolf. The latter determined to ride from Vittoria, the Canadian village where the hanging was to take plaee, to Toronto and intercede with the governor, Sir John Oolborn. Before departing on his hazardous errand of mercy Dr. Rolf was closeted wi’h Rev. John Ryetson.— The latter agreed to delay the banging all he 4 could by making the cl osing prayer as long as his strength and power of utterance would permit, provided that Rolf had. not returned. Dr. Rolf calculated upon getting back a few hours before the time set for the execution. He •et out on the swiftest horse to be had In the village, but the people had liitle.faith in his ability to make the journey In time and leas faith in the governor’s inclination to interfeie. The iays flew on, and the people flocked ill from the surrounding country. The fatal morning came, but without any tidings fnm Dr. Rolf. The hour arrived, and the men were led out to die. The gallows was erected in the open air, and in full view of all. It was a rude structure, upon which the village carpenter may not have expended more than two hours’ labor. The men were placed in position, and when the hangman’s littlg preliminaries wero over, the sheriff was iuformed that all was ready for the parson’s final blessing, or prayer. Then Rev. Ryerson got down on his knees and began the longest and most remarkable pra} er on Record. His voice wu* low purposely, for be wished to husband Ins vocal strength. Hejpraye, for about twenty minute* without remark d tor long prayers were n< tso distastful then as now. But when he entered upon the second half hour, great restlessness was manifested. The sun poured down upon the uncovered heads, aud many did not hesitate to say aloud that they were getting too much of a good ihiug. The sheriff was impatient and the hangman looked weary, The proceedings made him tired. Even the poo- wretches waiting death showed signs “f annoyance, for the clergyman hudm old them of his compact with Dr. i.. f. The murmuvs rose higher and hit: r, but he prayed on without ceasing. An hour passed and he was still on I, .<uees, — There was now no relevancy ..t his appeal. He merely uttered won.- and disconnect'd phrases to. consume time, Ihe muscles ot his throat contracted. His tongue was dry and oiovo to -his mouth, and his voice was husky, bui lie prayed on, the words falling without meaning upon his hearers. He said afterward that he did not know what he was saying, and that the only real prayer uttered in all that time was a silent one and composed ot four words; ‘God hasten Rolf’s lootsteps.’ At the end of an hour and a half there was an uproar, aiid the discontent had almost become a riot when a voice cried: ‘Here comes Dr. Roll!’ The clergyman did not hear or hoed the new tumult that now arose, but prayed.on, becoming weaker each minute. Soon the horseman approached near enough to be recognized, and the doctor dashed up to the very foot of the scaffold, scattering : people right and left He was too weak to speak or move,hut a manfin the crowd snatched a document from his hand, and mounting on the back of the horse shouted, ‘Reprieve! Reprieve!’ It was so, and that is how Carr and Smith were saved

A Battle with a Wildcat. —Levi Labar, Purdytown, on the eastern slop* cf the Blue Ridge, fought a “catch as catch can” battle with an enormous wildcat in his bedroom last, uifht. About midnight Lab ir beard a stra»g* noieo it. the room He jumped from the bed to make an investigation when the animal sprung upon his shoulders, but Labar shook it #ff and de’ivered i a stuuning blow with a elub. For fifteen mins utes the conflict raged, the brute leaped from wall to wall, clinging to the paper wit'a its sharp cluws. and th«n- bounding upon its opponent, screeching witn fury and with eyes shining like coal# of fire. At last La bar dealt the cat a death blow. Ir. measured eight feet from the tip of its nosg to the end of its tail. Labar was severely lacerated abooc the face and qrins, —Philadelphia special. Wkile the workmen at a shipbuilding yard in Rochester England, were recently engaged in sawing a portion of an old ship’s maipmast, foiflierly belonging to a man of war,at t’hatham. a 32 pounder iion sh»t was discovered embedded in the mast, the aperture having been plugged up. ' The mast in question had been lving for a considerable time at Chatham Dockyards, and iw beiicvfe ( in lo ve belonged to Nelson’s Victm v. ft is worthy of not? that 82. pound -ii .f uss e largest in use for naval. Watiaie' during Nelson’s time. Don’t be in too||much of a hurry about reading out of the-Republican party everybody who doesn’t vote Fitz John Porter a Huitor. Senator Boar, of Massachusetts, who was Chairman ff'.Jtlie hist Republican National Convention, has vot d for Fitz John Porter twice, and Hoar has been twice elected by Massachusetts to fill the seat once occupied by Charl«s Sumner.—Omaha Bee,

Train Delayed by Antelope.— The ! west-bound traia between Greta rlv* | j *-r .*o*l Ui«* Granger, on th* Union Pacific, recently euce«nter d a fl«ck of auielo, e, 1200 or 1490 in tnm er. The snow was qnke «(«** p and difted in place**. a:n! the ant* 1 p*. w*tc run ning c*o the road b<-d, finding tb«t t e easiest road to ta el in When they were firsi enconutered m <ny of t tem wete killed, and the eLgiueer, ! sec ng that the tr in Blight be ceraile i unless t was flawed up, dearea*|e I the ap<*e<l. Tbo antelope kept a ! short disiance übead of the j aud were strung along for a quarte. ;#? a »i!f, They would occasionally ! gt-l some distance from the engine and then 'h y would stop, turn around and wateh the headlight until the engine Was fnirly upou them. They delayed the train half or three quarters of ac hour.-Elko Indepen** d«nt. A man met a girl in a louoly place and forcibly kissed her. She was terribly indignant, and had nim arrested. Slie gave an account pn the witness stand of how he gazed at her intently, and then suddenly throwing!his arms areuad nor, imprinted a kiss upo her lips. The prisoner made no defense, and the jury was expecting to promptly convict him of assault. They returned to the(eourtrooun. “The ju-ju-jury wo would like to ask the young lady two questions.” the forman said. The Judge consented and she went on thestand. “I) d did you wear the j J j rsey that you’ve got on now?” “Yes, sir,” was the demu-c reply. “Aud waslyonr ha_ ha hair banged like that? “Yes sir,, “Then your honor, we acquit the p--prisoner on the groimd of emotion al iusanl.y.”—San Franciseo Post. One cf the most eurious suits ever recorded was recently instituted by Mr. Kregelo. of ludianepolis, against Chas. Graham. Years ago Graham had a leg am utated, |an<4 it seems that Kregelo,-who is an undertaker, has kept it in hi** vault ever since.— The orherjdny he begun suit for vaultage, the account reading thus: “To vaultage on a limb of dhas Graham for 168 oiont s. at $3 a month, $591.J