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and humanity otherwise, 7 shall ever ac knowledge 5 nor Mr Otis, for Mr Mil lith,the deputy sheriff, who were the three officers with us on the stage, or any o ther officer of justice, had any knowledge of my escape from death. But to return to my particular feelings —I preferred my pretence of mind ; and when the halter was faken, DP remem bered the doctor's direction, and with the prayer was making, I kept gently turning my head so as to bring the knot on the back of my neck, nearly, as O' Donnel afterwards informed, and as you and others observed. When the trap fedl I had all my senses about me , and thoust I have no remembrance of hearing any sounds among the people, yet I believe I did not lose my senses until some mi nutes after. My first feelings after the heck of falling was a violent strangling and oppression for want of breath: this soon gave way to a pan in my eye, which seemed to be burned by two balls of fire which appeared before them, which seem ed to dart on and off like lightning; r:t tling over and anaw upon my shousders as if they weighed ten hundred tons; and after one terrible Alath, in which the two balls seemed to join in one, I sunk away without pain, like one falling to Mees. What followed after I was turned off you know, as I was informed you kind ly visited my other friends in taking the body down as soon as you were permitt ed, and conveying it across the fast works to the mall boat. I was from thence carried on board the two mall boat to the doctor, to all appearance dead ; for O'Donnel, who was directed by the doctor to cut and toosen my clothes and rub me, throwing water on me, would perceive no life in me, but tuld the hetter it was too late. But the doctor was not discouraged ; and in one hour and twenty-two minutes after I was brought on board the boat, making two hours and forty-three minutes after I was turn ed off, he perceived signs of life in me, by a small motion and warmth in my bo som, in twenty minutes after I gave a violent deep groan. Here defcriation fails! I cannot describe the intolersale agony of that moment. Ten thenfined stranglings are trifling to it! the rloor fused thoughts I had, weres that it was the moment of my netaions ter fand no knowledge of my removal from the gallowa, but was quite insensible from the time fir for any fell, to that in which I recovered—except some bint glimmerings of a scene, which, faint and confused as they were, shall never for get, but which as I feel impressi upon my heart I ought to communicate to no man living, I was soon after this violent anguish, made feasible where I was; the doctor's Ruff, and sight of my friends, restored me in a great measure to my senses. The doctor would not allow me to talk much, but feeling fatigued he permitted me to lie down, having two persona by me to rub me with a dhrum while I fept. When I awoke it was dark. I felt somewhat light-headed and confused, from the dreadful scene TF had passed through. All hands were now called, and a dulemn oath was taken by all present, not ote tell anything that had happened and they should know that I was safe out of the country; and then not to discover the doctor, his friend, or apprentice. I was then put on there, and went from thence on board the ves sel which braweht me there, Tam engaged to go to Gottenburgh in Sweden ; and half sail. tomorrow in a ship which is coming down the river from Philadelphia, had take my fa mily name, and return to my parents, a Prodigal son indeed. God grant, as I have severely eaten hutka, that may soon eat bread in my earthly parent’s house , and be prepared for food bread as the Gints in every love, and tach az angeta eat, in that hong, which is not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. If O'Donnel is gone from Botton, which, upon recollecting, I have reason to fear, you will pirate to copy such parts of this letter as are new to the dndtor, and include them in a cover directed to Mr Samuel Woes, of Concart, to be left uoribeaded for: All leave the let ter of Mr seseeey apothecary, im the street, which is what Ofunnel is to do if in town Pray de mot fret to do this punctually; and to shen the thie tor that the numbnuts in the place he mentioned went of the Curd day all at once, after a sialent burning, as if atti find ping were slack in me, Pray be punctual; God knows Teannnt he too grateful to the decibor; not acily for his charity, by which fioow fabint, but bes cause without his assistance might not have remained as a wonderful mattgr ment of Grel’s no marty, TW pris bably been receiting the reasots of the impenitent in a world of spirits, Sof MEOW Toseen Tayear,
Newspaper Details
Scots Magazine
London, Middlesex, GB
Sun, Aug 01, 1790
Page 32
Full Page
Clipped by
Amber G.
AU 21 Jun 2026
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