THE EXECUTION.
Mrs. Mary Runkle was executed at the Jail in Whitesboro; The gallows was erected in the room over the Jailor’s office and consisted of a strong lever about fourteen feet in length the long arm of which eight feet in length, was held by a cord, and loaded with weights.
To the short arm was attached the hanging, which was extended down through the floor into the jailor’s office, the noose being attached to it.
During the day, up to the time of her execution, she lay almost motionless on her bed, her eyes half closed, and her right hand resting upon the bed-clothes on her bosom. Her fingers only moved slowly as if she was engaged in deep and unhappy thought. She spoke only whispers, and assisted some in dressing herself for the event.
She said she was prepared for death, having made peace with her Maker.
At two minutes past twelve o’clock she was carried down to the room assigned for the execution, and placed in the chair under the spot where the cord passed down.
Having been placed in this position, the jailor seated beside her, she rested her head upon his shoulder, while a feeling and appropriate prayer was made.
The sheriff then asked her,
“Mary Runkle, have you any word to say to this jury, to these people.”
To which she gave no answer.
The bell rang the cord was cut, and she was launched into eternity! Not a word, not a motion, but a very little heaving of the chest.
After hanging twenty minutes, her body was cut down, put in the coffin, and delivered to her friends.
Thus closed the earthly fate of Mary Runkle.
THE END.
Transcriber’s Notes:
Page 4: Changed “from which we principally quite so far as regards his career,” to “from which we principally quote so far as regards his career,”. Changed “He then secretly married a womao” to “He then secretly married a woman”. Changed “small estate af her own” to “small estate of her own”. Changed “situatod on the St’ John’s River” to “situated on the St. John’s River”.
Page 5: Changed “Mew York” to “New York”.
Page 7: Changed “came to tho room” to “came to the room”.
Page 10: Changed “of the illerate slave” to “of the illiterate slave”. Changed “secrted from public censure” to “secreted from public censure”. Changed “induce slave-dealers and other” to “induce slave dealers and others”.
Page 12: Changed “made his way to Texas, However” to “made his way to Texas. However” Changed “frightning the travellers’ horses” to “frightening frightning the travellers’ horses”. Changed “of his earthly existance” to “of his earthly existence”. Changed “beged a little time” to “begged a little time”.
Page 13: “An uncontrolable desire to leave home seized me,” changed to “An uncontrollable desire to leave home seized me,”. “I dispised my father’s counsel” changed to “I despised my father’s counsel”. Changed “what money watches” to “what money, watches”. Changed “when he fell, exclaming” to “when he fell, exclaiming”. Changed “persude her to elope” to “persuade her to elope”. Changed “house of ill repute called for a room” to “house of ill repute, called for a room”.
Page 14: Changed “I would desist, This” to “I would desist. This” Changed “led to the alter” to “led to the altar”. Changed “my heleish purpose” to “my hellish purpose”. Changed “if she sohuld recover” to “if she should recover”. Changed “Ann’s cruelty and attrocity” to “Ann’s cruelty and atrocity”. Changed “It happend to have one” to “It happened to have one”.
Page 17: Changed “where James was statined” to “where James was stationed”. Changed “where he was condemed” to “where he was condemned”.
Page 18: Changed “acts of the most blood thirsty” to “acts of the most blood-thirsty”. Changed “nothing now satifised her” to “nothing now satisfied her”. Changed “a lettr from his wife” to “a letter from his wife”. Changed “with disagreable dreams about him” to “with disagreeable dreams about him”. Changed “who said they talked with Mr. Morse, in Walter’s tavern” to “who said they talked with Mr. Morse, in Walters’ tavern”.
Page 19: Changed “make a private sarch” to “make a private search”. Changed “went again to make enquiery” to “went again to make enquiry”. Changed “the demensions of it” to “the dimensions of it”. Changed “with a warrant, She was taken” to “with a warrant. She was taken” Changed “of the above atocious crimes” to “of the above atrocious crimes”.
Page 20: Changed “by some private correspondant” to “by some private correspondent”. Changed “awful death, After the poison” to “awful death. After the poison” Changed “After these fits insanity” to “After these fits of insanity”. Changed “hersef in the most bitter manner” to “herself in the most bitter manner”.
Page 21: Changed “home, About two months afterwards” to “home. About two months afterwards” Changed “accessary to a great many others” to “accessory to a great many others”.
Page 22: Changed “interesting tn our readers” to “interesting to our readers”. Changed “crimes of the most henious” to “crimes of the most heinous”.
Page 23: Changed “kind but arbitary” to “kind but arbitrary”.
Page 25: Changed “Are you prepared!” to “Are you prepared?”.
Page 26: Changed “thrown from existance” to “thrown from existence”.
Page 27: Changed “Deut. 17 ii., viii. &c” to “Deut. 17 ii., viii. &c.”. Changed “of such an acheivement” to “of such an achievement”. Changed “fordidden in this law” to “forbidden in this law”. Changed “give reason its thorne” to “give reason its throne”. Changed “my mind as clear sa” to “my mind as clear as”.
Page 28: Changed “the terriffic scene” to “the terrific scene”. Changed “my sorrws end so soon” to “my sorrows end so soon”. Changed “could sand in the middle” to “could stand in the middle”. Changed “condemed to die” to “condemned to die”. Changed “who judgeth righteously, Thank God” to “who judgeth righteously. Thank God” Changed “girl, In tears” to “girl. In tears”.
Page 29: Changed “May 22 1849” to “May 22, 1849”. 5 lines that were printed upside down were transcribed right-side up. Changed “yon will soon come” to “you will soon come”. Changed “until we meet in heaven” to “until we meet in heaven.”
Page 30: Changed “about a year after marrige” to “about a year after marriage”. Changed “suspicions ware aroused” to “suspicions were aroused”.
Page 31: Changed “health of my hsband” to “health of my husband”. Changed “he declaing that if I” to “he declaring that if I”. Changed “being about daylight” to “being about daylight.” Changed “for one moment suspose” to “for one moment suppose”. Changed “relation of the crrminal” to “relation of the criminal”.
Page 32: Changed “into the jailors office” to “into the jailor’s office”. Changed “peace with her Maker” to “peace with her Maker.”
Unbalanced quotation marks were remedied when the change was obvious, and otherwise left unbalanced.