Page:Interesting particulars of the last moments, and execution, of Moses M'Donald.pdf/3

 INTERESTING PARTICULARS, &c.

N Friday, 5th inst. Moses M‘Donald, sentenced to suffer death at last assizes, was executed here pursuant to his sentence. Early in the morning a gibbet was erected and a platform raised on the square, in front of the New Church, and placed in such a situation as to be viewed from the three principal streets leading into the square. Four companies of the Ayrshire militia, which had arrived from Paisley the day previous, (to preserve order) were stationed round the square, and, by stopping the different avenues, effectually prevented a union of the spectators. At about a quarter past two o’clock the criminal was conducted from the prison (to the inside of the railing in front of the Church, from whence the platform was raised) by a guard of soldiers, preceded by the Magistrates, Sheriff Substitute, ministers, his father, brother, and sister, with a number of the gentlemen of the town, all attired in black. They then prayed and sung psalms three times, and about ten minutes past three o’clock he expressed his thanks to the Magistrates and Clergy, for the kindness he had experienced; he then took farewell, and ascended the scaffold, accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Bryan, with a degree of firmness we have never seen surpassed— the minister continued speaking with him while he stood on the drop, and had the rope adjoined— when he was ready, he let fall a handkerchief as a signal, on which the executioner let go the drop, but from the insufficiency of the rope, or two much of it being left slack, we cannot determine, the jerk it received, broke it, and he fell to the ground; the effect of feeling it then produced in the spectators cannot be described. His sister, who had been standing near, ran to him, assisted him up, and supported him into the Church where he nearly fainted, but soon recovered, and repeated distinctly the 51st Psalm, 1—15, and spoke with much firmness of his hope in the mercy of God through Christ. He remained in the Church until the gibbet