CORRESPONDENCE--VISITS AT ANGELICA WITH D. D. HOW, THE MURDERER--HIS
SERMON AT THE GALLOWS.
From the extensive correspondence of Mr. Badger, little at present can
be introduced, as the interest of his published journal and things
relating to his personal life and public labor have the paramount claim.
Yet the freedom in which a large variety of minds addressed him evinces
that he was _beloved_ confidingly, as well as respected and admired. As
an example of the free expression of one class of correspondents, we may
take the following lines, dated near 1824, from the pen of a gentleman
of the medical profession, Troy, Pa.:
"I think I informed you I was not a professor of religion,
though I have a friendly regard for all such as appear to
worship God in a rational and consistent manner, whose
minds have not been circumscribed by undigested creeds and
by uncharitable proscription. I have read some and thought
much on the subject of religion, and after all I confess I
am rather skeptical. I have endeavored to view it
abstractedly by the lights of reason and philosophy; to
consider what it is, its origin and design. To sum up in a
few words, if I may be allowed the expression, I should
consider it indispensably necessary to those who would not
be good without it. Take this away, and what method would
be left to bring the mere child of nature to the practice
of virtue? You could not discover to him the excellency
there is in goodness, and the reward which it brings. His
imagination needs to be awed by the penalty annexed to
vice. It may seem paradoxical to say that when men become
good for _goodness' sake_, they have no need of religion."
Bold thoughts were no alarm to Mr. Badger; and not many persons had his
faculty for taking away effectually the objections which really stood in
the path of the unbelieving, though in doing so his methods were his
own, and he had no use for the logical phrases of those who have been
styled apologists for religion or Christianity. In looking over lines
like those first quoted, is it not impossible to repress the sentiment,
that "he who becomes good _for goodness' sake_," instead of having no
need of religion, already _has it_ in its highest possible form? It
cannot be otherwise.
1824 finds Mr. Badger engaged in the local sphere of pastor; and, among
the solemn and responsible duties of his profession for this year, was
that of hearing the confession of a murderer, of leading his mind into
faith and penitence, of administering to the bereaved families the
consolations of Christian views and sympathy, and of preaching the
funeral discourse of the prisoner to the immense concourse who witnessed
his execution. At that time, cool and deliberate murders were
comparatively rare; generally, there was great avidity to know the
causes and incidents involved in the crime. The surprise and dread such
intelligence awakened corresponded somewhat justly with the awful
nature of the guilt which caused them. David D. How, of the town of
Angelica, Alleghany County, New York, a few miles from the place where
the horrid murder of Mr. Othello Church was committed, December the
29th, 1823, was a man originally from New England, and of respectable
connexions; but, from a series of misfortunes and injuries experienced
in life, and probably also from the peculiar organic defection which the
organization of murderers usually exhibits, was prepared, though not
without a violent conflict of inward emotions, to execute a murder of
revenge on the person of Mr. Church, whom he regarded as having been
instrumental in promoting the misfortunes that left him destitute of
property, in the summer of 1823. Several angry disputes had occurred
between them; and, judging from the treatment he rendered to Mr. Palmer,
for having, as he thought, taken undue advantages of his troubles, one
is willing to infer that revenge was his predominant tendency.
"I went," says he, "in the month of October, to
Hornelsville, and being detained there one day, I had
occasion to ride in the evening of the 23d, and about 12
o'clock at night came to Mr. Palmer's, near Angelica. I saw
his valuable mills, on which the orbs of heaven faintly
shone, and the sable curtains of night had mantled the
scenery in majestic grandeur. _Now_, I said, is the time
for me to have vengeance on one of my greatest enemies on
earth. I dismounted and surveyed the scene before me.
Finding the door fast, I obtained an entrance by a small
window which I could raise; I entered the dark cavity; all
was solitary and silent, and every step resounded with
midnight horror; the sweet stream uttered its innocent
murmur below, and all nature seemed combined to reprove me
of my sin."
Though hesitating for a moment, a brief meditation on the causes of
offence induced him to turn the mills of his neighbor into a scene of
flames, which, to use the language of the criminal, "shone upon the
heavens with alarming lustre" to his "guilty conscience," before he
arrived at home. With equal determination, on the night of the 29th of
December, after returning from the village of Angelica, between 10 and
11 o'clock, at a season when the condition of the snow would not allow
him to be tracked, did he proceed to execute the awful deed on which he
had long meditated, the murder, in his own house, of Othello Church,[35]
whom he called from his slumbers to receive the fatal shot. This
murderer thought and reflected on his end and his means. Once before, he
had waylaid the path of his victim, and watched at night, with rifle in
hand, behind the great pine tree; "while I stood here," said Mr. H., "I
had some solemn reflections. The sweet evening breeze gently pressed the
lofty forest, and the tall pines could bend beneath the power of heaven;
but my obdurate heart remained unmoved." Such was the character of the
man whose depths of heart were moved by the influences of Mr. Badger.
Though a murderer, he was far, very far, from total depravity, for he
could sincerely mourn over his own guilt, and weep over his beautiful
daughter with a father's love. He was tried for his offence at
Angelica, before Judge Rochester; was, by the force of circumstantial
evidence, declared guilty, and, on February 8th, was sentenced to be
hung March 19th, 1824. By the request of Judge Griffin, who had
consulted the prisoner, Mr. Badger was requested to attend on Mr. How,
and to do what he could in preparing his mind for the awful crisis
before him; and, as these duties are a part of his journal for this
year, we will look a moment longer at its particulars.
March the 2d, Mr. Badger took rooms at Judge Dautremont's, in Angelica,
(a place 65 miles from his residence,) that he might every day have
familiar access to the mind of the prisoner. The day of his arrival he
entered the gloomy apartment, at 2 o'clock, P. M. found Mr. How reading
the Scriptures by candle light; soon the mind of the guilty stranger
unfolded freely and without reserve, to him who now endeavored to render
assistance in making his peace with the eternal powers. A chain-bound
prisoner in darkness, seeking to know how he shall whiten his spirit
from mortal crime! A herald of the cross genially making him feel his
brotherhood with man, and bowing with him in prayer to the Infinite
Pacifier! A scene like this in a world of sin is a gleam of light across
the ocean of darkness, even though the inveterate past should refuse to
be blotted out by prayers and penance.
"In conversation," said Mr. B., "he is pleasant, familiar,
easy and polite, and often his countenance is lighted up by
an artificial smile. He is a man of quick discernment, and
possesses a mind of unusual strength and great composure
in the hour of trouble; yet he sometimes weeps at the most
trifling circumstances. He feels great attachment to his
friends, uncommon fondness for his children, and an
ungovernable hatred to his enemies. I found Mr. How almost
in a despairing state of mind. He asked my opinion of 1
John 3:15: 'No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.'
I informed him that the same verse said: 'Whosoever hateth
his brother is a murderer' and that no person while
possessed of hatred, or in the act of murder, could be in
possession of eternal life. He wept at my remarks, and
asked many questions. I informed him 'all manner of sin
should be forgiven except the sin against the Holy Ghost;'
and I endeavored to hold up the way of life to him. We
united in prayer several times, and after an interview of
six hours I left him overwhelmed in grief.
"March 3d, entered the dungeon at 8 o'clock, A. M., found
him very much composed. After attending prayers we sung two
hymns, and his heart was apparently filled with love to all
the creatures of God. He commenced speaking in the most
affecting language. He spoke of the sin of profanity and
drinking, described the murder of Mr. Church in the most
affecting manner, and mourned that he had no time to
prepare to meet his God. He said he could not think that
God would forgive him, as his sins were of such an
aggravated nature, and were committed against so good a
Being, and against such great light. I made him three
visits, and the dungeon became a pleasant place. He this
day requested me to write his journal, to preach at his
execution, and superintend his funeral.
"March 4. Spent four hours in my first visit, found him
much composed and well resigned. I entreated with the
sheriff for the removal of his irons, and succeeded, for
which he expressed much gratitude."
It were indeed too long for our purpose to transcribe the half of what
Mr. Badger has interestingly written on this topic. His duties were
faithfully and ably done; and, what might be anticipated, he gained, and
for a holy purpose, the entire mastery of the murderer's heart; turned
his revengeful passions, for the time at least, into prayerful kindness
for his enemies, and, through his free choice, became the agent of his
most sacred trusts. On the 5th, he received and delivered to Mrs. Church
the imploring and penitent address of Mr. How; also visited the family
and plantation of the murderer; on the 6th, witnessed the interview
between Mr. How and his own family, to whom he administered appropriate
advice. Through all his doubts and fears, he accompanied the
spirit-wanderings of the culprit, and succeeded in bringing his mind to
a state in which he was conscious that an eternal sun shone somewhat
brightly through the cloud openings of his dark horizon.
"On Sunday, the 14th, in the afternoon," says Mr. B., "his
daughter, a beautiful little girl about 19 years of age,
arrived. She trembled as she approached the gloomy
apartment of her father. They embraced each other with
great affection, and all the spectators wept. He called his
daughter and friends to view the coffin, which, he informed
her, was like her mother's. They wished me to pray with
them; and, at the close of prayer, I found the father and
daughter leaning upon the coffin, with their hands joined;
he exclaimed, 'Oh, my Harriet! must we part? You are the
image of your excellent mother--you have derived your good
disposition and all your good qualities from her. You have
nothing good from me.' They both wept aloud, and every
heart seemed to be moved with grief. On the 15th I
witnessed a reconciling interview between Mr. How, Mr.
Palmer, and Sheriff Wilson, men of business who had once
been great friends, but whose friendship had been broken by
serious difficulties.
"March the 18th. He sent for me at daybreak. I found he had
a restless night, and was in great distress. I made him
several visits; his family came to take their leave of him
forever. At 3 o'clock P. M., the Rev. Mr. Roach, a
Methodist minister, preached a short discourse in the
dungeon from John 3:16. Five clergymen were present, and
the scene was solemn. Mr. How took the lead in singing two
hymns, and carried his part through in a graceful manner.
In singing the first, he stood up and leaned partly on the
stove; held his little girl by one hand, who sat in the lap
of her mother, and with the other he took the hand of his
affectionate brother, who stood by his side. At the close
of the meeting, his wife gave him her hand for the last
time. He embraced her with fondness, and when he pressed
his little girl to his bosom (about four years of age) he
wept aloud. He requested that several Christian friends
should spend the night with him in prayer; thus his last
night on earth was spent in imploring God for grace and
mercy.
"March the 19th. I entered the prison at break of day,
found him much resigned. He observed, as I entered, that
his last night on earth was gone, which he had spent in
prayer. At 7 o'clock I visited him again with a company of
ladies who had never seen him. Mrs. Richards, of Dansville,
took him by the hand, both fell upon their knees, and she
prayed for him in the most fervent manner. He then prayed
for himself, for his family, for the family of Mrs. Church,
who were afflicted by him, for his executioner, and all
the world. As we came out, a gentleman remarked that he had
never heard a man pray like him. At 9, I entered his
apartment for the last time, accompanied by his beloved
daughter and a young man who was soon to become her
husband. We entered with serious hearts; he received them
very pleasantly, and made remarks to me on the fine
weather, and the lady who had prayed with him. He asked of
me the privilege of walking into the yard with the young
man. They spent a short time together. He then asked me to
wait on Harriet to the door. He placed her by the side of
the young man, and delivered her to his charge, saying that
she had long been deprived of the counsels of a mother,[36]
and would be in a few moments separated from her father
forever. 'I now commit her to you as a friend, protector,
and lover.'"
For Mr. H. there was much public sympathy, owing to the belief that he
had suffered many provoking wrongs. Passages like these have a moral,
and even philosophical value, in showing that the human spirit is not
exhausted of wealth, no, not even by capital offence; that great
sentiments of manliness may temporarily occupy an invisible throne
within, though clouded and veiled from general recognition.
On the 19th, in the presence of six thousand persons, Mr. How was
executed, to which immense throng Mr. Badger preached a sermon of thirty
minutes, from Numbers 35: 33, which we have heard spoken of as a
masterly effort. With all his feeling for the offending, he had no
morbid sympathies to pour out on the injustice of his punishment; he
spoke of the propriety and the majesty of the law; of the necessity of
cleansing the land of murderous crimes; alleging that, while government
exists, its principles must be faithfully carried into action; that the
officers who, in their different official capacities, executed this
solemn law, were as much in the way of their duty as he who tills the
soil, and supports the government by his labor. Mr. Badger was no
ultraist. He held that this world, on which golden sunlight is
scattered, was not made for rascals; nor did he accuse the world of
ignorance when the deliberate murderer died for his crime. In these
quoted paragraphs, we see how Mr. B. passed the larger part of a month
in the spring of 1824; and though the acrimony which attaches to
religious sects was industrious in the misrepresentation of his
theological sentiments, he cleared himself triumphantly of all their
charges, and came off with the decided approbation of the judges,
officers, and indeed of all the leading men whose acquaintance he had
formed, for the able and faithful manner in which he had performed his
high duties, and for the proper course he had pursued both as a
gentleman and a minister.