Virginia Advocate

Execution of John Francis Knapp.—The Boston Courier contains the following account of the last moments of this unhappy man:

Another scene in the history of the Salem murder has passed—John Francis Knapp, has paid the forfeit of his life for his agency in the perpetration of the horrible crime. Thus have perished two of the criminals. Richard Crowninshield, jr. and J. F. Knapp, the fiend-like assassin and the accomplice. Still the work of justice is not finished; all the guilty have not yet been tried.

We understand that the sentence of death was executed on Knapp with decency and in order. The arrangements were all completed on Monday; on that day he was visited in his cell by his relatives to take their final leave of him. He intimated to the Sheriff a wish to be left alone during the night, but the sheriff deemed it his duty to station an officer in his cell. In the morning he was assisted in his religious devotions by the Rev. Bishop Griswold, who, with Rev. Dr. Flint, accompanied him. He preferred that all the religious services should take place in the prison, rather than on the scaffold. The Sheriff and his officers conducted him from the south to the north end of the prison, where the scaffold was erected. He walked with a firm and unfaltering step, with his arms pinioned behind him, and without the manifestation of any strong or violent emotions. When he had ascended the flight of steps, and first placed his foot on the scaffold, he drew one deep and long sigh and then was re-assured. He had expressed a desire not to be kept long at the place of execution as a spectacle, and soon drew from his bosom a handkerchief to drop as a signal of his readiness, even before the officers had finished the preparatory steps. The drop fell just before 9 o'clock and he died without a struggle. When he first fell, he raised convulsively his hand, which quickly however, fell lifeless by his side. His body after hanging a short time, was coffined, taken into the prison, and put at the disposal of his family. On Monday, a grave was dug for him at the side of his mother.

Since the conviction, we are told that he has persisted in declaring his innocence of the charge alleged against him, just as he did when sentence was passed upon him by the Court. During his confinement he appears to have been reflecting on the past more than looking forward to the future, and seems to have been more intent on reproaching and finding fault with others for occurrences at his trial than in remorse or repentance. He has never shown any striking emotions, but has remained unmoved and cool, and indifferent apparently to the fate that awaited him.

If common report is to be believed, his short life has been spent in wickedness, free from the restraints of morality and religion. In his boyhood he was guilty of stealing from some of his family; and from that time till his arrest his habits of life were debauched, his morals dissolute, his language profane and licentious, and his indulgence in strong drink excessive. It is said that he was intoxicated on the evening of the 2d April, when he went to visit R. Crowninshield, Jr. in Danvers; on the evening of the murder when he met Richard in Brown street; and on the evening when arrested at Wenham.

The Commercial Gazette says:—It is understood that Knapp has left a sealed package, with directions that it be opened after the trial of his brother Joseph, which takes place in Nov.

The Salem Gazette of yesterday, says, the two brothers, J. F. Knapp and J. J. Knapp, Jr. had an interview on Saturday evening. They both requested it of the goalor and were indulged: he conducted Joseph from his cell (in the third story of the prison) to the condemned cell of Frank on the lower floor. They spent some time together. It was the first time they had met since they were carried into Court together to be arraigned, about two months ago.—Frank was calm and firm, Joseph is wasted and feeble in body, and appears miserable and broken down in body and spirit, having little appetite or food, enjoying little rest, and with difficulty uttering articulate words. To the question from Joseph whether Frank was really as well as he appeared to be, Frank replied, "Yes, I can sleep as sound now on the soft side of a plank as ever I could."

Yesterday they were indulged with another sad interview—their last in this world! They bade each other a last Farewell, under such circumstances, as must give poignancy to pain and sharpness to agony.