The gibbet had already been
erected for the third time in
the prison yard, and the cells
had been the scene of a combined
marriage, honeymoon and tragic
suicide; an incident enthralling
in drama and romance. The world,
indeed, had not yet ceased
talking of the final hours upon
this earth, of John C. Colt,
brother of the inventor of the
revolver, who after a long legal
battle that carried through one
court after another and a lavish
expenditure of money, had been
sentenced to pay the penalty for
the murder of Samuel Adams.
Caroline Henshaw, although
not married to Colt, was during
his incarceration, a constant
visitor to the Tombs. It was the
doomed man's desire to marry her
before he was hanged, and the
marriage ceremony was performed
at noon of the fatal day, the
time of execution having been
fixed for four hours later.
The bride was accompanied by
Colt's brother and
inappropriately enough by John
Howard Payne, author and
composer of "Home Sweet Home."
The Rev. Mr. Anthon performed
the ceremony. By law the
mistress became the wife just in
time to become the widow. The
marriage took place in the
presence of David Graham, Robert
Emmett, Justice Merritt, John
Howard Payne, and the brother of
the doomed man. After it was
over the bride and groom were
allowed to be alone one hour.
And after this brief honeymoon
the wife departed and Colt
requested to be alone.
Just as the sheriff was
about to intrude upon the
prisoner's privacy to summon him
to the gibbet an alarm of fire
was raised. The cupola of the
prison was ablaze. The hanging
was forgotten in the excitement;
but once the blaze was
extinguished the sheriff
remembered his job and sought
his prisoner. Upon his bed in
the cell John C. Colt was
stretched, with his hands
composedly crossed upon his
bosom and a knife buried in his
heart.
There were those, the POLICE
GAZETTE included, who hinted
that the body found was not that
of Colt but a corpse prepared
for the occasion, and that the
supposed suicide escaped either
to Texas or California. The
coroner, it was charged, was
aware of the deception, and his
jurymen were selected for their
ignorance of Colt's appearance.
