eleven o'clock
But oh , blessed pause -- 't was ordained by the Almighty , to snatch that innocent man from the jaws of death ! At that critical moment , a confused murmur was heard in the interior of the prison ; the Sheriff , who had his hand upon the fatal book , which alone intervened between the condemned and eternity , was stopped from the performance of his deadly office , by a loud shout that rent the air , as a crowd of citizens rushed into the prison yard , exclaiming -- ` Hold -- stay the execution ! ' The Mayor of the city , who was present , exchanged a few hurried words with the foremost of the citizens who had thus interrupted the awful ceremony ; and instantly , with the concurrence of the Sheriff , ordered Sydney to be taken from the gallows , and conducted back to his cell , there to await the result of certain investigations , which it was believed would procure his entire exoneration from the crime of which he had been deemed guilty , and his consequent release from imprisonment . It appeared that an officer connected with the -- Insurance Company , on opening the safe that morning at about half-past eleven o'clock , discovered the dead body of the burglar , the money scattered about , and the writing upon the door . The officer , who was an intelligent and energetic man , instantly comprehended the state of affairs , and hastened with a number of other citizens to the Tombs , in order to save an innocent man from death . Had he arrived a few moments later , it might have been too late ; but as it was , he had the satisfaction of rescuing poor Sydney from a dreadful fate , and the credit of saving the State from the disgrace of committing a judicial murder . A dispatch was immediately sent to the Governor , at Albany , apprising him of these facts .