The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-07-25 00:00:00

SCENE AT AN EXECUTION IN
AMERICP..

At Salisbury (North Carolina), on the 2fith ult., a
mau named Rufus Ludwig was hanged for the murder
of his wife, to whom he had only been married eleven
days. When brought to the eeatfold, he spoke a long
time, and asked that two hymna should be sung. De
delayed under every possi,le I retest, alld the sheriff
was at length obliged to take him by the arm and leal
him to the scaffold. But the instant he touched the
platform a most extraordinary and exei,ing scene
ensued. Ile at once made a uluoge forward, auth the
intention of leapiog off the platform on the farther side,
and with the evident purpose of making a break and a
desperate endeavour to push his way thrisigh the
crowd and to escape hie impending doom. Nothing
could be more hopelesa than such an effort, as Wollid
be manifeet to any reflecting mind. But Ludwig had
ceased to reflect ; lie only felt the atiiinal 4181.111,A Of
self. reservation. To eubmit WaS death. irruggle
,was no more than death. He euceeeded in throwing
• his feet and legs off the platform, but the two officers
having hold of hie arms and shoulders held fist, and
pulling him backwards he fell with the upper part of
his back still on the platform, his legs and part of
his body projecting over the edge. The platform was
4i feet high. Several of the nearest officets of the
cuaril et I,IICe rushed to the assistance of the sherlff
and laid hull of Ludwi's legs, endeavoering to shove
him backward on the platform Rut the prisoner
struggled shth ',boost superhuman strength. With all
the vigour of his powerful awl muscular frame, nerved
by despair, he wrestled with fate. For a long tune he
tittered no sold, but with convulsive and rapid move-
ments of arms and legs strove to wrench himself front
the grasp of the eight or ten men who had now hold of
him. And still tile struggle :vent on, one against ten;
and it reemed at times almost as if the despairing
wretch would succeed in freeing himself from the
powerful posse alio a ere miffing Lim. The noose was
two feet above Lis head as lie lav, an 1 powerful efforts
wereusal to push bini up Mit. Aleailwhile, the platform
grew ricketty, and several were employed in steadying
It. At the end of five minutes—which 'teemed obe
three times as long—the sheriff wee about getting the
noose o'er Luilwnis heal, which he threw quickly
from side to side to avoid it. Ile then exclaimed that
he would stand up awl be quiet if they would release
their hold ; but this was evidently said mily for the
purpose of inducing thou to relax their flits, for he
showed no sort if disposition to relax his ox n exertions.
The officer, persisted in placing the noose over his
head, and as Le felt that ines itable five now had him,
he is said to hive mutters( a cinse, which was beard
by some of them nearest him. The noose was at laid
put and drawn tight r I.ho ii ek. lie entehed
at it couvtdaively, and still me,' his feet to the utmost
in kicking cif thugs: who heal hld of him. It fink
ligj,,fce., to pinion his Laurie and feet ;it mean-
I while lying on his side and choking to death as fast as
possible, fir the r ,Ire wi, stlvtched by his weight. His
face woe yerfectly livid, and his eyee, starting from
their pockets, presented a spectacle not easily for-
gotten ; the eheriff being to, busy subduing and
pinioning hum to take thne to put on the white cap.
Ly the tune his arms and legs were tied, he bad become
motionless ; the rap was put over his face, and the
officers sprang off and knocked cut the prop. Ludwig,
being in a recumb. nt posture, and the rope at full
tension already, when the drop fell he swung gently
Iloins with hie feet a short distance from the ground.
Him neck could not have been broken; but he died
very quickly.

WILL THE WORIiING MAN BE IN HIS
A FRENCH MINISTER ON ENGLISH PLACE IN PARLIAMENT?
AGRICULTURE. The Loudon correspondent of the LAT rpool AlGion
The fallowing to an extract from a letter addressed by %Tilts :
his Excellency M. Drouyn do Lhuys to a friend in And apropos of Mr. Gladstone's ardent desire to see work-
England . jag men iss at. ntepheolt it may he permitted us to ink
You riser Crente,--You are become an agriculturist ; whether he really thinks that any of them would feel at home
you will, therefore, allow meto give you my impressions the. e, or that it would ire a benttlt to the working classes to
Ise represent. d in Parliament by representatives at their nit u
de yap: e throu,,,,la Lekestenddre. social der? I have so sincere an admiration for Mr 0 ad-
-1 hasi hoe,, fully aide, during a former stay in Eng- st;,i,:r awl soot, so ovho tot of too ,t.e,,,h„t its., ~,,,,c,,,,,,,,,
land, to notice toe tine at te:trance of
your white and that l shun' i not thsok , I accusing Imo of claptrap in this
green crops, the beau: yoi your Miceli:indimmed cattle, matter; but if it collie from cry one of the very many other
and the prodigies wrought by your high foaming under parustuenta.y notabilities who call themaelveo men Is of
~,0 irla.,o ihsai!vantages of awl and climate. by glint iii toe people I should not hesitate to make the accnisatice.
ilia', tuth.Lgnig lot...ever:ince uhi3l i+ 1...ur eudiuntiv '"':.!.•i!'!! I 101,'i'!..y.',i!Tro-p.i.y.i;,,,,,11,,i;;;,,,,,,,,r;„.,,,cti,.. ';:
nation :.•1 charaCteris it pal nave so thrioughly sill plied islet've. they would be letter represented• by niet:i.i f their
by an acquire, fertility any ouch deficiencies, tint it. .iwn team, and he may be alikintla to dispel that delts.ou on
no country is a larger ',repot troth of produce obtained their part by adorning them the opportunity of siting effect
in ratan lot tile ialiour and capital expended. no Ikea ccu.aiciltnis ou the t e..i.t. lie luay believe what
Tie pecoliar leetures of your rural teniumy have certainly I feel too th.ulat of— hat It •- the ir, °pie" returned
often Is is M In, ed 4,ut. With you the possession oi Id
Onion
bet,uevf..,tr.. ii...,tiiire,...—, tnliii.l.in.e,z
estates aml their malistfettent oeldont remain in the to Wimple that In an asocial ly like the liott of Commooli
a, ow Laub. Luxe 4ricniture has lo_col: .:_. .oular a: Vivi,: v. oak' lie the most effective exponents of the ,ivW4
plofession, taken up by note Lu• duly skilled persons. 14 One in::Va . e;a-, Ac n into the tea' wit tit g man is nets
mid such as are at the howl of the outlay required to mob orah.r. Very often he is not even a politician. The
,p, ovile the ',nil with live stock and mechaaiteid itd- L.,,'""Lk. iLla.tr,:. `ll.,:e.ltaa..,r.nrkn
,rha,`,..,.tf,...r.ftbut 17,
1 plementi of the beet description. Such a tranafoinias P
men are Inn such.sis ate calor:Wad It. it, tie-oiler the flu
! sioll could out ensue hum the tad, d...velopmeut of of Commons, whore &wanting mute thou hucitigtuce and

Owe kmartedge are required. No wr-ons are more eunt-T I
li' Is 'll to the wcakinu men tltemaelees. T e e amine, I
suit.. ge in F,ar.co. No p., pot' y qualiflosti n a requi•e',
1,1 the del-nil., in fall for th. It terries Insteudnir l a
liewher ; Red yet we Co but fini that w.,rains turn are re-
to fled 1,) even the most De, °critic must Luencles. l'n !er
the last ROPUbIIC to 01 two olitatned seats, but they turned
eltt to lie Loneutahle failures. In fact when a won Wog roan
has attained to that standard in knowledge ant enci,d
tiou which el able. I.lin to • Md. ally Ell-charge the dir.j,•,
a representative of the per pie, i.e has Ceased to boa 00, li, g
man. I mean in the ordinary and real sense of the tern: ,
because to the unctuous parlance of some arisiccr, Ic
authroti,st• shy man In the c.)u.unnity up to the Thluou
aloe atolve may s yle tLc self "a witting men' I.ra I
Shmteshory, in the mule of his humility, doe so. I shoull
like to see WS noble siataie Li you °deed Liu a jub at to
much an hour !