The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1860-07-26
Hanging in Louisiana.

hC dullOE VI III A@OuLSldlld lluS
describes hanging in that State.
Why exclaimed We as we approached the
Jail, :" we thought the law required that the execu
tion should take place within an enclosure ?''
$50 it does" said the Sheriff, &c and don't you
call that an enclosure-say ?'' pointing with his
cane to worm fence surrounding the building !;
81 put that there this molning--the law don't re-
quire me to build a stone wall nor a brick one,
nuther, just to hang fellow, nor does il require,
that / am aware of, that should chink the cracks
betwixt the rails, nuther. to keep anybody from
seeing u.s."
"Where have you erected your gallow- %
"Ch, tain't erected yet, but soon viii be /; here
Bill" he continued, stake this rope drawing
from his pocket piece of plow-line about eight
cen inches in length and go and tie end of It
round Tolley's neck and fetch him hele''
The deputy departed and soon returned, leading
the culprit, secured AZ condemned He was a
short, chunky, don't-care-a- cuss looking fellow,
who sauntered along with his hands in his pockets.
He was placed by the side of long cottonwood
sapling, which was lying ON the ground-it had re-
Gently been stripped of its bark except at one end
! The sheriff drew of lis blanket coat, threw it
across the fence, looked full into the culprts face
and addressed him in thise wise:
Mister Tolley, you're mean looking sneak
now amt yer D'lrn yer, I'll teach yer how to
set fire to shanty and be guilty O. arson-pul of
yer hat sir, and hold up yer head"
The deputy having fastened the other end Of the
rope to the sap.ng, Dir. +. seized prong of the
fork in either hand, and poised it above his head
as high as he could reach, bat not quite clearing
Mr.. Tolley's toes from the ground, while the dep
uty stood by, watch in hand, counting the minute:
as they passed,-the sheriff still with his hand:
alolt becoming very red in the face. called out tc
MS deputy.
81 say, Bill, how long hashe been hanging?'
"Jest three minutes an half,'' answered tn,
assistant
"Then he's got a minute and half more, an,
he don't begin to be dead YETI
Alack,'' observed we ; 3" if I may be pc init
ted to venture assertion, twould be that the su
preme law OF the land makes it obligatory upo
you to keep him in suspense until the vital prnci
pies are no more"
Counselor, shet up, / know What I'm about
You may know all about the theory o. law, bu
you don't know noth;n bout the practice, and
stands to reason that You should know notlin 'bou
the duties Of Sheriff; but tell YOU I've hear
ever since | was born, that arter gentleman Ia
hung given length O. time, and want killed
and think five minutesis the time--he's entitle
, TO his life, and think he ougiter be too. KNOWN
that to be the law. (for how could so many peopl
be mistaken If It waut,) I'm going TO let biz
> down.
So saying he threw the sapling as fer from hi
as he able. jerking the cupit very hard to Il
ground, thereby preulicing his comfort niue
more than his pendant position d;d. Loosening ii
halter from his neck, and smashing his hat dow
over his eyes. the sheriff seized him by the cola
planting the toe of pegged boot extremely 10
down in the dorsal region, and exclaimed:
> " Look here Mister Tolley, you've escape
death by fiction o. '9v-now 90 but hang m
if ketch you in this parish asn, I'll kick y,
, till yer a jelly fish, dye hear then scoot Com
boys, let's go and get up small game o draw. y