The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-05-12
DEATH ON THE GALLows.
Sensations ard Emotions. Menfa1
and E'hy Narrative
Of r. Resuscitated fe1On.

Sensations AID Emotions Menfa2
and E'hy Narrative
Of &. Re5uscitatcd felOn.
Ten years ago I Was elected
Sheriff Of this county. This wns my lirst
election, aud [ have been returned regu.
larly ever since. Ny first attemptto open
Court was made during an important
trial. The criminal was deprnved, des-
perate wretch, who had beon indicted for
an atrOcious and brutal murder. The
fellow was greatly hardened and seemed
to care but little how the trial oent--the
evidence was strong against him, and.
when the case was submitted to tho jury.
they returned verdict Of guilty without
leaving their seats
The execution was fixed for day tho
weeks after the trial OF course It vas
my duty to put the rope around his neck
aud launch him into eternity. 1t was q
distasteful duty, | assure you; fog, though
/ knew full we'll the man deserved his
death, did not relish the idea of hang
ing hira. / goa through Il, however, and
set him to dancing in the air. He did
not struggle much, and | thought had an
easy death. After hanging the usual
timeg he was cut down. and his body given
to his friends for interment thought
| had seen the last Of the man, as the
wagon containing the body drove OFT of
the Jail yard but | was mistaken.
About four months after the execution,
| happened to be passing my barn when
| saw . man sitting on the doorway, with
his head resting on his hands. did not
like his looks, so approached him AMI
asked what he wanted there. lie raised
his head, and looked at me in silence. l
am not given TO superstition, and / don /
think I'm very timid, but felt my blood
grow ice-cold - | recognized in the man
before me the one whose execution had
conducted. His face showed no traces of
his violent end and the only indications
of 1t now visible, was slight disfgure
ment Of the neck. l scarcely knew What
to think, for had seen him hung and
heard him pronounced dead and had dc.
livered his body to his friends for burial.
and yet, after lapse of four months,
there he sat, looking at me with face as
white as sheet. The terror that was ex-
hibited in his countenance convinced me
that he was no ghost, so asked him. with
as much GOODNESS as l could command
Jack Larkins, do you know meg
g You're the man that hung me-" he
replied doggedly, at the same time moving
away.
Before you 60, Larkins," said I, 81
would like to hear how you cheated the
gallows.'
You won't peach on any of them folks
as helped me. will your"
NO." replied, 81 will not get them
into any trouble. / simply wish to know
how you felt when you were hanging, and
how you were resuscitated.
He hesitated for sometime, but, updn.a
renewal Of my aasnrAass, that none nf his
friends should be molested, he told me
the following story:
When / put the rope around his neck
and left him on the gallows, he felt a
faintness about the heart, caused by his
realizing his fearful situation for the first
time but before he had time to think
the trap was sprung, and he fell through
the opening. The shock Of the fall was
rather more startling than painful, aud
did not produce either insensibility or
confusion. His thoughts were remarka-
bly, clear, and be seemed to have the
power Of seeing far above, below and all
around him. Everything assumed >
bright vermillion hue. and soft dreamy
languor gradually stole over him, until he
became insensible. There was nothing
painful or unpleasant in anything he had
undergone. He seemed to be sinking
gently into delicious sleep, and all his
thoughts were pleasant. The next he re-
membered was being wrung by the most
agonizing torture. The pains we're not
confined to any particular place, but ex-
tended through the whole body. His
first thought was that he was in perdi-
ton, and was suffering the penalty of his
crimes. The pains increased each mo-
ment, and at last became so intense that
he started to his feet with scream of
anguish, at the same time opening his
eyes. Great was his surprise to end him.
self in his fathers house, in the midst of
his friends and relatives. He tainted at
once, and when he recovered found him
self in his own bed, As soon as it was
thought safe to do SO, his friends informed
him that, upon bringing his body home,
they had determined to try to fesuscitate
him, although they feared it would be
useless. They worked faithfully, and at
last succeeded.
But, sir" said the man, in confusion,
coming to life again was much worse
than dying"
The man promised to leave the State,
and try and do better. / had but little
confidence in him, yet / let him go. He
kept his word, however, and short time
ago / heard he was well-to-do farmer in
one Of the Territories.
This, gentlemen, ID the manner in
which / got my ideas about hanging, and
| think you win admittheir force.-[ Chat
tanooga Gazette.
recognize the Democratic doctrine of
State Rights, in It's application 10 slavery. as