The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-03-01
From tic Chattanooga Gazette.
An Experience in Hanging.

IVY alt Till you ne;tt Ib Icn c~to ~
1 was elected sheriff of this county.
This was my first election, and I have
been returned regularly ever since. My
first attempt to open court was made du-
ring an important trial The criminal
was depraved, desperate wretch, who
had been indicted for an atrocious and
brutal murder. The fellow was greatly
hardened and seemed to care but little
how the; trial went-the evidence was
strong and against him, and when the
case was submitted TO the jury, they re-
turned verdict of guilty without lcav-
ing their seats.
The execution was fixed for day, two
weeks after the trial. OF course 1T was
my duty to put the rope around his neck
and launch him into eternity. 1t was q
distastofal duty, I assureyod; for, though
1 knew full we'll the man deserved his
death, did not relish the eidca of hanging
him. 1 got through with it, however,
and set him to dancing in the air. He
did not struggle much, and I thought had
an easy death After hanging the usual
time he was cut down and his body given
to his friends for interment. thought [
had seen the last of the man, as the wag-
on containing the body drove out of the
10 1-ord Inf 1roe mistaken
About four months after the execution,
I happened to be passing my barn, when
1 saw man sitting in the doorway, with
his head resting on his hands. I did not
like his looks, SO approached him, and
asked him what he wanted there. He
raised his head, and looked at me in ST.
lence. | am not given to superstition,
and don't think I'm very timid, but l
felt my blood grow icy cold as I rccogni-
zcd the man before me the person whose
execution 1 had conducted. His face
showed no traces of his violent end; and
the only indication of it, now visible, was
a slight Disagreement of the neck. L
scarcely knew what to say or think, for
I had seen him hung, and heard him pro-
nounced dead, and had delivered his body
to his friends for burial. and yet, after a
lapse of four months, there he sat, look
ing at me with a face as white as sheet.
The terror that was exhibited in his coun-
tenance convinced me that he was no
ghost, so l asked him with as much COOL
ness as / could command:
"Jack Larkins, do you know mc {"
"You'rc the man that hung me-" he
replied, doggcdly: at the same time NOV
ing away.
aBcforo you go, Larkins," said I, 81
would like to know how you cheated the
gallows."
@You won't peach on any of them folks
as helped me, will you ?" he inquired.
NO." replied, 81 will not get them
into any trouble. I simply wish to know
how you felt while you were hanging,
and how you were resuscitated."
He hestated for some time, but upon
a renewal of my assurance that none OF
his friends should be molested, he told me
the following story:
When l put the rope around his neck,
and left him on the gallows, he felt faint
ness about the heart. caused by his reali-
zing 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, and did
not produce either inscnsibiIity OF confu-
sion. His thoughts were remarkably
clear, and he seemed to have the power
of seeing far above, below and all around
him. Everything assumed bright YER
million hue, and soft, dreamy languor
gradually stole over him, until he became
inscnsiblc There was nothing painful
or unpleasant in anything he had under
gone. He seemed to be sinking gently
into delicious sleep, and all his thoughts
were pleasant.
The next he remembered was being
wrung by the most agonizing torture
The pains were not confined to any par.
ticular place, but extended through the
whole body. His first thought was that
he was in pcrdition, and was suffering the
penalty of his crimes. The pains increas
edGpch moment, and at last became SC
intense that he started to his feet with q
scream of anguish, at the samctimc open.
ing his eyes. Great was his surprise tc
find himself in his fathers house, in the
Ill n L.. G,;o1Jc ord rol, t;roc IT.