Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-06-12


CRUELTY OF THE GinBEr - IMPROVE
MENTs IN THE MODERN GALLows-lTs
VICTIMS ARE LESS LIKELY TO ESCAPE
The extreme penalty of the law inflicted
on the person of Anton Probst, lends an in-
terest to the following grim "reminiscences of
the gibbet:-
We do not, as a nation, hang so many cul-
prits as in bygone years. We may, by-and-
by, cease to infict this awful punishment at
all. But so long as the law, and religion,
and justice, and public sentiment are consid-
cred to warrant the continuance of this an
cient mode of retribution, so long ought there
to be no mockery, no mistake, no trickery
about it. If man survives after hanging,
without proof OF his innocence accompany
ing hisrecovery, twould be infinitely better
TO society (ol his wretched self we say moth
ing,) that he had not been hanged at all,
seeing that the sense of just punishment
would be swallowed up in kind of pity for
the novelty of his position.
Now such things have occurred, sufficient
ly often to merit attention. Men have re.
covered their lives, or rather retained life
under nearly desperate circumstances, in
spite of what seemed to be n due infiction
of the punishment of death by suspension.
Something of this possibility of escape was
owing to the mode in which the punishment
was usually inflicted, aud to many it may
probably be unknown that change has
been made in recent times in the construc
tion and arrangement of the apparatus fol
carrying out the last great penalty of the
law.
For something like six hundred years, Al
any rate, such escapes have from to time
been recorded. In 1864 there was a woman
named Inetta de Balsharn condemned tC
death for collusion with robbers; she wai
hanged, and remained on the gibbet III the
records OF the time are To be trusted NJ
less than three days, and yet she survived t'
receive pardon from Henry III.
In 1913, Matthew of Enderby was hanged
for some crime of which he had been con
victed; he was cut down, and revived jus
before the body was about to be inferred
In 1883 Walter Wynkeburn was hanged a
Leicester; when cut down, he was carried il
a cart 10 the cemetery of the Holy sepulchr,
in that city; he gradually regained sensi
bility while the cart was rumbling along
and escaped with life. Similar cases oc
CURED in the fifteenth and sixteenth centu
ries. The seventeenth century was excep
tionably full OF such instances
DIR. Plot mentions the strange lot of
Swiss on the authority of Dr. Obadiah Wal
ker, master of University College; this mar
is said to have been hung no less than thir
teen times without losing his life, his wind
pipe having been converted by disease int,
substance almost as hard as bone.
No instance has been so much discusse,
and written about as that of Annie Green
which took place during the time of tn,
Commonwealth Judges and physician
alike referred to it, as affording illustration
for or against legal and medical Testimony
This poor girl was executed at Marston, il
Oxiordshire, on December IA, 1860 for in
tanticide-a charge which could only b.
proved against hev by much strainfng of tn
| A"hi ehiS SoNSllly, uuu u kuOWleuge oil tn
wrong she had suffered in other ways, mad
her an object of much public sympathy
The hanging was accompanied by certair
coarse and shocking pullngs and striking
of the body and limbs, which, in those days
were supposed to insure more eifectually tn
death of the victim, and to lessen the perio,
of suffering.
After hanging the usual time she was Gu
down, actually trampled on while PROSTATE
and left with the rope unslacked around he
neck. She was put into coffin and con
signed to the doctors for dissection. To tn
surprise of all, when the coffin was opened
the bosom was seen gently to heave; upoi
which brutal blows and pressure wer
brought into requisition. The incident wa
too remarkable, however, to remain con
cealed, and men of superior position took u
the matter. Sir William Petty, DR.. Walli
and DIR. Clark, who at that time filled th
three offices of Professor of Anatomy, Presi
dent of Magdalen College, and Vice Chan
cellor of Oxford University, being present a
the intended dissection, perceived that tn
heaving of the bosom was followed by
slight rattling in her throat.
Hereupon," said Dr. Plot, " desistin
from their former purpose, they present.
used means for her recovery bv opening