The Republican journal., 1869-07-01
HOW 1T FEELS TO BE HANGED.


The Overland Monthly has very ingenious
story of a murderer who, after being hanged
till life was pronounced to be extinct was
cretly brought to life again by the aid of cleo
trcity. Years afterwards, he detailed as fol
lows, to one Of the witnesses Of the execution,
who Glanced to meet him in New Orleans,
the following account of his sensation on that
fearful occason
The final prayer was said the usual thanks
rendered and greetings given; the cord was
adjusted about my neck, | was placed upon
the trap, | looked for the last time upon famil-
lar objects, the cap was ad justed over my face
felt an increased heat around my heart, a
fullneSs of the throat, a slight weakness Of
the mucles of my limbs, then an involuntary
shrinking of the nerves and a catching Of the
breath as l felt myself falling then fierce.
fiery pain shot through my whole frame. my
head seemed bursting, and my consciousness
was gone.
How long | remained unconscious [ do
not know but when sensihility returned, it
was entirely mental. The shock of my fall
tiles and destroyed the physical capacity of
sense, but my mental powers wers soon re-
sumed in wonderful manner, for my eari-
est remembrance of anything was the COM
bination of all the colors of the prism glow
ing radiantly before my eyes. OF course
did not see them with my eyes, but | seemed
to see them thus, as they glowed and waved
and blended, then separated, then reformed
themselves in new combinations, and danced
and laughed with brilliancy far exceeding
the ralnbow's painting OF the prism's power.
This gorgeous scene began to fade away,
and my next transition was into sea Of light
not the light of the SUM- or such light as is
made by any chemical combustion, but a light
of dazzling, glowing, whiteness and purity,
OF which my own mind seemed to be 4 part.
now began to observe my own condition
knew my whole body was growing cold and
rigid the only preceptible warmth being in
my heart, and wandered how long it would
be before that, too, should become cold like
the balance and should entirely die. l even
should have to endure when that spot did
grow cold but | never knew. While thus
took note Of the physical condition. my mind
with grandly increased power was fully
occupied Before me in review and then
gathered around me were all the transactions
or good or evil-ef life there was nothing
forgottcn-nothing absent | saw them all
knew and recognized them all; even minute
and insignificant circumstances, which at the
time had made no impression on me. We're now
there, and | became fully aware of the fact
that this sentient being which had animated
my body would not die, but would live on and
on eternally and eternallv, surrounded by and
in companionship with all the transactions
of physical life. Everlasting life was as con-
clusively shown to me as if the spirit of him
who had been dead a thousand wears had Spo-
ken the fact. But how was to exist, where
{ should | exist? | knew ! was not a part of
my body III fact desired to entirely sever
the connection with it, and impaticntly wait
ed till the warm spot of my heart should get
cold. Had | been at liberty to accept or re-
ject an offer of return to vitality | should
have rejected it, In vain scanned the light
: around me for 4 revelation of my future con-
dition. In vain / applied all the brilliant
powers of my purified mind to pierce the flu
ture. even to comprehend the present. | re-
called my early Instructions, and sought for
yawning gulf and crystal gates, but on the
one hand [ found no devouring tiends, and
on the other | saw no cleaning chariots |
heard neither songs Of JOY nor wailings OF
woe, nor found any other being than my own.
existed in my own former life, and 50 far as
there forever. This was not desirable, but
from ii | saw no way of escape
have no idea of the time | passed in this
condition, but it must have been all the time
required by medical Judgment to deprive me
of life, for in the midst of my speculations
became aware of the removal and handling OF
my body. | remember l thought they were
about to bury me, and as | was not dead, |
wished to protest against it. | loathed the
idea of being incarcerated in the grave with
my body, or having any further companion
ship with it. l did not know what was being
done, but felt myself in motion for Il time !;
then the motion ceased then there was a
quick, sharp, rending pain, fearful shudder
of my whole physical powers, writing, an
: anguish far worse than the anguish of death
and sensibility and senses slowly returned to
} me; once more my heart, which had never
grown cold throbbed, my vital functions were
partially re-established, and again | became
burthened with the cares, anxieties and sor-
f rows of life. To me it has been one long sor-
row, and without joy or hope | await the time
when shall once more bathe in the sea of
light, once more gather around me the rad-
ance of life everlasting.
My resuscitation was the result of an ap-
f pication Of electricity and the skill of a sur
gcon For a few days, until l had partially
recovered my strength was concealed, and
fled the country.