The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-08-10
A Fearful Scene at the Gallows.

It has already been stated that at the exc
cution Of John Real in New York on Fri
day last the black cap by some mistake was
not drawn over his face. The New Yori
Sun Of Saturday gives the following de
scription of the SCENE on the scaffold
''When he arrived under the rope he a1lt
the priests and Mr.. Stevens turned arGunt
and knelt down, while the deputies formed
in front of the policemen and reverently
knelt. A fervent prayer was offered o.
several minutes duration, amid the n1osl
deathly silence, and then Real, the two
priests, and the deputies, rose to their feet
During the prayer the eXccutioner drew
out the moose and fastened it to the rope.
putting rubber band over the double hook
to keep it from slipping. When the prayer
was concluded he again stepped up and
drew the moose tight with both hands, sc
that the knot rested on the bone of the skull
Just behind the left ear. Real turned red
in the face while this was being done, and
his hands trembled, but he showed no other
sign of weakness.
"Father Duranquet was then, at 9:0S
just about to give him the cruciix to kiss,
when suddenly, without warning. dull
thud was heard, and Reals body flew up to
the height of six or seven feet toward the
right, and bounded down more than q foot
the rope sinking deep into his flesh, and the
knot slipping like lightning around to the
hollow of the back of the neck. The priests
just escaped being knocked down, and re.
tired sorrowfully to the corner in the rear
A look of horror instantly transfixed every
countenance strong men threw their arms
before their faces to shut out the horrid
sight, and some fairly groaned with terror
" The black cap had not been pulled do,on
orer Reals face, and all the agony of ylo'
lent death was about to be seen In the con
tortions of his countenance. 1t seems that
it had been agreed upon that Under Sheriff
Stevens should first raise his hand as a sig
nal to draw down the black cap, and after
wards should wave his handkerchief for the
cutting of the rope. While standing with
his hat in one hand and his handkerchief il
the other awaiting the end Of the religion:
ceremonies u fly happened to alight upon
his nose, and he unconsciously raised NJ:
handkerchief to crush it away.
"The hangman in the box saw what he
took to be the signal, and struck blow
which not only instantly severed the rope
but sank deep into the sleeper below. MIR
Stevens was horror-struck. He wrung hi:
hands. and went to the reporters desk, eX
claiming, 1T was not my fault; it was the
fault Of that man there pointing to the
executioner.
'The expression of the doomed mans
face as he went into the air was one Whlcf
will haunt those who saw it to their dying
day. Both eyes and the mouth .openect
wide, and the features wore a mingled looE
of intense fear and reproach. When az
fell his body turned quickly to the left, hi:
eyes still open and looking apparently al
the crowd around him, while the noise 0
the air gurgling in his throat could be dis
tinctly heard.
"He then swung slowly to the right hi:
eyes closed, and then opened twice witt
difficulty, a film gathering over them, and
then shut forever his hands fell heavily
from his breast to his sides and tWitcheo
two or three times, and We're still his BODY
raised itself convulsively thrice, dung r
limp. He was lowered slowly to
t1Nsas ihfl foot Of the ground, and the front
f the cap was pulled over his eyes LII an
wer to deprecatory hiss from the specta-
ors.
g lie hung still for minute or two, ana
hen his legs came together four or nYe
ines. After that he never moved. HIS
cath was one of the quickest and easiest
f the kind on record after three seconds
e was insensible. Had the job been bum
led, and had he struggled as much as Rey-
!olds did, the scene would have oeen past
earing."