Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1870-09-09

lastr'
And this was my uncle's story
one of those romances that some
times happen in real life under our
own eyes. Was it not worth jotting
down, "e'en as it was told tt me-"
A CHASTITY SCENE.
John A. Skaggs was hung on
Friday in Bloomfield. Mo-, for the
murder Of General Richardson.-
The st. Louis Republican of Sun
day contains full account. by a
reporter dispatched for the purpose,
from which we extract the follow
ing extraordinary narrative:
At twelve minutes after one ev-
Herything was in readiness. There
was to be now no more suspense
Skaggs was standing in the center
of the trap door, when the sheriff
seized hatchet and severed at one
cut, the rope which supported the
trap.
Skaggs last words after the black
cap had been placed upon him,
were ''-save my soul. / com
mend my soul to Cod"
The drop was FIVE feet. As the
rope suddenly became straight, the
moose, which was not creased.
swerved round, and the knot went
to The back of the head, leaving the
back of the neck exposed. On the
other side the rope settled a little
beneath the chin, and the mans
head was inclined forward. 1t was
stated that the rope slipped in con-
sequence of the imperfect arrange
ment for releasing the trap-door.
At the time the sheriff cut the
rope of the trap violent shudder
was manifested on his countenance /:
he leaped back and jumped down
the steps at two bounds; subdued
ordinations came from the crowd,
the children screamed, and the wo
men hid their faces in their hand
kerchiefs and sobbed Al if their
heart would break. Ole glance OF
the man hanging there was sufficient
for them. The men were compla-
cent spectators. The body. were,
it fell, vibrated a little: when it
ceased, Scraggs tried to lift his legs
up aud it gave him swaying mo-
ton. His neck was not broken at
all, and he must have suffered ter
ribly for a short time. Had his
arms not been bound he would have
moved them as it was the extremi
ties did move slightly. The mans
violent Improvements continued for
three minutes and half when they
became less observable. They sab
side into twitching ofthe fingers
The Sheriff had engaged DIR. J. w
Jackson and DR.. Joseph f. McDon-
aid, of Bloomfield, to decide the
moment when life became extinct.
Nine minutes elapsed since the trap
fell, when DR.. Jackson felt Skaggs'
pulse and said that pulsation had
ceased two minutes before. The
propriety of cutting him down was
then discussed. The Sheriff urged
the letting him remain ten or TWEEN
ty minutes more, or a longer time
if necessary. DR.. jackson thought
it useless to let the body remain
suspended long. and DR.. Mcdonald
corroborated him as the pulsation
at the wrist ceased. The body had
not that deathly hue commonly seen
at hanings, but the color of it had
changed considerably, being purple.
DIR. Jackson recommended the low
ering of Skaggs, and Sheriff Kitchen
consented, saying that he depended
upon them DR.. Jackson ordered
some OF the guards to take him
down, which was done. The rope
was lowered instead of being cut
Skaggs was taken down thirteen
minutes and half after he fell. His
neck had not been broken. The
guard who had been stationed round
the rings with instructions to have
their guns and pistols in readiness
and face the crowd if there was any
interference, were ordered to fall
back, and the crowd were admitted
within the inclosure, to sec Skagg's
lifeless body. What rush there
was! But there was something else
to be attained than TIE satisfaction
of the morbid curiosity ofthe crow owd.
What this was, was soon developed.
Several persons had noticed little
box wrapped up in a newspaper ly-
ing upon the ground, and as the
body was being carried off with
haste, this was picked up by DIR.
Jackson with no less alacrity. 1t was
a galvanic battery.
sKAGGs ALIVE
The body which had been dang
ling at the end of rope, was car
ried into an unfinished room in the
new Court building, about
fifty yards distant, and placed upon
a carpenters bench which stood in
the center. A coffin, which had not
been used yet, was reared on one
end in a corner of the room. The
place was small and there was a |
dense crowd in it,while the windows
were darkened with faces from the
outside, an more of the weaker sex
we're peering through lath openings |
in an upholstered dividing wall. DR..
Jackson got on one side of the
bench, and DIR. Mcdonald on the
othee, and the body and galvanic
battery were between them. 1t was
soon evident what the intention was
and the sheriff was not slow in di-
vining it, and endeavoring to ftus
trate it.
Skagg's appearance as he lay upon
the bench was very similar to what