The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1872-04-25
A BRUTAL, HORRIBLE .EXECU.
TlON.
The Hanging of LOgSdOn in FentreSS
COunty-The Rope Breaks Twice.

From the Kingston Easl Tsansssssan
We take the following account Of the
hanging OF James Iogsdon at jamestown,
Fentress county; on Friday the 9th inst.
The correspondent says: s.N '.a Zoo n.
We arrived at jamestown fifteen min
utes after nine o'clock in the morning
and proceeded at once to the gallows,
which was erected in low swag with conf
manding hills in nearly all directions.
There were already some fifteen bundred
or two thousand people on the ground,
"and still they eame," and by eleven
o'clock the crowd had augmented to some
four thousand. About this time the
prisoner appeared in sight, shrouded and
sitting in two.horse wagon, driven by
Mr.. NJ. Wright, accompanied by the Sher
if, with strong guard, and prosecutor,
together with the Rev. Messrs, Wright,
Grear and Pile. Tho wagon was drawn
up to the gallows, and religious services
we're commenced by the Rev. Mr.. Grear
who read the sSth Psalm aud also tile
9th chapter of Paul to the Hebrews,
singing song found on the 659th page
of the Hymn Book, followed by prayer;
after which ithe Rev. Mr.. Wright, who
had been selected to preach the fhieral,
took his stand in the wagon and preached
short and very feeling sermon from the
word: "WhosO sheddeth mans blood by
man shall his blood ba shed. 9th chap.
ter, 9th verse, of Genesis. At the end of
the sermon, the time appointed for the
hanging being yet half an hour off, some
fifteen minutes were taken up in singing
and praying, when, ut fifteen minutes, be-
fore two o'clock, the prisoner mounted
the Scaffold, and the Sheriff proceeded to
tie the rope, which was a half-inch hemp
cord. He then asked the prisoner if he
had anything to say, who said, in very
low tcne of voice; 81 want You all to
take warning from this and meet me IN
Heaven" Rev. Samuel Groar was at
this time supporting him. The Sheriff
then drew the cap over his face, and des-
cending from rhe platform, announced,
"1he man has Eve minutes to live" At
this time IL death-like silence prevailed
through the crowd. The prisoner, stand.
ing on the seaffold unsupported, showd
very little sign of emotion. The Sheriff
again announced, "rhe man has three
minutes to live" At the end of the time
he knocked out the trigger, which was
very couviniently arranged. The weight
of the prisoner at once snapped the rope
and lie fell to the ground with IL dull,
henvy thud. He was Immediately seized
by the Sheriff and his guard, who put II
new rope ON him, throwing 1t over the
gallows, and three or four men taking the
end, they hoisted him up again very much
after the fashion of hanging dog. This
time he hung sOme two minutes, swing.
ing round five or six times, when, his feet
getting near the ground, in an attempt
to raise him little higher, he again
broke the rope, coming to the ground the
second time. Once more he was seized
and hoisted, the blood running from his
mouth and nose, aud his shroud nearly of
of him. This time the rope proved sufi
cient and the poor fellow was lamched
into eternity. Such was the fate of Cal
Legsdon, the murderer of the Galloway
family.