The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-09-26
A BUNGLED EXECUTION.
HORRIBLE EXPERIENCES OF ANDERSON SHIFT
LETT ON THE scAFroLD-rHE ROPE BREAKS.
lDY TELEGRAPH TO THE HYRALp1

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCES OF ANDERSON sHIfF-
LETT ON THE scAFroLD-rHE ROPE BREAKS.
lDY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
HARRisoSBuRG, Va, Sept 25, 1877.
The execution OF Anderson shiniet. one OF the
three persons convicted Of tho murder NJ David G..
Lawson In the mountainous region OF East Rocking
ham the afternoon Of the 18th Of March, 1875 took
place here today within the Jail enclosure Up to
yesterday II was believed by almost everybody VINO
had attended the trials OF tho persons charged with
tho killing Of Lawson that slas Morris, Shinieits
ooafedcrate In the for which he has been hanged
would have been executed ut the same time. but q
respite from Governor Kompcr arrived by special
sengcr from Richmond at noon yesterday. ana Morris
has another month in which to seek to establish his
olaim to exemption from the penalty patti by Ander-
Shifisi. The execution was comparatively pri-
vae, the present tho enclosure the
OF the jail numbering not than forty fifty.
Among those reporters for thc newspaper
press.
shinictt rested very uneasiy the sisht before his
execution, aroaning and tossing upon hts COUCH Tho
sacrament administered 10 him In his cell at
eight A. N. by Rev. David Barr. OF tho Episcopal
Church. assisted by Rev. william G. EIglcston, OF the
Southern Methodist Episcopal Church. In the presence
of one two special trends of the condemned Acr
the conclusion OF tho services OF tho sacrament tho
lynn commencing
Jesus, lover OF my soul,
sung with an JUNCTION. tho condemned seeming to
engage heartily IN tho exercises. shllett had made
profession OF religion and said he felt that whom no
lett this world he would soon be with his maker.
At THE scArroLp.
Tho platform was erected In the roar of the cell
cuped by Silas Morris and Louisa Lawson, now un-
dor sentence Of death participants In tho murder
scafold was plain platform ten feet nine inches high
with step. IL had tall oil four foeI II erected
IN Two ticrs, tho expectation being that Slas Morris
also condemned 10 he executed with Shiiett to-day
would occupy tho second platform. Tho Harrisonburg
Guards whose services this occasion had boon
called into rcquIsition by tho Governor, surrounded
the jail TO prevent the crowd getting near the
prison Ropes stretched the streets
Jail aud the Impatient ana curious crowd was thus kept
~ distance from the terrible and revolving cxhibi-
tion. SO eager, however, curious persons
soc the execution that tncy climbed upon tho house
tops nd chimneys surrounding me Jail
Shictt was taken from his cell after tho conclusion
oil religious services, and supported on either side by
High sheriff D. H. Rolston, tho jaier and ono OF his
acputcs was conducted through tho corridor into the
enclosure where the scanold stood. Hc worry
neatly dressed IN new SUIT OF plain dark clothing,
was oareheadcd and had Just been shaved. He was
weeping Violently as no passed TO tho scafold and
DENLY appreciated fully Tho horrors OF The situation
He had douh,iess broken down and was iull OF
dread. He held ms hands to HIS face az he
passed to and mounted the steps OF the scaIoid and
consinusd weeping and grooming almost all the time
Rev. Mr. Barr, his spiritual Trend ana adviser, read
from the scafold statement as the dying testimony
Ut the condemned that a former confession which he
nau mhue WAS Untrue
HIS DYING STATEMENT.
In his statement he declares that his confession
heretofore made far as II connected him with tho
atrocous murder Tor which hc was 10 be hanged, was
untrue. He declared that he three quar- ers oil
mile from whcro Lawson vas killed when he heare
tue gun crack. He also cxoncrxtes Silas Morn.
from completely the murder II is believed
these statements have resulted far In Sc
curing for Morris respite for month
scaod by his spiritual friend, the ropo adjuste,
about his neck and the black drawn his iac
by sheriff Rnlslon ana his deputy, Mr.. Swizor. Shif
lott was all the time crying and moaning IN grea
agony and icar
A HORRIBLE SIGHT
Deputy Sheriff Bear then cut the iope which held vi
the platform Sniett tell to the ground the rspc
tor swapping like thread and scarcely breaking hi
fall The effect OF the iall simple con
cussion, the condemned recov
erng aud continuing, as before, his ptc0us wainI
at ms inevitable fate Al I'VE minutes past n
was again carried TO the scafod, heavier rope hav
ing boon procured and adjusted aUoUt hls neck tn
black cap again drawn down. Al thss point be bcgp q
thai the cap might be lifted 80 that ne Gould day
light once ere he went into The darkness cIer
MY beyond HIS last request having been granted
he looked wistuly at The sun and then At the spcca
tors, and sad:- ..s .ar H,
.GoodDy, sso,lemen, oil of.yon am innocent, IA
nOcent, ipnOccnt!'
AZ piee minutes pessAsa -saa Asefs w~s ssasa- ex
anu the body Of Anoorson So illicit wa Dangling IA
writing beneath the scafIolu tic was pr0nouncc
dead IN eleven aud 0nc-haif minutes, d0Ath havin
Of his mock. After hanging twenty live. minutes IN
body, which was placed IN PLAIN. cheap pine CONN
was handed over TO his frcuQs and carried 10 hi
former homo Tor burial