The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-11-28
A Foolish BET,

The following affair occurred dav O,
Two since at a mining shaft on the Big
Evans. Three young men interested
IN the property had gone out to look nj
their claims and indulge in anticipa-
TONS OF the prospective millions in the
hole, and while their workmen were
discussing their dinner in neighbor.
ing cabin, sat at the mouth of the hole
conversing on general topics. In the
course of the talk death by stranguia a.
ton came up, and one of the party ex.
pressed the opinion that by the exer.
else of little Judgment and nerve 0
man could sustain lie for considera.
BILE length of time even when suspend.
ed by the neck from the end of rope
VI course this position was vigorously
combated by his companions, who said
that man when undergoing the hang.
ing process had no control whatever
over his muscles, and that therefore he
could no prevent the rope from cut
ting OIL his wind. The proponent oil
the idea insisted that he was right and
instanced several cases of which he had
read, i'll which the parties hanged had
prevented the rope from compress.
ing the blood vessels by a vigor-
GUS exercises of muscular power.
leaving hole in the wind pipe
giving the air necessary to sustain
life. lie claims that all that was neces-
sary was to hold the head in such DOS
itlon that the pressure of the rope
should come upon the back of the head
instancing tue act of trapeze perform.
ers, who hang from moose, by simply
holding the head well back. TO chai-
ienge to illustrate his theory in his own
person, he replied that he was perfectly
willing to do so, and offered to bet S.
that he would permit his companions to
haul him, suspended by the neck from
the end of the bucKet-rope, from the
bottom of the shaft seventy feet, to the
surface, aud that he would then walk
OIL unharmed, except from the abra-
sion OF the skin. The bet was foolishly
taken and the fool-hardy theorist al
once descended the shaft and commen.
ced preparations for his hazardous ex.
pertinent. Tying the rope around his
neck, he threw his head back firmly
upon the knot and gaye the signal to
MOIST away. The signal was obeyed
ana In an instant he was swinging in
the air. Instead of the pressure of head
upon the knot having the effect antici-
pated, however, it caused the moose to
contract, as any one gifted with com.
men sense could have told him, and in
few seconds he became painfully
aware that he was in immense danger
of sacrificing his life to an idiotie the
ory. He tried to call out to his asso-
ciates, but the pressure of the rope
upon his throat made this impossible
The rope still contracted; the blood
impeded in its passage, filled his head
almost to bursting; his eyes protruded
from their sockets; his swollen tongue
began to make its way between his
lips, and then he became unconcious.
His friends, to do them justice, hav-
ing no faith in the experiment, hoisted
as fast as possible and the ascent was
made in much shorter time than /
usually occupied in the passage of
bucket of ore for the same distance
BY the time, however, that their inani.
mate burden reached the surface il
presented an appearance of the most
horrible character; and almost para.
lyzed with fear, as well as worn ont by
the violent and unaccustomed oxertion
they were unable to draw their friend
from the mouth of the shaft. Fortuna
tcly the cabin was but short distance
off, and by vigorous yell they brought
out the workmen, who dragged the
body out upon the platform.
AT first it was thought that the young
man was dead, but a careful cxamina
ton of the body convinced miner o.
experience that life was not extinct
and vigorous rubbing, with the addi
tional Influence of liquor poured dowr
the throat, had the effect of restoring
consciousness in the course of half al
hour. After rest of several hours
the young man recovered sufficiently
from the fatigue of his perilous journey
to ride TO the city. One more expert
ence has been gained, and he is nov
convinced that hanging will produces
death as certainly as the bullet, an,
when d man has n rope around hi
neck, and is suspended thereby, he ha
no control whatever over the situation