St. Landry democrat., 1879-08-23
Hung HIGHER Imam EssaaR:eHs.
ONE OF THE STRANGEST SUICIDES KNOWN
TO TIE COLUMN RULES.
little Euc'L Gazette.


It seems that tnc different counties
Of the State are rivaIlng EACH other III
the production of iui0syncratlc indiVl-
7luais. The last strange freak OF human
nature must be ascrfs,etl to izard county
which. from the nage, you might JHaSe
to he the last placesof. eccentrIclty, pniII pnI
which is not, us the following story VIII
show: ,4,..,
Josiah Hamman, a colored gentleman,
lived near he central part OF the county,
In his boyhoqsdsh VAS taught to read,
:s1'V 20 years Duio1v was DonIered quiteA learned
man by the p.jx4 boring people. Pos-
sessins fondness for ancient history,
and particularly the Bible, he devoted
much of his tune to historical research;
He was almitted.to the ministry, ana
on more than one occasion deeply I'M
pressed his audience. lie was SO de-
voted to his favorite studies, ana so
unmindfully neglected his physical, con
dition. that he grew thin and lank
Tie wasting away did not alone attack
his body, but opening up All engagement
with his mind greatly impaired 1t. lie
evinccd signs Of insanity, and, White
preaching, he threw up his hands wildly,
and exclaimed: Children, Hannah was
hung. as near as | can make !; calcuia-
ton, Il little over one hundred feet high.
Since that time no man has expiatcd Il
| crime so near the Father who made
him, Great are the demands OF the
HOLY Ghost. Great is the goodness OF
the Master. Now, children, the Lord
demands that some one OF rs shall
hang higher than Hannah. Not for any
crime particularly, but that the machin-
ery in the after years may work smooth
| ly. in that no one else will have to be
hung. Who is willing to accept OF this
glorious gift OF salvation /? Do you all
| sit, STARK afraid Of your SavlOVr9"
In stiffness like that which pervades
! a death chamber, the congregation sat
almost terrified by the witness OF the
minister.
"Who will accept Of tie rope ;"
| Loud breathing and al uneasy shut
| fling OF feet. No one spoke. until an
old colored wag arose and walked out
as he remarked:
GEE anybody tries ter put rope
around ole Giles's neck he'll think he's
kicked by mountain"
ing ont of the church, disappeared in tho
woods. On the following Sunday lie did
?, not come to church. Several of tho
I deacons went to his residence, and
| found that he was not at home. His
! wife said every morning, for the pasi
week, he had gone out into the woods
with an AK, not returning until night
| The dpacons went back to the church
/ and Communicated what they had heard
/ and dismissing the congregation, Wen1
back to the minister's house, and re
ceiving directions from the wife, wen
| into the d.ap-slatled forest. Following
an i'll aefihed path, they had Travelled
! about half ha:f o mile, when one Of tht
1.parties stopped and remarked: Hiia
! has been going OH here2" The expe
dition, thus brought to a halt, began al
y examination. On the ground, under. ;
tall hickory tree, were scattered chip;
and shayings.
"Great heavens" said one Of the aea
cons,n look up there
| The party looked up, and there, from
1 the highest point of the hickory tree
sst.langled Human body. Examination
Ssproved it to be that OF the ,eminister. Or
bis breast was pinned a card which read
|"Tn obedience to n demand that some
7 human being must hang higher thar
Haman, | am suspended from this tree
| His body was tenderly lowered to tIs
earth, and in the afternoon Of the same
day, last Sunday, funeral Grafton wal
| delivered by old Giles, who did not wan
| n ropa arn,,n1 his neck