The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1879-12-27
A FOOLISH WAGER.
How Young Man Suffered the Tortur-s a
Hanging Oh Bet Of o5.

Row Young Man Suffered the Tor,ur-s a
Hanging Oh Bet Of o5.
tFrom the Leadville Herald.l
The following affair occurred some
time since at mining shaft on the
Big Evans. Three young men inter
ested in the property had gone ont to
look at their claim and indulge in an
ticipations of the prospective millions
In the hole, aud. while their workmen
were discussing their dinners III
neighboring cabin, sat at the mouth OF
the hole, conversing on general topics.
In the course of the talk, death by
strangulation came mp, and one Of the
parties expressed the opinion that, by
the exercise OF little Judgment and
nerve, man could sustain life for
considerable length Of tine. even when
suspended by the neck by the end Of
rope. OF course this position was Wig
orously combated by his companions,
who said that when man was under
going the hanging process he had no con-
troll whatever over his muscles. end
that, therefore, he could not prevent
the rope from cutting Of his wind The
proponent Of the idea insisted that he
was right, and instanced several cases,
OF which he had read, IN which the par.
ties hanged had prevented the rope
from compressing the blood vessels by
vigorous exercise OF muscular power,
hole in the windpipe giving the air
necessary to sustain life. He claimed
that all that was necessary was to hold
the head III such a position that the
pressure Of the rope should come upon
the back OF the head, instancing the
acts Of trapeze performers, who
hang unharmed from a moose, by
simply holding the head well back. To
8 challenge to illustrate his theory in
his own person, he replied that he was
perfectly willing to do So, and offered
10 bet s. that he would allow his com
panions to haul him, suspended by the
neck from the end of the bucket-rope,
from the bottom of the shaft, seventy
feet deep. to the surface, and that he
would then walk off nnharmed. except
for the abrasion OF the skin. The bet
vas tooliahly taken, and the foolhariy
tloorist At onee descended the shaft anu
commenced preparations for his naz-
ardous experiment, lying the rope
around his neck, he threw his head
back firmly upon the knot and gave the
signal to hols. away. The signal .aa
oheyed, and III an instant he was swing
Ing in the air. Instead Of the pressure
at his head upon the knot having the
effect anticipated, however, it caused the
Moose to contract, as any one gifted
with common sense could have told
hjm, and in a few seconds he became
painfully aware that he was in imne-
iiste danger of sacrificing his life to an
idiotic theory. He tried to call out t.
his associates, but the pressure of tho
rope upon his throat made this impos-
siple. The rope still contracted; the
blood, iupeded in its passage, filed lis
head almost to bursting; his eyes pro-
truded from their sockets; his swollen
tongue began to make its way between
his lips, and then he became uncon-
scious.
His friends, to do them justice, hay
ing no faisl III the experiment, hois,ea
as fast as possible. and the ascent Was
made in G. much shorter time than IL
usually occupied in the passage Of a
bucket Of ore for the same distance.
BY the time, however, that their imam
innate burden reached the surface, i,
presented al appearance Of the most
horrible character, and, almost paral-
wed with fear, as we'll as worn ont by
the violent and unaccustomed exertion,
they were unable to draw their friend
from the mouth OF the shaft. Fortu-
nately the cabin was but short distance
Of, and, by vigorous yell, they brought
ont the workmen, who dragged the
body out upon the platform.
At first it was thought that the
young man was dead, but careful ex-
animation Of the body convinced
miner Of experience that life was not
extinct, aud vigorous rubbing, with
the additional influence of liquor forced
down the throat, had the effect of re-
storing consciousness in the course OF
half an hour. After a rest Of several
hours the young man recovered snf1i-
ciently from the fatigue of his perilous
journey to ride to the city. One more
experience had been gained, and he is
now convinced that hanging will pro-
duce death as certainly as the bullet.
and when man has rope around his
neck, and is suspended thereby, he has
10 control whatever over the situation.
Curious Freak Of Nature.
49, ~ ~.a.,A oI~1o -.