The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-10
A FOOLISH WAGER.
How a Young Man Suffered the
Tortures OF Hanging on a Bet of
Five Dollars.
ILeadville Herald.l


Five Dollars.
ILeadville Herald.l
The following affair occurred day or
two since at mining shaft on the Big
Evans: Three young men interested in
their property had gone'Out to look attheir
claim, and indulge in anticipations Of the
prospective millions in the hole, and,
while their wOrkmen were discussing
their dinner in 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 a man could sustain life for a con-
siderable length of time, even when sus-
paaded by the neck from the end of a
rope. Of course this position was vigor-
Ously combated by his companions, who
said that man, when undergoing the
hanging process, had no control whatever
over his muscles, and that therefore he
could not prevent the rope from cutting
of his wind. The proponent of the idea
insisted that he was right, and instaneed
several cases of which he had read, in
which the parties hanged had prevented
the rope from COMPRISING the blood yes
sells by vigorous exercise of muscular
power, a hole in the windpipe giving the
air necessary to sustain life. He claimed
that all that was necessary was to hold
the head in such position that the
pressure of the rope should come upon
the back of the head, instancing the acts
of trapeze performers, who hang un-
harmed from moose by simply holding
the head we'll back. TO challenge to
illustrate his theory in his own person, he
replied that he was perfectly willing to
do so, and offered to bet SIS that he would
permit his companions to haul him, sus-
pended 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 un-
harmed, except for the abrasion of the
skin. The bet was foolishly taken, and
the fool-hardy theorist at once descended
the shaft and commenced preparations
for his hazardous experiment. Tying the
rope round his neck he threw his head
back firmly upon the knot, and gave the
signal to hoist away. The signal was
obeyed, and in an instant he was swing
ing in the air. Instead of the pressure
of his head upon the knot having the ef-
feet anticipated, however, it caused the
moose to contract, as any one gifted with
common sense could have told him, and
in few seconds he became painfully
aware that he was in immediate danger
of sacrificing his life to an idiotic theory.
He tried to call out to his associates, but
the pressure of the rope upon his throat
made this impossible. The rope still con-
tracted the blood, impeded in its passage,
filled his head almost to bursting; his
swollen tongue began to make its way
through his lips, and then he became un-
conscious.
His friends, to do them justice, having
no faith in the experiment, hoisted as fast
as possible, and the ascent was made in a
much shorter time than is usually occu-
pied in the passage of a bucket of ore for
the same distance. By the time, however,
that their inanimate burden reached the
surface it presented an appearance of the
most horrible character, and almost para
lived with fear, as well as worn ont by
the violent and unaccustomed exertion
they were unable to draw their friend
from the mouth Of the shaft. Fortunate
ly 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 careful examination
of the body convinced miner Of exper-
ience that life was not extinct, and Wig
orous rubbing, with the influence Of
liquor forced down the throat, had the
effect of restoring consciousness in half an
hour. After rest of several hours, the
young man recovered sufficiently from
the fatigue of his periious journey to ride
to the city. One more experience has
been gained, and he is now convinced
that hanging win produce death as GER
tainly as the bullet, and when man has
rope around his neck, and is suspended
thereby, he has no control whatever over
the situation,