The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-11
HANGED AS HE WAS DYING,
BENJAMIN HUNTER CARRIED UNCON-
SCIUUS W TO THE GALLONS,

euIiar GnllOWs-A fhtched-Np tonfessiOn.
C,vprv. Jan. l0.-Bcnjamin Hunter was
hargol ,ust before noon to-day. but 1t was upon
.sooringy lifecss body that the Sheriff exc
eu,sd the death sentence II was to all appear
amos. a dead man that was carried to tho gal
l,ws and one who had been dead for hours
There was even the waxy appearance that fol-
lows dissolution. and the half-opon staring look
n the cyes Tho only evidence Of life was tho
teche Boating Of the pulse and that ceased
far moro speedily than is customary at
sa.h times. The Sheriff only anticipated ma
mre hy a few hours. Hunters final agony. so
AR as Consciousness was concerned. was suf-
tred 10 his cell hours before the officer called
him. The limp. unconscious man who was
carried to the gallows. and held while the moose
WIS placed around his mock. had been pros
trsted by terror and was dying Of nervous OK
hausu1u and shock
twas carly on Thursday morning that Hun
Ter fret showed signs OF reaction. The terrible
strain upon his nerves could not be endured
Any longer. and when his brother told him that
AanM appeal TO Gov. Mcclellan for a respite for
sm1nth had been unavailing. and that he must
hang the next day his resources Of will seemed
exhausted. And yet only three days before. he
had had the nerve to cut the veins in the insteps
Of bis feet and to joke with his keeper as tho
Oh WI hlfl NNhls HulNAAt if ulu MOI hTtAl
the terror Of hanging was the only terror that
ever seemed TO come TO him. He sat by the fre.
which was built in stove that stood
lust outside the base of his cage on
last sunday evening" with blanket
wrapped about his legs. He complained Of
cod and frequently rubbed his legs. passing
Jokes with his keeper. But he at last seemed
la.e and weak. and the keeper handcuffed him.
threw him upon his cot and then for the first
time saw the cuts in his feet. Hunter had con-
cealed them with the blanket. and had rubbed
his legs 10 force the blood downward. His feet
vera on spittoon and a pint and more Of
toal was found in it. His pulse when the ply
.Han arrived WIS at $50. and he was only re-
vved hy an enema OF whiskey. and yet while
be sat there with his blood flowing away he
was playful and showed no trace Of fear. Tho
cuts were made with a sharp piece OF tin cut
from atli"t article.
Bgton Thursday there was no sportiveness.
such * has characterized his intercourse with
lis Keepers. Neither was he sury as has been
said. Instead. his brain seemed to be becoming
rup,G,l. lie refused food. Of which he had
eaten beautifully since his Imprisonment. and
BE- lay upon his cot like one who had been
drugged. lie did say to his keepers that he
wanted no one 10 enter his room except his
family and the Rev. DR.. Allen. but wheR these
came he could. 10y n struggle. command his
faculties barely enough 10 recognize them. Dr.
Allen prayed with him. II he heard the prayer
y gave no heed to il. but lay silent and with
closed eyes upon his bod. To his family. who
stayed three hours with him In the evening. he
saidliitle. At times he seemed to realize that they
were there TO bid him farewell. and then he
showed slight emotion. The shadow OF the gal
lows seemed 10 darkcn every other impression
gnd became packer ana bla"ker every minute
He could not be- reused sufficiently even to place
his hands between the bars Of his cage into
those ~ his wife and children. and when they
stood around him, with the bars Intervening be-
tween Them and the cot on which he lay, II
seemed Ike the gathering OF family around a
death bod. In fact. II was nothing else. A keeper
di seize hand and place II in that Of his wiic
conscious man. and they passed out without
Any last look or word.
andthen tossed his mead on his pillow and once
IN awhile made signs that indicated great thirst
n.ancl nor in any way indicated that he was
conscious. HIS physicians think that by this
time hi great mental anguish had passed AMI
he execution were endured 10y Hunter on
Thursday and ended toT him some time during
spdsWodIc action Of the involuntary mus lies
and he was given two large draughts Of wits
key; Itonly sent a momen,9ry sumulus 70 hii
y answer sheriff Cahoun's son. who asked hin
how be- ieit. ,,,,,.n
II" never poke again and that WAS at o'cocl
II the morning. AMI the execution WAS sever
muscles. and after that he rarely stirred. jus
o. the sun rose the keeper brought him some
akiast. a{uicy steak, crisp fried potatoes an,
taeuuy 70 touch 1t. and it was at last takel
At9 9'elock his brother -in-law. Andrew Get7
came his cage but Hunter did not know him
way iai axe that he WISHED dnal religious ser
Hav nr Hon hon ~
but the only ones who were touched by IN
corr w'ul uetition were the keepers, Mr.. Get2
Hunter So far AZ could be- seen, knew nothing
q what was going on. Mr.. Thompson was $
deoy,y AZ ted that he NJ once withdrew, as, di'
Tie Rey pr Allen. but Mr.. Getz remained a
the family representative until Hunter wa
Tho sheriff and his deputies. in spite OF IN
evidence the physi clans. and Of the apUaren
use"s-ness 81 any shamming At that umea DC
ne,cl mat Hunter was only pretending; INC
me gallows by mallngering because ne ha
saii one Jay 10 keeper, ! suppose II | an
down sick they wont take me out" But ID
Andrews who made n close study Of his symp
toms 10 In O'Clock saw that his condition wa
efu'al and that there was little probability g
Tho Sheriff stepped into his iron cage m
81 Sc o. him. There was no response II
Pulse was feeble. and Dr.. Andrews said tha
fli Larry circulation had already ceased. Tia
j. 'ac circulation Of the blood was confined
81" veins. n symptom precedent OF disso
1911 %. That explained tho waxy loo
% seem possible that Hunter might a
LA his cage after all, and yet not by suicide
lAe Sherln, therefore. made haste to eNecut
d. sentence. A word 20 the hangman. q mas
,rn marble dealer OF Camden, and he sllppe
3letly down the corridor 10 the place Of eNecu
IN1 Then. with a piece Of soap, he rubbed IN
.Y,'. AMI slipped Il NJ and down the rOp'
lVI ropes. That were really one. were all Their
Wa Z 70 gllI0w-. In the Camden Court lious
hrt 'wJ corridors that run one the length, IA
.'i"r the width u the building. AT the plao
n'er- 't0n. Il space eight iret square, tn
'lnrN hal decided 10 hang Hunter an
.c Lad AZ ilea u his own about tho best wa
.' carrying Oui the sentence. This was 10 q
t A auno,' % one end OF n rope and pass III
q" through "a hole in the ceiling over pulley
-f.Let iu tine floor Of tho court room above
81 ltr through another hole down 10 the base
1 .nt Here weight Of $50 pounds was a
mhni. suspended ty separate rope. IN
n.I-9 end was about four feet from that part Z
o." rope that passed through the floor TO III
basement whore the concealed weight was q
M'hei. So all the visible Rallows consisted
tW ropes. one with the moose dangling an
a. .'her lassing down like "A bell rope.
ne hangman carefully passed the ropes hao
M rth over tho pulleys, They seemed
u NYe easily and nOselessly. Then he wei
.a'N inform the Sheriff. Three Of the Ion
fri ~ were packed with men, many Z
NhiW were smoking, some testing. ana ~
ma lriy having their hats on. Almost unde
utAfI the tIue. Of eNaeutiOu WAS tho cell