Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-01-15
CALCRAFT, THE HANGMAN.
Ihe Famous English Character who H.
just Passed Away.
From the New York Star.

From the New York Star
eyes, sir; I knew Calcraft person.
ally," said middle-aged Londoner
to reporter for the Star. Noting the
surprise on the writer's countenance
at this frank admission of a personal
acquaintance with so notorious a
character, the Cockney. informer add
ed quickly: ''Now, don't misunder-
stand me. / wasn't friend of CAL
crafts, bat 1 remember his being
pointed out to me as the common
hangman and as chance would have
it, we met several times afterwsrd,
had few brief talks together, and
even shook hands. saw a bit of q
curious fellow then, and 1 nerved
myself to do it just to see how 1t
would feel. That's nearly twenty
years ago, but remember it as if it
was but yesterday. Somehow the man
fascinated me. had read of him,
when boy, as skillful hangman;
in fact, he was one Of my iscroes.-
You see, the paper used to ccmpli-
ment him on his dexterity, and CAL
craft used to take a pride in doing
his work we'll. Well, I'm not SO sure
about the time, but 1 know that Jack
Ketch (this was the vulgar name had
just finished off Muller, the young
German tailor who, to get his passage
money to America, murdered Mr..
Briggs in railroad carriage. This
murder n ade an awful sensation, and
at the hanging of Muller there was
about as disgraceful scene as was
ever witnessed at Newgate.
''Go on your story is interesting"
"Well, as was saying, old CAL
craft had just finished off Muller, and
had made himself still more famous
, by his latest exploits, so l thought
I'd see how 1 felt to grasp the hand
of man who had the reputation OF
being the most competent executioner
) of his age, and who had swung into
eternity the most noted criminals of
modern times. So after speaking to
him casually once or twice l offered
, him my hand one evening as 1 said,
Good day He gave just the slight
est twitch, as if he hesitated, and
then stretched out his gloved hand.
, | vas disappointed, but still the sem
sation was enough for me. / seemed
to receive galvanic shock, and then
mesmeric current passed up my
arm, neuralgia spasm seized my
brain, and In few hours / was writh-
t ing in pain on my bed.
) ''Imagination, you say. Well. per.
! haps it was, and perhaps it WASH t.
: At all events, the remembrance of il
/ comes to me as distinct to-day as il
= Calcraft was standing, as he did or
| that evening, close to me. What VS.
he like? Oh, he had the appearance
:: then of a Methodist minister. He was
dressed in clerical black, wore /,
e white choker, high hat and kit
n gloves, and carried gold headed
: cane. He was solemn as an under
d taker. had white hair, and pleasant
Ii almost kindly, countenance, and
n slow, measured tread. l have seel
d him stop and chat softly to the chill
l. dren as he passed them. AS I re
C member him, he seemed like benev
C oient city missionary going on hi
II rounds. Of course he was not gen
d orally known, and he stunned an,
t notoriety. The way came to kno,
lie that Jack ketch' visited my mex
is door neighbors in Court, nea
,e Bunhill Row, in the East Central Dis
l. trict of London, was through the gos
l. sip of servant. The great ma
would come on certain regular days
IF take tea with his friends, and depal
2, as silently as he came, and used +
il notiae he was always admitted immt
II diately on his knocking on the quite
door, as if some one was watchin
his coming. Shortly after my Ca
craft experience, 1 moved away frol
the neighborhood and never saw til
man again."
''Was that the first you ever saw {
lie Calcraft?''
''Oh, no; I had been present at a
execution, but then, l tell you. til
'y hangman at the scaffold and the Gle
IL ical individual making a friendly ca
ee were two very different individual,
III and, again, was on the outskirts ,
Ill the immense crowd, and of cours
could only see Calcraft very indi
he tinctly."
H. "Can you give me some facts in b
to career?" asked the reporter.
mt swell, he was common hangms
Id for nearly fifty years. Now, don
he know for certain, but they say he W,
;" himself condemned convict, sci
fl fenced for sheep stealing, and tn
ng his life was spared on condition th
lis he became public executioner.