The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-04-01
Dead Men Made to Breathe.

Dead Men Made to Breathe.
The execution of John Hall and Bur
rell Smith for the murder of Maj. Pugh
was witnessed by gloating crowd num-
be,ing thousands, animated by blood
thirstiness that would have done credit
to Roman rabble in the time Of the
Caesars. A feature, never to be forgot
ten by those who witnessed it, was the
display of devotional sentiment of the
wild, fantastic, exuberant sort common
among negroes, on the scaffold, and dur
ing few hours previous to the execu-
ton. A number Of songs we're sung by
them and other prisoners in the Jail,
while waiting for the sheriff to come
and take the condemned men to the
scaffoId. Among them was refrain
.'l've found my robe and 1t fits me we'll;
I've tried 1t on at the gates OF hell"
The two condemned men and Bill
Smith, another negro, whose testimony
with theirs combined to send eight men
to the penitentiary, as members Of their
gang of incendiariss, who are declared
by many to be innocent, kneeled down
on the Jail floor and swore they had told
the trut, calling each other "brothers in
Christ"
Hall and Smith came upon the scat
fold with their black faces wreathed in
CHASTITY smiles, and sat trembling in
every limb during the preliminary prep
arationa Smith tried to MUNICH piece
of pound-cake he had in his pocket, but
he did not look as if he enjoyed it.
When the last prayer had been pro-
nounced, and just before the black caps
were drawn over their faces, they made
few farewell remarks, saying that they
hoped to meet all present in Heaven and
"God bless you"
As the rope was cut Smith tainted
and fell, which gave him an awkward
fall, causing him to writhe in agony at
the end of the rope Hall died easily
After they had been suspended for
seventeen minutes, they were cut down,
and DR.. Sleger, of Nashville, and Drs.
Byrne and Murfee, of this city, attempted
the experiment in resuscitation which
was proposed some days ago They did
not begin until thirty minutes after the
men had been cut down. A number Of
physicians were present to witness the
experiment After the clothing had
been taken off, their bodies were wrapped
in hot blankets, applications were made
to their necks to reduce the swelling,
and an artificial respiration brought
about by. the means usually APP
piled in cases of persons who have
been in the water for long time. All
this was preliminary to the appllca.
ton of electricity. Batteries were
placed in .juxtaposltion to the spinal
cord and different portions Of tLe brain.
The effects of the application were soon
apparent. First came nervous muscular
twitchings in those parts of the body
with which the batteries came in con-
tact. The temperature was gradually
increased until it reached over 1000
degrees.
The effect was immediate. The mus
cular contractions increased The limbs
twitched like men asleep and struggling
under the spell of horrid nightmare
The regular drawing in and expulsion of
air produced by the appliances referred
to were horribly real and lifelike. The
suspiration came with an effort, how
ever, and sounded like the gasps Of men
struggling fer breath.
DR.. Slsger put his hands to their
wrists. "rhe pulse is beating" he said,
"you can feel it, but family"
Their eyes next opened under the ei-
feet of the electric current and turned
about the room in q vacant gaze
There was no sound but the labored
gasping at their lips. All in the room
stood still with horror
Gentlemen" said DR.. Sleger, ''the
experiment is concluded. Our main
object was to show the effect of electric
ity upon the muscular centers, and we
have exhibited that, think, in re-
markably realistic way Chicago News
Tvn,,h1fon q poofvvr cfnp