Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-04-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.

washington, D. O., April ITO
day the negro James Madison Wyatt
Stone, who, with a razor, murdered
his wife in this city in October, 1873,
was executed in the Jail yard. This
execution was one of the most horri-
Bile ever known, for, instead of being
choked to death or having his neck
fractured, the murderer was actually
guillotined by the rope. The scene,
which was witnessed by about three
hundred persons, was disgustingtOthe
feelings and doubtless shocking to the
morbid sense that usually attracts
people to executions. The murderer,
who was born in Maine and had been
employed as messenger or porter by
the New York Associated press agent
10 this city, weighed two hundred
pounds, having increased twenty
pounds during his imprisonment,
Stone, with firm resolution, mounted
the scaffold, and, after bidding fare
well to those present, smiled as the
Hack cap was drawn over his face.
The moose having been adjusted, the
signal was given to launch the man
into eternity; utinstead of the dull.
heavy thud and the dangling form Of
the man q%uivering in mid-air. the
body fell at once and the murderer's
head was left awhile in the moose. A
feeling of horror thrilled the speeta-
tors, many turning away, and then
there came suppressed exclamatioRof
disgust and sickening disappointment.
AS Virgil would write, mirabile dictu.
the headless body for a moment stood
erect on its feet, the blood spouting
from the severed veins, and then
tumbled over. For several seconds
the truncated head remained on the
moose amid air, and then dropped
down. and bounded back against the
framework of the scaffold where it re-
NAMED with bleeding base upward
five feet from the body. The physi-
clans upon immediate examination of
| the headless body, found that the
hearted pulsated. This pulsation con
| tinued five minutes. The head being
instantly picked up and the black
cap removed, the lips actually moved
and showed the teeth. A further
examination showed that the rope.
which was fye-eighths of an inch 10
diameter, passing close under the ears
and just beneath the chin, had made
a clean cut, thereby %severing the head
Immediately below the atlas" or last
vertebra az the joint. The doctors
discharged the requirements of medi-
cal ethics by sewing the head on to
the body, and in the course of this
professional" operation, ascertained
that the skin was peculiarly thin and
tender, being no more difficult to
pierce with the needle than that of an
infant. Immediately under the skin
was a layer of fat or adipose tissue
about an inch thick, the spine being
remarkably slender. The bleeding was
abnOrmally slight, for with the excep-
ton of the light streams that spurted
from the headless body and
bespattered the scaffold frame,
not more than a quart was
shed. The doctors present pro.
nounced the occurrence due to an ex
traordinary weakness of tissue in a
vigorous looking middle aged man.
These doctors gave it as their opinion
that it is generally current in medical
circles that the weight of a mans
body is not sufficient with a hemp rope
and a fall Of from four to six feet, to
sever the head. In this case the fall
was four and a half feet. These doc
tors also said that with the exception
of a man named Kelley, whose head
was torn off by a weight placed
on his feet when executed, at Dublin,
Ireland, several years ago, this is the
only case of guillotine by the rope.
These doctors are not we'll read in
the history of executions, and as it is
a requirement Of medical ethics not to
publish the nape Of a doctor in o
newspaper, | will not give their names
| will say, however, for the benefit o.
the physicians. that upon two occa.
sions prisoners have been guillOtinod il
England, and one occurrence Of TIL,
kind was in New York.
SALTUs MOHEGAN.