The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-03-18
Dead Men Made to Breathe.

The execution of John Hall and Bur-
rcll Smith for the murder of Major Pugh
was witnessed by crowd numbering
thousands. A feature never to be for.
gotten by those who witnessed it was the
display of devotional sentiment of the
wild, fantastic, exuberant sort common
among negroes, on the scaffold, and du-
ring the few hours previous to the exc.
cution. A number of songs were sung
by them and other prisoners in the Jail,
while waiting for the sheriff to come and
take the condemned men to the scaflold.
Among them was refrain:
1--WE found my robe, it fits me we'll;
I've tried it 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, rs members Of their gang of
incendiaries, who are declared by many
to be innocent, kneeed down on the jail
floor, and swore they had told the truth,
calling each other "brothers in Christ"
Hall and Smith came upon the scaffold
with their black faces wreathcd in ghast-
ly smiles, and sat trembling in every limb
during the preliminary preparations.
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 pronounced, and just
before the black cap was drawn over their
faces they made few farewell remarks,
saying that they hoped to meet all pres
ent 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 seventeen
minutes they were cut down, and Dr. Sle-
ger, of Nashville, and Drs. Byrne and
Murfee, of this city, attempted the exper-
imept 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 res
piration brought about by the means
usually applied in cases of persons who
have been in the water for long time.
All this was preliminary to the applica-
ton of electricity. Batteries were placed
in juxtaposition to the spinal cord and
different portions of the brain. The ef-
fects ofthe application were soon appa-
rent. First came nervous muscular
twitchings in those parts of the bodies
with which the batteries were placed in
contact. The temperature was gradually
increased until it reached over 1000 de-
grees.
The effect was immediate. The limbs
twitched and shook like men asleep and
struggling under the spell of horrid
nightmare. The regular drawing in and
expulsion of air produced by the appli-
ances referred to were horribly real and
life-like. The suspiration came with an
effort, however, and sounded like the
gasp of men struggling for breath.
DR.. Sleger put his hands to their wrists.
"The pulse is beating" be said. You can
feel it, but family"
Their eyes next opened under the ef
feet of the electric current, and turned
about the room in vacant gaze. There
was no sound but the labored gasping at
their lips. All in the room stood still
with horror.
Gentlemen" said DR.. Sleser, "the
experiment is now concluded. Our main
object was to show the effect Of elec.rici-
ty upon the muscular centers, and VIC
have exhibited that, I think, in aremark-
able realistic way."-lfurjreesboro Tc,n.)
Correspondence Chicogo Times.