Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-24
Price Four Cents.

man began to gasp. A glass of water was held to his lips but he could not swallow, Meanwhile the sheriff had sent to a hardware store for stronger rope, and thirty-six min utes after the drop was first released Black had been assisted up the steps of the gallows. and he again stood with the halter around his neck. He said word to his friends, and had the black cap drawn over his head the second time. It is said that he never quailed, even when half dead from the effects of the first attempt at hanging, but stood bravely till the trap fell This time the rope did not break, and Jim Black was strangled to death in eighteen minutes.
 When the news of the accident got abroad the excitement was very great Ex-Sheliff John Wilcox publishes the following card.
 In view of the horrible accident that at tended the execution to-day, it is proper for me to explain that the moose that broke was purchased by me from John J. Tower of New York, with whom l. in common with many sherifs in this State and throughout the Union, have been dealing in the line of handcuffs and prison furniture. Mr. Tower informed me upon my first application that he could only find one man in New York city who knew how to prepare such a rope and this man had made such ropes for the sheriff of New York the last thirty years. The rope was guaranteed to do the business effectualiy and the charge was actually $25 When Jim Black was respited the first time, and upon my retirement from office, I presented the moose to my successor, Sheriff Johnson
 The gentleman of whom ex-Sheriff Wilcox bought the moose said yesterday: s'The note IS correct when it says that I furnished the rope to the ex-sheriff, but I did not make the rope. It is the one thing in police equipments that do not deal in except as a middle man. I supply nearly all the police and constabulary authorities of the country with prison goods but I eschew the rope. Among the articles of that description I deal
 
 are policemen's and fremen's suits, caps, badges, batons, clubs, belts, billets, buttons, calls, caps, chain nippers, coats, come aiongs cords and tassels, dark lanterns, du- plex calls handcuffs, hats, helmets, have locks, jail locks, leg irons, leggings, jail pad locks, nippers, numbers, pistols, pocket shackles for the legs, throgs and belts, twist CTS, whistles and the like.''
 'sWhat about the rope?'
 Well there's a man in this city wEo for thirty years has supplied to sheriffs all over the land the halters with which men are hanged. Very few men know him, and even I have seen him but once and then he did not tell his name or address In November last received a letter from ex-Sheriff Will COX calling for a hangman's moose to hang Jim Black with. I hate to have anything to do with a halter, but, as Wilcox was cus- toner of mine, was anxious to oblige him,
 
 called on Warden Finn at the Tombs, who took the whole matter off my hands. He, it seems, either knows the man or is aequaint- ed with some one who knows him, for a couple of days later the man came into my office and laid the moose on my desk It was Italian hemp, hand laid, and in every way a fine looking bit of rope. It was simply the moose, not more than three feet in length. I paid the man $25 and he departed without a word. That is the only time I ever saw him. sent the rope to Wilcox, telling him to soap it thoroughly and put it in dry place till needed. The prisoner was respited, and Wilcox handed the moose over to his succes- sor''
 Does this mysterious moose maker manu- facture his own roper"
 'No; I believe he gets it from a firm in Wall street."
 ''Anything new in your line of goods?''
 "There's patent shackle that's interest ing You know how prisoners once had to drag a long iron chain and cannon ball around after them till their sentences ex- pired. In the new shackle there is iron frame screwed fast to the sole of the prison CTS shoe. This frame has two uprights that support an iron ring around the ankle On this ring is screwed another ring, weighing fifteen pounds, which fits closely to the leg. The heavy ring locks by patent method that is proof against force, and impossible to pick. Of course they can't file through hammered Oy once lock it on mans leg, you leave him alone, or with his friends, for half dozen hours with perfect safety. He can't run, because every time he lifts the foot the fifteen pound weight has to go too. When his foot Is on the ground the iron uprights support the ring"
 ''What have you in handcuffs ?''
 s'We have the same cuff that we have been selling for years and years. It is used in every State and Territory of'the country. It's made so as to lock as soon as clasped on the wrist, and cannot be picked or forced Here's one for three hands. If three prisoners are shackled together by their right hands they are pretty safe. It's difficult for three men to run with their hands locked together. Here's pair of patent nippers that Police Sergeant Phillips invented after twelve years experience on the force. They give an officer like pair of scissors, with the blades curved so as to go around the wrist. You open them and clasp your man, and then you have him safe.''
 ssWhat kind of 8 club is this ?'
 That's patent flexible club. It is made of sole leather, cut to the required form, and then brought together by heavy pressure. It is slightly elastic. It seems as hard as iron, and is very effective in Q fight With wooden club there is danger of killing man. This leather one is the most humane in use. It cannot be broken, and will last a lifetime. Many ponce departments use Inls club. What do you think of this cartridge It carries three balls, which separate at dis -tance of fifty yards, so as to cover three men. Suppose an officer is attacked by a crowd. He draws his revolver and fires once, and the three balls separate and hit three men, mak- ing each cartridge fired equivalent to three shots with the usual one-ball cartridge. These cartridges have been tested by the United States Ordnance department and ap- proved"
 The Murdered Car.
 From the New York Heralds London Dispatch.l
 Cola sepds a phostlv descrintio of the late