The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-04-13
GTETEAU'S SCAFF0LD.
An instrument of Death Which Will be Used
in the Case of Guiteau.

scafold upon which Bedford and
Queenan were executed will be
used for straugling Guiteau. 1t
is standing in the north wing
of the Jail, and has been painted
drab shade. 1t is of Georgia pine,
and stands twcnty-one feet in
height. The cross,beam is of six
by eight timber Strengthened by
heavy top piece for double
works., supported BY timbers
eight inches square. The plat
form is thirteen feet from the
ground, and is made Of two-incb
boards, on stout joists, morticed
and bolted, and is eleven feet
square. 1t is supported by six
eight-inch uprights in addition to
those supporting the cross-beam.
About three and half feet above
the platform there is q surround
ing rail. The trap is FIVE feet
square, framed in the center of
the platform, and is flush with it.
1t is attached to the platform by
Two heavy strap hinges, ard is
held in place by the ends Of the
U-shaped iron. At the bottom Of
the iron is attached a small but
strong rope passing over The pul.
ley at the back of the structure
into a box about four inches
square, through which the rope
runs into one of the coils, where
some person, unknown to out
siders at the signal from the war
den (usually a motion with a
handkerchief, gives the fatal
pull. The platform is reached by
fight Of steps with a railing on
either side. 10 complete the
structure and make it ready for
use, it is necessary that the rope
should be attached and the hinges
oiled. Tor a single hanging it is
custo.4 j to use a rope of manila
seven-eighths of an inch in diam
eter and thirty feet long. 1t is
not the custom here, as in some
cities, to use rope specially made
for the purpose and have it pre-
pared outside the building, for the
officers of the Jail here are always
equal to the occasion. In fact,
with the exception of the manu-
facture Of the rope and the iron,
the structure has been made in
the building. There are on hand
now several ropes purchased for
hanging purposes, and recently
several have been received at the
Jail contributed by persons anx-
ious to have them tried on
Guiteau. When it is necessary
to rig the scaffold a rope will be
selected and the hangman's knot
will be made by one ofthe guards,
who is quite an expert at it. Then
it will be run through the center
hole Of the cross beam, thence to
the side, passing down one Of the
uprights to a cleat on the side,
where it will be made fast. Gen
orally the slack is four TO six feet,
and commencing near the knot
the rope is for three or four feet
anointed With soap, that it may
slip easily. In some parts of the
country tallow or other grease is
used, but General Crocker and bis
associates prefer the soap. There
is also OF hand full supply Of
small rope to use in pinioniug the
arms ard legs Of the victim Of the
law, and black caps to draw over
his face. 1t is customary to rig
the rope the day before the execu-
ton, and test it by letting drop a
bag of sand weighing from thirty
to fifty per cent. more than the
doomed man. Never having met
with an accident or mishap in
hanging, the Jail officials look on
this test as useless; but it is al
ways made as precaution. To
make sure, however, of carrying
out the sentence within the
hours specified therein Casually
two hours being allowed), the
prisoner is brought in on time to
allow fifteen or twenty minutes
for services prior to the trap be-
ing sprung, and with thirty min
utes OR more to spare beside.
Thus should there be a misbap of
any kind, there would still be
ample time to prepare and rig
another rope if necessary.
|