Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1882-02-16
Guiteau's scafold.
How and Where the Assassin VIII swing
The Rope and Knot.

The scafold upon which Bedford and
Queenan were executed win be used fo-
strangling Guiteau. 1t is standing IN the
north wing of the Jail and has been painted
drab shade. 1t is Georgia pine and stands
twenty-one feet in height. The 1e-1z-hesu
is of six by eight timber (strengthened by
heavy top piece for double -Sork) supported
by timbers eight inches square The plat
form is thirteen feet from the ground and Is
made of two-inch boards, or stout ioists
mortified ana bolted, and is eleven feet
square. 1t is supported by six eight-inch
uprights in addition to those supporting ths
cross beam. About three and half feet
above the platform there is a surrounding
rail. The trap is five feet square framed in
the centre of the platform, and is flush with
it. 1t is attached to the platform by two
heavy strap hinges and is held in place by
the ends of the U shaped iron At the bot
tom of the iron is attached small but
strong rope passing over pulley at the back
of the structure into box about four inches
square, through which the rope runs into one
of the cells, where some person, unknown to
outsiders, at the signal from tho warden
Casually a motion with a handkerchief
gives the fatal pull The platform is reached
by flight of steps with a railing on either
side.
To complete the structure and make il
ready for use it is necessary that the rope
For single hanging it is customary to use
rope of MANILA seven-sighths of an inch IN
diameter and thirty feet long. 1t is not the
custom here, as in some cities, to use a rope
specially made for the purpose and have it
prepared outside the building, for the officers
of the jail here are always equal to the occa-
sion. In fact, with the exception of the
manufacture of the rope and the iron, the
structure has been 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 anxious to have them used on Gui-
teau. When it is necessary to "rig" the
scafold rope viii be selected and the hang
mans knot will be made by one of the
guards, who is quite an expert at it Then it
will be run through the centre hole of the
cross beam, thence to the side, passing down
one of the upnghts to a cleat on the side,
where it viii be made fast. Generally the
slack is four to six feet, and commencing
near the knot the rope is for three or four
feet Amounted with soap, that 1t may slip
easily. In some parts of the country tsllow
or other grease is used, but General Crocker
and his associates prefer the soap. There's
also on hand full supply of small rope to
use in pinioning the arms and legs of the
victim of the law, and black caps to draw
over his face. It is customary to rig the
rope the day before the execution and test Il
by letting drop bag of sand weighing from
thirty to fifty per cent. more than the DOOM
ed man Never having, met with a mishap
or accident in hanging the Jail officials look
on this test as almost useless but it is ST.
ways made as a matter of precaution- To
make sure, however, of carrying out the
sentence within the hours being specified
therein usually two hours being allowed)
the prisoner is brought on in tine to allow
fifteen or twenty minutes for services prior
to the trap being sprung and with thirty
minutes or more to spare beside. Thus
should there be mishap of any kind, there
would still be ample time to prepare and rig
another rope il necessary.