New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-14

taQe of possessing school endowed by former IN
babitant of the parish. at which boys ana girls
have been educated gratis in the three MS over
this school, some seventy years ago. reiRheu
supreme a man whom the people believe 10 nave
been Jew. Old men and women III the parish 10
this day never mention his name without nor TOT
and a hate that is bad to notice. Many inc
time said an old woman to me. " that We hiu vi
a brake or dry ditch al day long LOT lear my
mother shonld make me go 10 school. oplne vi
them used regular to hunt up them rs were Piaylhg
trnant and bring 'em IN TO see 'em whipped
1t was inevitable that side by sue WIN an ms ms
cruelty, coarseness and 6lasphemy' theie sno 20
n dreadful amount of crime More than once nave
| had a narrowing tale of some shocking crime re-,
lated to me, the dOer of which was never l0uhu
ont and then in mysterious d niS I'll
added: Ak. or Y, he gnawed who done III wei
enow but o. course he warn going 10 hang I'M
This CONFERENCE.-The outcome OF "A mixed sehti-
ment. in which pity ana horror WeIe CuIlo 1I',
blended with vague snpcrStitlOuS shrinking from
blood. guil tiuess-accOunte Tor large margin 81
lawlessness which batlled the very inefficient rural
cOnstabIlary.
were much III excess of the numbers which the pop.
uation of the metropolis relatively to the rest OF
the country, could account Tor. lt would NOT be
difficult suppose to obtain the statistics Tor cor
rectlng or confirming my suspicion. but on no other
hypothesis can account Tor the curious fact THAT
have never met with an old cOuntIyman who would
confess that he had seen man hanged. One old
fellow indeed. with some shyness and awe. gave
Inc a clew to this mystery. =" lled heerd tell that
whoever saw three executions was sure TO be
hanged himself: therefore my informant had q
shrinking from the very name oi the gallows but
here and there, where four roa is met on some
lonely heath or wild moor, a CHASTITY glbbet on
which the rottng carcass OF some specially eroci0us
murderer swung, served as landmark for miles
round. We bad one three or four miles of, on what
was BI adenham Heath, seventy ears or so ago lie
gbbet many remember: indeed, there Is a
curious history attached to 1t. which III may perhaps
be worth while returning TO on future occasion.
One very intelligent farmer gave me a thrilling re-
port of what his father had experienced on TINS
spot shortly after the glastly object had been set
up Ii was dark when he started from to- her
side of the county," He rode alone. Just as he
came upon Brakeman Heath up rose the moon and
was compelled to ease him the poor brute could
hardly 90. The storm burst forth IN angry Squalls
and gusts that came with no warning. then lulled,
then paSsiOnately began again. Heaven ana eaith
There stood the gibbct the moon shining mi upon
it, Instead OF being len feet high. IT had grown as
large as a s.eepe. DOwncs had never meant 10
pass il he bad meant to take short cut across the
heath and leave the gibbet mile TO the lett but
his horse dead-beat, and he had TO Keep 10 me
road. He shut his eyes. and with ali his force ne
struck his horse with the heavy whip. The faded
beast feehly troited on. made a bad stumble re-
covered himself. then stood stock still. Downes
was almost touching the gbbet, and he knew That
the carcass. incOSed IN kIrd OF iron cage ana
swinging by chains. was lew inches above ms
head. At the same moment came a iercer squa
than anv before. and close TO DOwneS ear sounded
loud scream that maddened him. The frightened
horse trembcd all over. started, swerved, crushed
his masters leg against the Gibbet. and heavy
weight fell down from the cage and brushed toe
riders boot in it's fall How DOwneS got home he never
could tell. " Other folks used To aver that the
scream was no more than the creaking OF the
chains the gale caught the rottih9 carcass anu
that after that gale it " kind o fell into heap i'll
the cage like 1t cUnleciured that the muir
derers bone slipped ont and just missed the
worthy farmers head in its fall