The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-02-16
TIE GUITEAU sCAFFOLD.
How the Assassin of: President Garfield
will DO Executed.

The scaffold upon which Bedford and
| strangling Guiteau It is standing in
the north wing cc :l,e ;a::!!, sat: has soss
painted drab shade. 1t is of GEORGIA
pine and stands twenty.one feet in
| height. The cross beam is of six by
eight timber strengthened by n heavy
| top piece for double work), supported by
timbers eight inches square. Tho nlai.
form is thirteen feet from the ground
| and is made of two.iuch boards. on stout
joists, morticed and bolted, and is eleven
feet square. It is supported by six eight
inch uprights in addition TO those sun.
porting the cross beam. About three
and half feet above the platform there
ie subsquare, framed in the center of
the platform, and is flush with it. II 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 .he iron is attached small but
strong rope, passing over pulley ut the
back of the structure into box about
four inches square, through which the
rope runs into one of tho cells, where
soihe person, unknown to outsiders, at
the signal from the warden usually n
motion with handkerchief gives the
fatal pull. The platform is reached by
flight OF steps with railing on either
side.
10 complete the structure and make il
ready for use, it is necessary that the
rope should be attached and tho hinges
oiled. For single hanging it is custo.
mary to use rope of manila seven.
eights Of an inch in diameter and thirty
feet long. 1t is not the custom here. ns
In some cities, to use rope specially
made for the purpose, and have it pre-
pared outside the building, for the Off
GERS OF the Jail hero are always equal to
the occasion. In fact, with the cxccp.
ton of the manufacture of the rope and
iron, the structure has been made in the
building. There are on hand now sew
eral ropes purchased for hanging purpo.
ses and recently several have been re-
ceivcd at the Jail contributed by persons
anxious to have them used on Guiteau.
When it is necessary to "rig" the scaf-
fold rope will be selected and the hang.
mans knot will be made by one of the
guards, who is quito 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 tho uprights to
clcat on the side, where il will be made
fast. Generally tho slack is four to six
feet, and commencing near the knot, the
rope is for three or four feet annoin.cd
with soap. that Il may slip easily. In
some parts of the country tallow or other
grease is used, but General Crocker and
his associates prefer tho soap There is
also OH hand q full supply of small ropc
to use in pinioning the arms and legs
of tho victim OF .ho law, and black CAPS
to draw over his face. 1t is customary
to rig the hope tho day before the exccu.
ton. and test it by letting drop bag Of
sand weighing from 80 40 to 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 almost useless but it is ALWAYS
made AS matter of precaution. 10
make sure, however, of carrying out the
sentence within the hours specified
therein usually two hours being allow
ed) the prisoner is brought on in time to
allow fifteen or twenty minutes for servi.
ces prior to the trap being sprung and
with thirty minutes or more to spare ba.
sides. Thus, should there be a mishap
oi any kind, there would still be ample
time to prepare and rig another rope, if
necessary.