The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-05-25

O<AA IL LIS w hAS AAS ODJNN
was is not known. A slight shak
ing of the head, coupled with thu
effort made by his hands, brough
the knot around in front of his ca
so that the back of his neck shoulC
receive the full shock of the fall
These efforts were noticed, but i
was not thought they amounted t.
much, and the attendants descended
from the scaffold, while Rea uttered
plantively and in a strong voice thu
mystic words:
20 Lord, my God, is there NJ
help for the widows sonr'
He repeated this three times anC
was repeating it again when
THE TRAP SPRUNG
and the body shot like an arrow
down through the floor fou
feet and was held suspended by tin
neck. The moose had slipped as hi
intended and the knot, cutting ;
slight cash in his neck, passed NJ
over his chin and he hung suspended
by the back of the neck. His lef
hand was reached up cOnvulsively
towards his throat and his finger
were dipped in his own blood as i
trickled from the cash in his necl
and the body hung still for tn,
space of over 4 minute. The sheriff
went upon the platform and at
tempted to slip the knot over hi
chin, but it was drawn so tightly b,
could not do so, when the jailor anC
DR.. Alternately were called to assis
him, and together they readjUsteC
the knot in proper position and lef
the body hanging. DR.. Alternately
states that the first shock was fata
and that he was dying when b,
caught him to remove the knot from
his chin. A few convulsive culver
ings and all was over. 1t is further
stated by those near by that as the
body went down the hands were ex
tended so as to hit the sides of the
trap door and break the force of the
fall. The drop fell at Sol; the
doctors pronounced him dead a
1928; the body was cut down Al
3:35. When the rope was lOsseneC
from his chin he uttered almost un
intelIlgibly, 20 Henry, o Henryr
When this sickening spectacle APP
peared a shudder ran over the great
multitude of human beings congre
gated to see fellow mortal die, anC
men and women could be seen or
all sides with faces averted and
hundreds of them hurriedly leaving
the scene. And yet, nOtwithstand
ing the unfortunate accident
brought upon himself by the pite
able victim, his death was attended
with
VERY LITTLE SUFFERING,
if we are to judge by the move
ments of the body and the testi-
mony of physicians and spectators
who have seen many executions
The first drop evidently shocked
the spinal cord so severely that
paralysis ensued instantly. After
the readjusting of the rope there
was only a slight shrug of the
she ulders and then the body hung
absolutely lifeless, thus justifyIng
the opinion of all who noticed
closely that death came with less
pain than they ever saw in a like
case, and the accident that has been
construed into butchery was actu-
ally a merciful Intervention to
abridge the pangs of a horrid death.
The crowd in attendance was est
mated at about four thousand. The
gallows was constructed by Williams
& Watson and was very adroitly
made. The trap was made to yield
at a very slight pressure and to fly
instantaneously away out of reach
of the body. The trap was in the
middle of the scatfold and the rope
was adjusted to very stout beam
above, supported at either end by
very stout timbers. The scaffold
was about eight feet from the
ground and the drop of the rope
was four feet. The rope was very
strong blue-looking rope, about
.hree quarters of an inch in size,
md was ordered from New York
With the knot already tied. 1t
slipped easily and was soaped twice
Il the morning. If the prisoner
lad not slipped it out of place it
would have drawn tightly about his
leck at once, and as proof of this
statement we call attention to the
act that the moose had slipped well
md drawn itself so tightly about
lis chin that one man could not
oosen it. At 1886 the body, was
ut down and placed in a coffin and
delivered to friends, who carried it
o his brothers, on Bradshaw, from
thence it was buried Saturday |
lorning, a large number attending
be burial. The features were not |
adIy distorted in any way, it is
aid. and the neck was not broken. |
lie was dressed in a nice suit of |
lack clothes and as he stood calm
nd Observant upon the scaffOld he |
resented the appearance of a hand
ONE and intelligent man. His
almness to the last was marvellous
l the extreme, but the steadiness
his nerves was attributed to the
act that he took several tOddies
uring the morning and to the effect
f the morphine. He ate heartily
u Thursday but took no breakfast
r dinner Friday.
Thus was law indicated and
.urder avenged. mo man with
ure heart" will ever reflect upon
is innocent children or the respect
Die and law abiding brothers. Let
is name be forgotten, and let Us
ope that the time given him to pre-
are was sufficient and the faith he
sincere and well founded.
The last expression used by the
)omed man had evidently some
ystic meaning. He was not a
.dow's son. There Is little doubt
where it belongs, though of
urse every one knows that no one
bound to respond to such a call
0m such a source. Rea was a :
asOn and after the commission Of
e offense he was expelled from the I
der and the expulsion was pub