The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-12-01
THE BRITISH HANoMAN.
Exchange.


 Five minutes after the arrival of the telegram announcing Marwoed's death a tall, stalwart man of some 50 to to years of age, entered a newspaper office in London and asked for the editor. On being interviewed he explained his busi- ness as follows Some time ago read an article saying that the recent horrible scene at an execution at Durham should direct public attention to the necessity for adopting more humane methods of execution. Since read that, sir" he ex- claimed, !" 1 could not rest because have the more humane method here,' and he brandished in his right hand small black bag, ominously resembling the bag in which the late executioner was acous- toned to carry the gallows-rope from jail to jail. Here is the invention that is wanted i, is perfectly simple; anybody can hang a man with that. invented it years ago, and it is absolutely cerfain. l have tried it over and over again and never found 1t to fail yet. When saw all the papers writing about the cruelty of the long drop couldn't rest. am only workingman, and don't want any money for it :; but I've travelled 300 miles in order to bring you the invention, so tha you may see with your own eyes exactly what is wanted" As he said thi. he opened his black bag and extracted there from horrible-looking arrangement in hemp and brass. Look at this," he said, as he fondled the gruesome ma chine ;" here is all that is wanted. There is no slipping of the moose with this, no bungling-eveTthing simple and expe- ditious." On nearer examination 1t was found that the rope was the ordinary half inch whit hemp, passed double through brass clamp, forming loop which could be adjusted to the exact thickness of the neck Of the criminal. Immediately before the clamp was fitted brass cres- cent, measuring nine inches from tip to tip, and projecting three inches from the rope. This brass crescent is so adjusted as 10 lie on the shoulder of the con- demned, while the double rope is looped on one side so as to allow of a drop oi from two 10 four feet. The principle of the invention IS that the moment the criminal is swung off the crescent presses against the side of the head. whiie the rope pulls the neck sharply in the oppo- site direction, snappiny the spinal co,amn like q s.iCk of seahng-wax. and occ casson- ing instant death. It cannot fail. said the inventor. as he lov1ngly fitted the hempen loop round the neck of one who was presen. at the interview and screwed the clamp tight at the right distance. ii will hang yeu sideways. bsek or front. just as you liAe il; il eanno< faii just drop of this table anG t wrlf bc quite sufficient. No'need of long irop no pulling mems Seads off their shoulders everything painless; the very invention hat IS wanted. The leverage gasaed by the three-inek Folection of tsc brass crescent will snap any one sneck." But might not the rope ,nap:' ne wa> asked e No bec ause it's Couble Sarwo .d uses s five -eighih-inch rspe for long drop: ha.fineh double for short drop will be noe than IS necessary. lack ketrh al- ways uses the half-lnoS. The .hlnnc- the -ooe the sures the lob. You ,an hang a at with 3 whsPcord. b-s not ss1,i salt- nca rope" How did you ifY you- ev- oeriTents'' = By making lay figure, of 'aricus weighs. tixing . block of w,od IS Il lead sn a >sout pois surrounded by wire ,prngs to represent inc vei:ebrV of he neck. have tried II wits mary seighie and mary lengths of d.cp. and ever icunJ ie 10 miss. is. the cause of anfi aivihEation } appea 10 yc,, 0 seCCre the adopsion of tkss hum Ane ir,- entiora