The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-10-18
a6sisesIla,ssoas. &
HANGED FOUR TINES.
THE UNUSUAL EXPERIENCES OF A
MAN WHOSE NECK WAS BADLY
ABUSED.

Watts, sir, Watts, is my name
Jesse Watts-leastways that's the
name by wh.ch care to be called
for the present. l sail tomorrow
for Colorado, where they say there
is plenty of work for man who
cares to, dig for money, and know
what mine is and what a miners
life is like; but you spoke some
thing about the sensation of hang
ing. Now, look here, sir. AS sure
as I'm living man, l have been
hanged four times. Three, times !
danced my senses away on thin air,
and the other time ] was saved
just as the bolt was about to be
drawn to break my neck. Still as
the cap was over my head and the
parson had said, sLord receive his
Spirit, 1 should say that's about
as near hanging as most people
would wish to go, so calls it four
times. I was born in the Town of
Falmouth, Cornwall. My father
was sailmaker, doing fair bust
ness. The Cornish coast abounds
in rocky cliffs, where thousands of
gulls build their nests. | often
used to go egg-hunting with
my boy friends. We used to
fit stick in a knot Of rope some
twenty feet long. One end would
be fastened securely to stake in
the ground and then we used to let
ourselves slowly down over the
cliff and swing backward and for
ward, seated on the stick, along the
face of the rock, frighten the old
birds away and fill our wallets with
eggs. One morning ! started out
alone with my coil Of rope. ex-
pected to find some comrades by
the shore, but none we're there.
However, thinking they would ar
rive, I let myself down, not on the
seat, as usual, but with the rope in
a slip-knot beneath my shoulders.
Directly my full weight was in the
moose, it began to tighten to an
uncomfortable extent, so l placed
my foot against small ridge and
began to loosen the strain.
FIRST AND SECOND HANGING.
/ got one arm out and was grad
ually putting the rope over my
body so as to sit in the moose,
when a dozen gulls~ flew out and
began to attack me. My foot slip
ped from its hold as the rope closed
rapidly around my neck. had
time to place my right hand to my
cheek, an act which saved my life,
for, although the pain was severe,
I could breathe. I shouted for help,
but no help was near. Finally the
agony was SO great that with an
effort of despair freed my hand and
sufocated. / recovered conscious
ness to find myself on my back in
fishing tent with two men bend:
ing over me. 1t seems they had
discovered my dilemma and were
drawing me up within half 9 min:
ute after the rope closed round
my neck:
When / recovered my health / be-
come wild and dissipated and, al,
though managed to remain ON
friendly terms with my father for
the next five years, / was regarded
in my native town as a quarrel
some fellow, foremost in every row
and ready to get drunk whenever |
had a "a .ce. One night in a gen.
eral row I killed one of my pot
house companions with blow on
the head, delivered with a heavy
pewter vessel. I was arrested,
tried and condemned to be hanged.
The day arrived for my execution.
My hands we're pinioned, | took my
last look, as 1 supposed, ct the sun,
felt the white cap drawn over my
face, and begged the hangmas to
pull the bolt when ] arrived at the
supplication in the Lords Prayer,
Forgive my trespasses." / had
hardly finished the first words of
entreaty to heaven when a loud
tumlult fell on my ears, and the
word s.Reprieve I" was shouted from