The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-11-01
IAN old saying for a poor housewife.
HANGED FOUR TIMES.
The Unusual Experiences of a Man
Whose Neck Was nadIY Alnused.

1he UhusuAA experiences OF a MAN
Whose Meek Was BADLY Abused.
Watts, sir, Watts, is my name-Jesse
Watts-leastways that is the name bv
which care to be called for the present.
| sail tomorrow for Colorado, where
they say there is plenty of work for a
man who cares to dig for money, and
know what mine is and what miners
life Is like; but you spoke something
about the sensation of hanging. Now.
look here, sir. As sure as I'm a living
man, have been hanged four times.
Three times | danced my senses away
on thin air, and the other time I 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 parsen
had said, Lord, receive his spirit /
should say that's about as near hanging
as most people would wish to 60, so /
calls it four times. I was born in the
Town of Falmouth, Cornwall. NV
father was sailmaker, doing a fair
business. The Cornish coast abounds
IN rocky cliffs, where thousands of
gulls build their nests. | often used to
e egg hunting with my boy friends.
We used to fix a stick in knot of rope
some twenty feet long. One end would
De fastened securely to a stake in the
ground and then we used to let our
selves slowly down over the cliff and
swing backward and forward, seated on
the stick, along the face of the rocks.
irighten the old birds away and fill our
wallets with eggs. One morning |
started out alone with my coil of rope.
lexpected to find some comrades by
Inc shore, but none were there. How
ever, thinking they would soon arrive,
let myself down, not on the seat, as
usual, but with the rope in a slip-knot
beneath my shoulders. Directly nv
luh weight was in the moose, it began
70 otlghten to an uncomfortable extent.
50 placed my foot against small
fiage and began to loosen the strain.
FIRST AND SECOND HANGING.
got one arm out and was gradually
puttlng the rope over my body so as to
81 u the moose, when a dozen gulls
new out and began to attack me. NV
loot slipped from its hold
as the rope closed rapidly round
nv neck. / had time to
place my right hand to nv cheek, an
aet which saved my life, for. although
.ae PAIN was severe. / could breathe. /
anoated ~ for help, but no help was near.
A.aaiiy the agony was so great that
WIN an effort of despair [ freed nv
naha and sutfocated. | recovered con-
scloasness to find myself on my back in
hshing tent with two men bending
uef me. 1t seems they had discovered
~ eiiemma and were drawing me up
ml1hln half minute after the rope
closed round my neck.
When | recovered my health | be-
salne wild and dissipated and. although
managed to remain on friendly terms
si1a my father for the next five wears.
was regarded in my native town as
auatfeisome fellow, foremost in every
aos and ready to get drunk whenever /
aaa chance. One night i'm a general
~. NV Killed one of my pot-house COM
Esalons with blow on the head, de-
s,s1ea me- with a heavy pewter vessel. /
as arrested, tried and ndcondemned to be
e,,ss aassea The day arrived for my exc
s,1on. toan NY hands were pinioned,
saa ssoh my last look, as / supposed, at the
ssa ss,', ielt the white cap drawn over nv
,ba bsss Ian ana begged the hangman to pull
,ion i,s eolt /; when ! arsived at the supplica-
sssa NY Y the Lords Prayer, Forgive INV
syss sspasses had hardly finished the
AZ la, words OF entreaty to heaven when
sas soad samnlt fell on my ears, and the
mm,.. heprievetn was shouted from
s''osth g mouth. The next moment I
~ ~ aneound and the royal message of
WI .aeIoY read to me. The death penaltv
i,ase ass committed to ten years penal sery-
- THE THIRD HANGING.
tep 'sser 'ss mind how / passed the next
s.. ~ Years. Finally / was once more re- :
esn man. nan My poor old father gave me
III 0q ea ana MS blessing. and shipped for
monS 6Ssps VS., Of Good Hope and the dia,
N leids' ! arrived at the fields.