Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-24

fectly firm and went to the scaffold unat-
tended. When the first attempt 10 hang
him failed the prisoners spirits remained
unbroken. He was led from under the
gallows and walked back to his cell with a
hrm step. When, in the first place, upon
the trap, he resigned himself completely
but hrmly into the hands of the execution
ers. He stood motionless during the pre-
llmlnary proceedings, and, when the moose
was placed and the spring was about
to be touched he made an apparent
effort to adjust his body to the ex-
pected drop, so death might be as
quick as possible. When the murderer
was made to realize that the gibbet
had not done its work, and that he was not
yet hanged, he appeared to start as if from
a nightmare but quickly recovered him
self. The machine was then carefully
overhauled, and the woodwork found wet
and swollen, so that the trap refused To
work After being oiled and tried until it
was thought all right, the prisoner was
again brought forth The same scene as
before was then enacted, and once again
was the wretched man led away. The trap
was second time examined and oiled and
for the second time pronounced all right.
For the third time the condemned man
took his stand upon the trap, and a third
time did the gibbet refuse to do its work
The strain and suspense had now overtaXed
Lee. He sank down in swoon and had
to be carried away from the place No
words can give an adequate idea of the
painfulness of the scene. \ kind of over
towering dismay, like that of superstition,
seemed to have got control of the Sheriff.
officers. The gallows was deserted and no
one made any more attempts TO put ii in
working order. The man who was TO have
been hanged was limp, motioulesS and in
most pitiable condition, lying in his prison
cell, dazed and physically exhausted. The
Sheriff decided to abandon his task. He
closed up the execution yard and went
down to the Pcstoffice, telegraphcd to Sir
William Vernon Harcourt, Home Secre-
tary a tull history of the terrible failure to
execute Lee and asked for instructions.
a Sensational Duel.
New YORK, February 23d.-A special
cable says: A duel was fought Yesterday
upon the Belgium frontier, near Dun
kerque, between Lieutenant Chapius, of
the One Hundred and First Regiment and
NJ. De kirel, a civilian. The meeting las
caused very great sensation. The dis
pute arose from some words in cafe
which Lieutenant Chapius considered in
sulting. The combat was very fierce and
at close quarters De Kirkel with his left
hand turned aside his adversarys sword
and plunged his weapon into Chapius'
breast, who said: Il am touched but you
held my sword. In Il duel that is called
assassination" Chapius is not expected to
live.
Anxiety Regarding Overdue Steamers.
New YORK, February 23d.-A special
from London says; The quays at Dublin
We're crowded to-day by friends awaiting
passengers on belated steamers and sailing
vessels In the afternoon large schooner
yacht was seen to be in trouble i'll the
channel just outside of Dublin Bay. A
life-boat was speedily manned and put Off
to the rescue. The crew of the life-boat
succeeded in saving all hands on board,
but while transferring them from the yacht
to the lfe-boat one man fell and was badly
injured about the face. He proved to be
Langtry, the husband of the actress Great
anxiety is felt rega :ding the English steam
ers Chandor and Preston, from New York
for London. Both are now a fortnight
overdue. The storm is general throughout
the British Islands. London bound mails
from Scotland have been detained for per-
iods ranging from ten to twenty-four hours
by heavy snowdrifts on the railways.
The French in Tonquin.
PARIS, February 23d.-Advices from Ton
quin state that General Briere de Isle is
repairing the Bace road and laying tele-
graph wires. No further reinforcements
have been received. General de Lisle re-
ports that with the last contingent troops
he has $4,000 men, which are sufficient to
thoroughly cleanse Tonquin of the enemy.
Adviees from China state that Admiral
Courbet's squadron has left the Ming Pc
river. 1t is not known where the squadron
has gone.
The Dynamiters.
LONDON, February 23d--The Burton
Cunningham case was adjourned to-day
until Monday next, at the request of Po-
lard, Solicitor for the Treasury. Pollard
said at the next hearing the Crown would
produce an entirely new branch of testi-
mony against both Cunningham and Bur
ton. The prosecution was receiving, he
said, fresh evidence against the prisoners
every day, and the police were kept busy
investigating it.
Pronosau JxJ,ibi,ion IN, Il ivar,,,nI