The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-24
The Machinery Fails to Work. and the Misc
erable Wretch, After Suffering Dread
full Agony, Sinks in Swoon.
Entertaining Story About an Alleged
Meeting of Dynamiters in Paris.
Further Testimony Against Cunningham and
Burton, the Alleged Dynamiters-An
Arbitrary Minister Resigns.
A SHOCKING SCENE.
An English Sheriff Makes Three Unsuccessful
Attempts to Hang Murderer.

Attempts to Hang a Murderer.
LONDON, Feb. 23.-One of the most singular
incidents ever connected with the execution, or
attempted execution, of murderer, happened
to-day at the Exeter, on the occasion Of the car
rying out of the death sentence passed upon John
Lee, recently condemned to be hanged for the
murder of Miss EmmaW Keipe at Babbicombe,
near Torqua, on Nov 10Th, last Three attempts
were made to execute Lee, but each attempt was
futile, the drop failing to work successfully, and
the execution was consequently postponed.
Lee, who was an ex-conyict obtained employ
ment from Miss Kepe as valet by means of
forged letters of recommendation. Lee wished
to marry Miss Keipe, who was an elderly lady
of wealth. She refused to wed him, whereupon
Lee assaulted her. He then murdered her and
set fire to the house to cover his crime The
flames were soon extinguished, and the muir
derer was shortly afterwards captured. The
details make the case the most horrible that
ever disgraced the gibbet in England. At first
Lee was perfectly firm, and went to the scaf-
fold undaunted. When the first attempt to hang
him failed, the prisoners spirit remained un-
broken. He was led from under the galloWs.
and walked back to his cell with firm step.
When first placed upon the trap he resigned
himself completely hut firmly into the hands of
his executioners. He stood motonless during
the preliminary proceeding When the noose
was placed and the spring about to be touched,
he made an apparent effort to adjust his body to
the expected drop so that death might be as
quick as possible. When the click of the spring
sounded he drew his breath as if he felt ho was
taking his last gasp of air. When the murderer
was made to realize that the gibbet had done it's
work and he was not yet hanged, he appeared to
startas II from nightmare, but quickly re-
covered himself. The machinery was then care
fully overhaued and the wood work found wet
and swollen so that the trap refused to work
After being oiled and tried until it was thought
TO be all right, the prisoner again brought
forth. The same scene as before vas enacted
and. once again was the wretched man led away
and the trap the second time examined and
OILED and for second time pronounced all right.
For the third time the prisoner took his stand
upon the trap, and the third time did the eibbet
reff1hfss fhss ta ftsafhi a2 its s..t. york ,,rS,
Lee. He sank down in swoon. and had to he
carried away from the place No words can
give an adequate idea of the painfulness of the
scene-a kind OF overpowering disrnay, like that
OF superstition, seemed to have got control of
the sheriff's officers. The gallows was deserted,
and no one made any further attempt to put it
in working order The man who was to have
been hanged was limp, motionless, and in most
pitiable condition, lying in his prison. and stupe-
fled and physically exhausted. The sheriff de-
cided to abandon his task he closed up the exc
cution-yard, went down to the postofice and
telegraphed Sir William Vernon Harcourt.
Home Secretary, full history of the horrible
failures to execute Lee, and asked for instruc-
tions what to do next
LATER has been respited