The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1886-07-15
Invited rs q Hanging.

was to be hung one week from that
day. He was o whitesman about A
years Of age, and he had killed bis
wife with an ak because they differed
in opinion. If a wife will insist upor
differing with her husband she must BIZ
prepared for the worst. Husbands will
suffer long and give no sign, but thcre
is such a thing as driving them to des
peration. s355i3 4.
When we entered the corridor the
Sheriff was engaged in soaping the
hangman's rope. It was new one,
and he was in hurry to render il
smooth and pliable and have the jot
off his hands. He took the rope along
in his hand Us we entered the cell o.
the condemned, and after a formal in:
PRODUCTION to the gentleman who was
so soon to go on an excursion reached
for the rope, carefully inspected it, and
observed: "Bill, you are doing a slick
job on that" sy X 55,is; 5.3 "
"Well, I'm trying hard. ~ :s
eff I can help you in any way just
call out l might as well be soaping
the rope as sitting here doing nothing
We sat down for a smoke and a talk.
Some chaps in his situation would have
been SO stuck up that you would have
felt your littleness in their presence, but
this one made an earnest effort I'd. put us
ut our ease. He exhibited considerable
interest in the project to get him out of
the way, and his conversation proved
that he had given the matter consider
able thought. = es zs. !.5=5z
Ever see man hungp" he inquir-
ed of me in a kindly voice,
"Yes." !" "
"How did he take itP'' -
'.He seemed discouraged from the
very start" I *
Yes, some go that way. I have
mapped out a little programme to be
followed, and I'd like to ask your opin-
ion of it. Here it is.
Rise at o'clock a. m. on the event.
full morning. aazs
PUT on a clean shirt and my Sunday
suit, SO as to appear respectable.
Breakfast at Z o'clock. Il:
Receive friends from 1880 to $50.
From $3.50 to 10 indulge in final
preparations and take leave of Bill and
the boys. ; m ~ ;,5 : +.
cat 10 o'clock proceed to the gal
lows, giving Bill as little trouble as
possible.
Make a speech about half an hour
IN length, warning all young men tc
abstain from marriage and all wives to
obey their husbands.
Probably some singing.
take my place on the trap and Bill
swings me Off
Curtain
I told him that I had seldom seen a
more carefully prepared programme,
and that if he stuck to it he could not
fail to come out with flying colors. His
photography was defective in certain
nstancesG He realized this and asked
me to amend it, and when we had gone
over the programme with a pencil: he
returned his heartfelt thanks. :: e IL {
There were one or two little things
that annoyed him. 9 For instance, he
had never made study Of oratory, and
ihere was danger of his breaking down
IN the middle of his speech. Then, too,
his voice was not in good trim. and the
spectators on the back seats might feel
put out because they could not catch
his words. He would be thankful for
suggestions from a newspaper man.
I told him not to try to make hit on
oratory, but to tell a plain story and
irop in the gestures where he thought
they would count. The crowd would
excuse his voice, knowing that he had
been shut up for the last six months.
His countenance cleared up at once,
and he insisted that he was my debtor.
There was another thing. He had two
brothers and one sister. They had
thrown out hints that they would be on
hand to see him swung of. Within a
day or two he had begun to doubt the
propriety Of such action. He didn't
want to disappoint them, but would it
be just the proper caper for them 10
show up ON such an occasionp / re-
Piled that he had better leave the mat
:er for them to- decide. Some people
enjoy seeing a brother hung; others
wouldn't go rod to witness such a
'pectacle. It really made no differ
snce to the condemned, anyhow, as he
would be hung all the same. Is q
THAT'S SO, that's So unused the
prisoner. Il guess I'll leave 'em to fol-
ow their own bent. Say, how soon do
Fou leaveP'' s1
Tomorrow. y 81 Isl
mo! And you won't be here at the
nangingp" b. s,.{3s.
y can't be, though I regret it,
Now, that's too bad! Can't YOU
stop over to oblige mep I'd like to have
Fou see the affair come off,
excused myself on various grounds,
md as we rose to go he held out his
hand and said: $53
well, if you can't, you can't, 81
course, though Tn real sorry. I'm
glad You called, and if You should
:hange your mind and conclude to take
n the hanging just telegraph me. -
M:$ quad, i, Detroit Free Press.
Called Upon to Respond
r At recent press dinner out West
one OF the guests present made 4
'peech in which he paid a glowing trib-
ltn To the s.narnat and "a Az. 80