The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-01-28
A MORBID DESIRE.
HUMAN NATURE AND ITS Pc
CULIARITIES.

One of the most peculiar features to
student of human nature is a morbid, al
most insane desire to witness anything
horrible or repulsive.
For instance, in a mild, form is it seen
in certain class of people who nearly al
ways attend funerals and are in the van
when the coffin is opened to view the de-
ceased
Again in murders or violent deaths the
desire to view the bodies is shown to re-
volt ng degree at times.
But the most unnatural of these insane
cravings to witness things horrible and
revolving in life is the desire to witness an
execut on, end the more sickening the
mode of executing the greater the desire
to witness the event The writer had this
brought forcibly before him in a personal
experience a few days ago.
The rerpetrator of a cruel murder had
been condemned to death and the con-
demned criminal was to be hanged pub
licly. The scene of the hanging was in
one of the western states on the line of
the railroad over which the writer was
ave M. About one hundred miles up
the road from the scene of the anticipated
hanging, the cars began to fill rapidly and
as the train drew nearer to the central
point the greater the crowd.
1t was Il rainy day and the snow on the
ground made it very disagreeable, but in
spite of this drawback the crowd was in
its merriest mood, singing and laughing
and withal so happy that it led the writer
to inquire if it was gathering for camp
meeting or was it n political gathering.
NO" answered the conductor with a pc
culiar smile, they are going to hang
ing"
Surprise overcame the writer, and he
sat for while thinking of what pecu-
liar compound man is, anyway. As we
approached within a few miles of the
scene of the hanging, the roads were dot
ted with wagons splashing through the
mud, and filled with very happy and
merry crowds of men, women and chill
dren. Aged women and young girls
helped TO swell the throng, as if they
were all bent upon having good time at
some grand festival.
We soon arrived at the place where the
execution was to take place. What a
crowd surged through the streets in the
mud Excursion trains came III loaded
down, and with people risking life by
clinging to the platforms. Every minute
added new groups to the immense crowd.
1t was, at the time the train arrived, II
O'Clock, and the hanging was TO take place
i'll short time.
"Here is photo of 7s," cried a
small boy, only one dime.l
"Who is -," said some one.
"Why, don't cher know" said the mr.
chin, "why, he's going to swing to-day"
Soon the train pulled out of the tur-
mol and ran slowly for short distance,
and the cause of the slow rate of speed
was apppreht when, at a little distance
from the town, in little vale between the
hills, could be seen a newly-erected gal
lows, and the hills, in the shape of nat
ural amphitheatre, we're covered with peo-
pie who had gathered hours before the
execution in order to get go0d point
from which to view the repulsive sight
And it must be the same feeling that
inspires those who gather relics which
have a repulsive connection.
A negro ravisher was lynched in Mary
land last year, and the tree on which he
was hanged was stripped bare of the
leaves by persons who wanted souvenirs
of the horrible event. ''What queer
things these mortals be-" might have also
been said by Shakespeare.