Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-08-25
HANGING CUSTOMS.
Forms Observed at an Execu-
ton in New York.
Duties Devolving Upon the Sheriff, His
Slaves Of Office, and the Rangmen.

A great many customs surround a
hanging in New York. They have been
modified by law, which allows only the
sheriff and assistants, twenty deputy
shcriffs, a sherifr's jury, the judges of the
higher courts, the district attorney, the
doctors and the hangmcn to be present.
Formerly the coroner could bring party
of h friends as jurors, AMI the sheriff
gave out cards of invitation as he would
to a ball. That has been stopped; and
Sheriff Grant keeps the number Of spec.
totOrs down to the lowest legal number
The reporters acted as both shcrif's
and coroncr's jury at Chacon's hanging
1t is customary for the sheriff to present
the man to be hanged, when he is poor,
with black suit to be hanged in. The
care of the city for his burial goes no
further than to sec lie gets to Po'tcr's
Field.
1t is the duty of the sheriff to be per-
sonally present at a hanging. One
sheriff dodge this duty once by going
to Long Branch. In case like that the
under sheriff has charge. The hanging
is set down for as early an hour us posi-
bic in the morning to avoid crowd.
The sheriff and his deputies, dressed in
mourning, gather at the shcrilI's office
and march to the Tombs. Eqch bears
his staff of office. At the hanging they
take off their hats as soon as the weights
fall, and put them on when the body is
cut down.
In case on the wall in the shcriff's
office are score of stNvns and two
swords. The slaves have been present at
every hanging since time that no en-
pIoyc in the office can recall. They are
about thirty inches long, and arc made of
dark hard wood. The middcis covered
with thin, dark velvet. On each end is u
brass tip shaped like an Indian arrow
head. The shcrilrs staff has crutch at
one end instead of a dart, and the under
shcriif'S has crook. The two swords
have not been taken to hanging. for
long time. No matter where in the state
a hanging may be the slaves are sent for
and the shcriiTs men carry them. They
would as soon think of trying to have
hanging without a rope as without their
slaves. They arc relic Of colonial days,
when a hanging would draw as large an
assemblagc as circus, and the officers
who had charge fit appeared pompously
in their official robes.
The same gallows, rope, moose, and
weights are used time after time or
until they are lost or wear out. The
gallows now in use is about four years
Old. The uprights are about five inches
square and fifteen feet high. The cross
piece is the same size. The construction
is simple, and it is easy to take the gal.
lows apart and put it away. The only
trace left on the gallows by hanging
is the mark of the axe where it cuts
through the rope that keeps the weight
from falling.
Two men do all the hanging in New
York. One is short, lean man, with
Hebrew features. He has a thin, full
beard that curls, dark hair, mild eyes,
and Il shrinking face. He WIS in the
box at Chacon's hanging when the rope
was cut. The other man, who pulled
the cap over Chacon's head, is short,
stout German, partially bald, with
black gray moustachc. He is in charge.
These two men have a number of names.
They d. not want to be known, and the
sheriff himself has nothing further to do
with them than to give them charge of
the arrangements and to pay the bill.
Tne one man is commonly known as
IsNacs, and the other as Minzcsheimcr,
The bills are made out to Joseph B.
Atkinson. The cost of a hanging varies
from 5000 to $500. Tnc m2n are hang
men, not only in New York, but they
travel around over the State and country.
Hanging is their trade. -NsO York Sun.