Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-06-04
HOW IT FEELS TO Be HANGED.

~ - ~%~N - - fNfAffkEHf
An inmate of the Jail in Santa
Fe, n. NJ, is Theodore Baker. who
is abont TO be tried for crime loI
which he was once hanged. Baker
was brought there from ColfaX
county, where his crime was com
mitted, for safe keeping.
About two years ago Frank =.
Unruh, civil engineer, wa. mar
ried in Germantown. Pa, and with
his bride moved to New Mexico.
AS there was a demand for his ser
vices as an engineer, he was irc.
quently away from home two or
three weeks at a time, leaving his
young wife practically alone in a
wilderness. She demonstrated with
him, and finally, to quiet her, he
agreed to call on Orc of their
neighbOrs aud see If something
could not be done to give her pro.
lection during his absence.
The nearest neighbor was Thco-
dore Baker, young and strapplng
pioneer, whose house was fully ten
miles away. He proved to be Of
an accommodating disposition, and
a bargain was struck between him
and the husband that when the
latter was away from home Baker
would 90 over to the Unruh ranch
each night, and remain in the house
with Mrs. Unruh until morning. In
this way Baker and the Young
woman were thrown together "a
great deal and became Iuite fricnl-
ly. On returning to his home last
December Unruh Quarreled with
Baker and the next morning the
dispute was renewed in the presence
of Mrs. Unruh. Before it had gone
very far, Baker drew revolver
and fired two shots at Unruh, kill
ing him instantly. The story told
by Baker, who reported the shoot
ing, was to the effect that the hus-
band had attacked him first with
out cause and that he had shot In
self.deience. In this the young
woman cOncurred. Five or six men
soon reached the ranch and made
thorough examination. They
found that the wounds in Unruh's
body indicated that he had been
shot when down, and as Baker and
Mrs. Unruh appeared to be very
fond of each other, they surmiSed
that the murder had been arrang
ed between them. Taking Baker
and Mrs. .Unruh in custody and
loading the body into a wagon, all
were conveyed to Springer, where
an inquest was held. Mrs. Cnruh
was held IN $1,000 bonds, but be
fore Bakers case had been dispos.
ed of a mob surrounded the jail on
the night of December 81, compel
ed the sheriff to give up the keys
and took Baker out with the in
tention of lynchlng him.
Realizing how futile would be
any attempt at escape Baker re-
signed himself to his fate. Not far
from the Jail he noticed a rope with
a moose at one end swinging from
the crossbar of a telegraph pole.
and a moment later the moose was
over his head, while twenty men
stood ready with the other end OF
the rope in their hands to hoist
him. Some one gave the signal 10
hoist, and before those who were
nearest the culprit knew it almost
ne was kicking in the air. After
hanging five or ten minutes some
me in the crowd seized hold OF /
Bakers legs and pulled them down
With all his might. As he then
iung motiOnless it was assumed /
hat he was dead, and the lynchers, 4
ceiling that they had done Il good .
oh and saved the county consider 7
IDLE expense, separated. They had .
hardly vanished when the jaller ap. +
reared on the scene, with three or .
our citizens, and the body of Bak- .
II was quickly cut down and CON
eyed to the Jail. II had been
hanging for fifteen minutes, and a
physician who was summond pro-
bounced the man dead.
Nothing daunted, the jailcr insist
al on trying his hand at resuscita-
ion. Ordering a liberal supply of
he began work. First he
,Oured about a pint down Bakers
hroat. Then he rubbed HIM, roll .
d him over and over, and tried TO
7alk him up and down and when .
ne man got tired another one
ook the subject in hand. Day
reak found the toilers nearly eX-
austed and Baker apparently as
cad as ever. Before separating
he men concluded 10 try it once
lore, and they gave the remains Il
lrious shaking up. More whlSkey
'as poured down the swollen throat
nd the body was rubbed more Wig
rously than ever, and Baker at
lst opened his eyes. Color began
, appear in his face and a slight
-armth was noticeable all over his {
ody, and at . o'clock in the fore
Don, more than eight hours after |
ne lynching, Baker was able to
love and to utter a few words.
AS soon as Baker was strong {
lough to be moved the Springer {
took him to Jail for safe {
eeping. lie was suffering ter !
4