Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-04-28
BILL NYE And BRO. BERRY.
Queen ViotOria's Hangman Wants to
Come Over and Lecture

1880 ~NNNAAN
ANovel Proposition TO Major Pond-why the
Royal Hangman Might Make Success
Here-Suggestion for the Lecture Platform
Mr. Berry and His Royal Sovereign.
The following letter has been re-
ceived within the last few days at Ma
jor Ponds Office in this city. The Ma
jor naturally comes into correspondence
with great many queer people-lec-
tnre fiends. &c. The parties concerned
in this little affair. being more or less
public characters, the contents of the
message are given below:
MARCH IL, 1888.
To Major Pond. Evsrsn House, Fourth ace
nae, Men York
DEAR SIR: Mr. Jas. Berry (Whose business |
managers we sre) Her Msjesty's Executioner, |
has instructed US 10 arrange for a six weeks |
tour IN the States. As his professional duties |
are liable TO be called upon any time IN ses- |
sions, there Is on y one time Of year he tan
get away, that ID 10 April, and he proposes To |
start from England about April IL (nexD IL
is his inten ion to lecture on crimes aud Grim
inais general and particularly as to his own
experiences, aud will produce at the lecture
such relics and mementoes as might be inter-
esting TO LIS aud eIce.
We have adviser him not to take up the
speculation himself not because we have
any fear OF the success OF the undertaking,
but because, as he is, stranger to America,
ia doing so he would be working at dtsad.
vantage. We have, therefore advised him TO
accept a lump sum down for the six Neeks's
tour, and have fixed the lowest price at which
he would 20 at 81 ,2OO (tWelYe hundred
pounds. This is absolutely the lowest price
that he can accept, and no lower offer will be
entertained
We therefore beg to tender you bis services
| for the above sum for the tour, he finding
moth ng sc be ond his personal services snc
| OF cOurse paying bis passage TO aud from
| America. The payment OF the el,2JO to be
| made as follows:
Seven hundred pounds to be placed in the
hands OF our New York solicitors, Messrs. Il.
| " f. Marbury, before April !, $500 on or be-
/ fore April 9. and the balance 10 be paid the
i day after Berry's arrival; or, In the event OF
| these terms not suiting, we will instruct
| Messrs Marbury to make such terms as they
think fit, in cOniunctin with you.
As It is imperative that Berry should leave
on or about the 18th April or not at all this
1 year, please cable us il you accept or not.
Please note telegraphic address. We have
made the same offer to others, and shall ae-
cept the first. Yours truly,
GEO SINCLAIR & Co.
For several reasons it is to be hoped
that an arrangement may be made
with Mr.. Berry for a tour in which he
shall give select ons from his own
works. As a people we know less
about hanging than any other industry.
We have SO far neglected This matter in
order to foster other outdoor sports
Interest in executi ons here has certain
ly fallen off more than the people who
should have taken part in these exer-
cises. Even the p easant excursions
VIII ch were formed years ago for the
purpose of going over from Southern
Ohio into Kentucky Saturday after
Moons to see some gentleman hanged
have been abandoned for many years,
ami like the dear old spelling school
an huskng bee the bnsy little midi
night strangulation bee has g ven place
TO hunting the domestic fox in full
dress. Grabbing and other JOYS of the
chase. NV old friend Goodwin. of the
, Sedaia (MO.) BdZ00, still runs his ex-
, cursion trains to open-air hangings
but out in Missouri these hangings fire.
,. quently take place with such sudden
ness that Mr.. G. is not always able Il
get out his schedule.
Mr.. Berry has it in his power Il
awaken an interest at this time in {
matter which should interest one an,
4 all, while at the same time he may ado
4 greatly to the public interest in lecture
: and other means of mental improve
/, ment. In crude way the new Yves
= has done great deal in this line, bu
! the methods themselves were some
what vulgar and open 10 criticism.
man who has been for years the sue
cessful executioner to Her Majesty
. having won his way TO the platform b
: means of his terse and direct style an,
abrupt sentences with q falling infiec
ton at the end. would find much in tn
American frontier to condemn. Hang
I ing, as practised along the borders {
! the great West has had little that wa
attractive about it for years-sincerit,
= frankn, IS and efficacy being the prime
pal features that would recommend
!. First came the custom of leading I'll
recipient on horseback under tire
with his hands tied behind him. drol
= ping line 10 him over a bough, tyin
!, in it four-in-hand beneath his ca
and then hitting the horse a stingin
" cut with a quert on the flank. The SUI
prise manifested by q horse on such o
y casions is more than shared BY I'll
rider, whose startled appearance is n
ticeable for days afterwards BY peop
who pass that way.
Is 1utu AOlVNNh NhO AhNshOA va NAffAh
h. a bull team and freight wagon und'
- the tree, instead of the saddled hors
AS civilization advanced, wealthy al
10 prosperous suffocation clubs arose NJ
:. introduced the spring wagon. 4
q Brewster side-bar, the ph@ton and u
y Victoria. Later on, with the shri'
a y, of the iron horse, came other metho
of execution, and the upper deck OF
40 freight train was utilized, ana when
10 was ready and the victim had smok,
Is his cigarette clean down to his yellC
IN finger tips-the executioner signall'
us the engineer and the other exeursio
u! lists went on. while the condemn,
al gentlemen changed cars for the d
~ and distant country whose reticen
Dr. still continues to punctuate mans {
as reer with mighty interrogation poiI
Us MIR. Berry, as Royal Executions
'rs has had advantages which placed hi
lis as NAV say, at the head as a Jerk
of Justice. and general stimulator
do better With large and prosp,
Gus kingdom at his back and the inr
bo consciousness of duty well done.
-. has been enabled to advance contiI
-