Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-05-16
VOL. XXI.
HANGED TWICE.
Terrible Bungling at the Bald
Knobbers' Execution Fri
day-Slckenlng Scenes.

Knobbers Friday morning was
botched. When the drop fell
young Walkers rope broke and he
fell to the ground without losing
consciousness. Mathews feet
touched, but he died without the
rope being readjusted. The elder
Walker fell almost PROSTATE but
the rope was drawn up and he
died in fifteen minutes. Young
Walker, conscious and begging his
executioners to make haste, sat on
the scaffold for nearly twenty min
utes waiting for his father and
Mathews to die so that the trap
could be readjusted. The boy was
then hanged again, and died with
out a struggle.
ON THE scAFFoLD.
Mathews trembled as he went up
the steps, but surprising to all,
did not break down. AS the MIN
listers sang Mathews broke in with
"Thank God" The ministers
shook hands with the prisoners.
| When Sheriff Johnson asked
Mathews if he had anything to say
he repeated his declaration of in
nocence.
Dave Walker said he was fully
prepared to meet his God.
| Young Walker said:
"We will meet ysu in heaven.
! The Sheriff first adjusted the
moose aboutMathews' neck and then
about Dave Walkers. Mathews
said: "Oh, God, did I ever think
l would die like this !" AS the
rope was adjusted about Win Wal
ker's neck he muttered a prayer
with his eyes closed. The black
cap was put on Will first, then on
Dave and then on Mathews. Just
before this was done father and
son kissed each other.
When Will Walker turned to his
father and asked that he kiss him
and when their lips met Sheriff
johnson himself gave way. The
tears streamed down the. two men s
faces as they turned and took their
places for the drop.
| A sIcKENING SCENE.
| The trap was sprung and the
men went down. Will Walkers
feet touched the ground, as did his
fathers. Both struggled fright
fully. They were raised, and
Igurgling sounds came from their
throats. The knot in Will Walk
er's moose gave way and the young
man fell sprawling on the ground,
He lay there and groaned. His
father was now dying but still
struggling. The Sheriff and his
deputies held Dave up, shortened
the rope and loosened it until
a knot was tied in it. Not until
then did Dave Walkers feet clear
the ground. After the loop knot
in the rope had been tied Dave
again swung from the rope. This
| time his feet did not touch the
ground. His struggles and means
were frightful.
| Meantime Will, his boy, was on
the ground coming back to con-
sciousness. His first words were a
Iprayer. After Dave ceased strug.
Cling Will was lifted to the plat
form again. He sat up and talked,
and pleaded for the Sheriff to
hurry.
The Sheriff held him up. In
this half-dead condition the boy
was laid out on the platform until
his father was dead or a moose had
been tied. When Dave Walker
and Mathews were stretched on &
white sheet on the ground beneath
) the trap was again set. Young
Walker was held up and the rope
again adjusted about his bleeding
neck. He prayed constantly. Af
ter the moose was about his neck
he choked and as he said "God, ]
commit myself to thee" he par.
TALLY fell forward.
AGAIN HANGED.
The trap was again sprung and
he dangled in the air. After the
, adjustment of the moose, the
Sheriff ordered the rope shortened
so that his feet could not touch the
ground again. This time the noos.
did not give way and the young
mans life went out with twitche:
which shook his whole body.