Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-09-19
BE DREADED BY A SILK CORD.
CHASTITY Result of a Scientific Exper
iment in Kilmainham Prison.

never tau AOlSoO IL ocHSooloh'' ~ suo
time. was o reporter ON Dublin
daily and one Of the men had been de-
tailed to attend an execution on the fol
lowing morning. Poor fellow, his
bones are now whitening ON the sands
of the Soudan, whittier he went with
| Gordon as war correspondent OF Lon
don paper, and whence he never re-
turned
He had some other engagement. and
asked me to take his place, and / con-
sented. Early next morning found mo
speeding behind flying hack along tho
South Quays. around by Nngsbridge,
! through the drives of tho cold Mans
Home" and up to the gloomy gates OF
Kilmainham. About dozen reporters
shivered around, thick drizzle rene-
trated TO the skin, and rs the dull gas
lamps hickered through the fog and
showed the dismal walls y more dis
heartening scene conld scarcely be wit
messed. Gradually the dawn of the
November day appeared, and reveal d
groups of miserable looking waifs OF the
city. who had assembled to see the
black flag hoisted and to hear the deep
tolling OF the bell that would announce
to the outer world that James Moore,
pensioner of the British army, had paid
with his life for the murder of the
wretched partner who shared his name
and misery in howell in Bull lane, one
of the worst and most squalid Sums OF
Dublin city.
The dull, deep, leaden mist hid tower
and steeple, and made the changing OF
she iron doors seem a positive relief
from the gloomy street. AS we filed In
through the iealously guarded wicket.
where the deputy governor examined
eur credentials, a friend OF mine whls-
pered in my ear:
800 YOU know who is to be hang
man? MOI Well, it is Professor X,
of Trinity College. He has got some
theory about the advantage to be gained
by hanging man with silk rope, and
after much solicitation has obtained
permission to make trial on Moore.
The professor was man OF hlgn
scientific attainments, and one who has
since made considerable stir In other
fields, and he is, ! believe, still alive.
We were finally ushered into small
ward and thence into lesser one, where
the big boundary wall and tall build
incs cut off all view save Of the leaden
sky overhead. In one corner of the
ward n solitary little cherry tree had
taken root, and in the opposite one the
scafold had been erected. 1t was open
in front and was reached by stairway.
Overhead dangled rope with o loop at
the end of it. A tall man, shabbily
dressed and wearing black mask, came
hurriedly through doorway, and with
the assistance Of a couple Of warders adj
iusted white cord to this loop, and IN
few moments the last procession APP
peared.
The condemned mans arms were
pinioned to his side, his trembling lips
were as white as his face, and he shook
as though with Chagres fever. A couple
of cler0ymen, as pale almost as the
prisoner, walked by his side, and ever
and anon pressed crucitix to his con-
vulsed lips. The litany for the dying
was repeated as he climbed the stairs,
and whom he reached the fatal platform
it was necessary to support him on each
side.
He had been through the Crimean
war, this man; had slept for months
amid the snowy slush, the squalor ana
vermin Of the parallels, and had been
rocked TO these weary slumbers by such
music as the whisting shells, the boom
ing siege guns and the ping OF the
sharpshooter's rife produced.
And yet whom sure death was before
him he quailed.
He was placed on the fatal trap that
soon would launch him into the dark
hereafter, and the masked execuhoneer
placed the straps around his knees; the
fatal white cap was pulled over DIS
} face, but ere his vision was shrouded ne
cast one despairing glance around at the
gloomy sky and dismal walls that were
terrible to behold, such depth OF agony
was there. 1t was his last look on
J earth.
The white cord was adjusted and the
, executioner stepped back, the priests
: drew q little aside, the fatal bolt was
drawn and James Moore was a lump OF
clay
r The reporters had drawn near the
| front of the scaffold, which was open be-
) meath, and the body shot through the
trap like a flash when the bolt flew
| back. But instead of dangling, the
| body shot straight to the earth, while the
J decapitated head was hurled againt the
3 roof of the scaffeld and rebounded
, among the group in front, striking one
poor fellow full in the face, and spatter-
[ ing us with blood. He gave terrible
shrek and dropped to the ground IN
) spasms. which succeeded each other Tor
DAYS. From these he never fully re-
: covered. his mind gave way under the
5 shock, and in eight or nine months he
! expired in q lunatic asylum, and thus
I was extinguished one of the brightest
lights of the Dublin press.
: The horror stricken spectators gazed
helplessly on the quivering body, from
which jets of blood were squirting; Inc
executioner gave q gasp, rushed down
the stairway and was seen no more; a
Jury was hastily empanelled, and after
verdict had been reached the clrcnm-
stances of the case were revealed TO us