The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1890-06-04
WAR TIME EPIsODE.

Army Hanging and It's Remark
able Sequel.
Overland Monthly.]
Not satisfied with teaching US
Spartan sobriety, aud how soldiers
In the field should try to live like
gentlemen, and get fat and grow
strong on q little pork and fewer
beans, Gen. w. compelled Mar
lin and me to assist al a hanging, and
the lesson was so deeply impressed
upon our minds that / have ever since
carefully avoided all others in my
way. II happened in this wise:
A young soldier. while hunting in
the vicinity Of the camp, shot q hog
roofing in the woods. The owner Of
the hog, q man nearly seventy years
Of age, reproved him for it, saying
that be was always willing to oblige
the soldiers in the way of milk and
butter and garden truck, such as he
could spare from his own needs, but
that he did not want his hogs shot
down In that way. As he turned 10
90 back to his house. near by. the
young man shot him through the
back, killing him instantly.
The soldier was arrested, tried be-
fore q general court martial, and SEN
fenced to be hanged His regiment
petitioned the General to have bis
sentence changed to shooting, say
ing that il would be a disgrace to them
to have one Of their number die such
an lgnominious death. Gen. W.
was infiexible, and refused to make
any change in the sentence shoot
ing was too good for the scoundrel.
Very soon after bis refusal reports
began to spread among the troops
that some lively times might be ex-
pected at the hanging, as the Ken.
lucky regiment had made up their
minds to have the best of the mat.
ter by shooting the murderer them
selves, even if they had to do 30 on
the scaffoid. The only effect Of these
rnmors upon the General was TO
strengthen bis determination to give
. taste Of regular army discipline.
When the time came for carrying
the sentence into execution he caused
a scaffold TO be erected on their own
parade-ground, 10 f.o { Of their
camp, and directed our regiment TO
turn out In fighting order, with forty
ronnds Of ball cartridges to each
man, proceed 10 the Bardstown jail,
bring the murderer 10 the place Sc
lected for his execution, and hang
him then and there by the neck,
according TO the law and precedent,
until he was dead. When we reached
the camp on our return with the
prisoner No found the whole division
drawn up, closed in mass without
arms, formed into q great square
around and facing the scaffold. with
the Kentucky regiment right in front
of IL.
The prisoner, supported on each
side BY two executioners, regularly
detailed by name in special orders
for the performance OF q military
duty, sseended the scaffold, took hii
place on the trap door, and while ths
necessary preparations were going on
our regiment formed into q hollow
square, with the scatfold in the cen.
Ter, facing outward toward the resi-
or The division. All the arrsnge'
ments having been completed, oul
old Colonsl's voice rang ont sharply;
"Load with with ball cartridges
losd!"
The ringing metallic sound Of ths
rsmmers striking against the rifle
barrels In driving the bullets homs
and returning 10 their places in ths
gun stocks after the loading va
done, came back In answer.
"Ready"
The whole regiment, one thousand
strong, cast about as one man, max
ing q quarter face to the right, ant
the rifles we're brought 10 q full cscl
with two sharply defined clicks.
A short pause and the voice va
heard once more, not quick ant
naughty as in the word Of execution
Of q military command, but soleml
and mournful:
"Exscutloners Of the lsw, perform
your dutyr
The sound Of q sharp blow with
hstchet upon wood was heard. Tb
trap-door upon which the prisone
stood gave way from under his feel
and he shot through the open tra
with q sudden, isfky, tightening
the rope around his throat, sicksnin
70 behold. ..
| Justice was satisfied: the murders
has been hanged in sccordsnce wit
the Law Of the land, and not . man
The vast assembly, hushed In sclem
lsilence, dared even wink with Of