Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-26
HANGING is THE WAY,
Says Squire Bopp, Who Makes the
Ropes for That Purpose.
HE HAS SEEN MORE EXECUTIONS
Than Any Other American, and Is Opposed
to the Electrical Plan.
THE MOOSE THAT SETTLED GUIrEAU

watched more closely by anyone than it is
by Squire Bopp, OF Allegheny, the maker
of 101 hancman's ropes, and himself the
witness of - executions by hanging with
moose constructed by his own hands. For
40 years he has made the ropes to hang
nearly all Western Pennsylvania con-
demred murderers, and so widely has he
become known that he considers himself
more responsible than any other man for
the shedding of blood for blood in the
counties where his services are used.
He has established himself as Judge of
crime, and unless he believes the man
found guilty is deserving the sentence of
the law. he has always refused to construct
the means Of his death. Mr. Bopp is now
6S wears old He is as bluff and stern at
all times as when giving advice at hang
ing. but while reticent in conversation
about ordinary affairs, he never tires telling
the history of his life or giving an opinion
on the best and most humane way of taking
life TO satisfy law. He claims to have at
tended more executions than any other man
in the United States, and whether from
fear of losing his occupation or through a
feeling of justice, he still thinks, as he said
yesterday, that:
Thinks Electrocu.ion Is More Cruel.
Hanging is good enough for any man
that kills another. Electrocution is too
horrible, too cruel,'' he continued. "Just
think of it, Ugh! Why, all those fellows
that nave been shocked TO death in New
York have been burned almost to a crisp.
I'm in favor of letting them wait until they
get to the next world to get scorched," said
the old Squire, with an emphatic pound of
his fist on a near table.
"Row would you like to have your skin
burnt black he asked with ghoulish
grin. Wouldn't You sooner have your
neck broken without pain, because rs l
truly believe, there is no pain. The only
hanging | have ever witnessed at which /
think the victim suffered was that of an old
woman named Mrs. Grinder, who was exc
cuted in Pittsburg for poisoning family of
FIVE. She was terrible creature and had
Tracticed poisoning all the dogs and cats
in the neighborhood before numbering hu
man beings. When she went on the plat
form to-be hung I think every spectator
PRAYED that she would suffer. She was
given a very short drop and after she fell
she kicked minutes. i believe the
main that she endured in that time was sent
Iv God, for heaven knows she deserved it.
She was the only person | ever saw hanged
that ! would sooner have seen electrocuted,
because in that way | believe she would
have suffered still more.
Referring to the recent death of st.
Louis man who claimed to have made the
rope that hung Guiteau, Mr.. Bopp said he
wanted TO enter a protest against giving
that honor TO any one except himself
One Honor Iy,at He Claims.
'T made that rope" said the old man,
Jumping to his feet, land the reason know
it is because. according to a picture pub
lished in H1rper'S Weekly, there were nine
turns in the moose. No other rope maker
gives more than seven turns, and many only
three.
There were II ropes sent to hang Gui-
teau, and no one has absolute knowledge
that his rope was used. The one / made
had in il 10 strands. divided into four d.
visions. as are all hangnen's ropes. 1
never received it back and am almost GER
tain that it was used Before the hanging
l made proposition through Congressman
Bavne 10 make a silk rope out of four diff
ferent colors Of material. They were to be
red, white and blue, representing the colors
Of The nation, and green for the Irish. The
rope would have been very expensive, and
7 expected 10 get my money out of it by
the rest 20 museums but I could not get as
surance that it would be used and therefore
did not make it. / wish now that l had,
because when the officials at Washington
had seen what stuff was in it, think they
would have used it.
Cad. what a rope that would have been !
l. would almost have cut the villains neck
of and-but ii is no use talking about that
now. The only thing I want is for the
world TO know that l made the rope that
hung Garield's slayer.
Ropes for the Anarchists.
''I had the contract to make the ropes to
hang the Chicago anarchists, but 1 was
afraid to do so and threw up the job. 1t
WAS stated that some old seaman did the
work. His name was never given. / sup
pose il will never be known. and 1 guess it
will be healthier for the man if it is not
That reminds me-" continued Mr. Bopp, |
'of my experience in Illinois when the |
Normons were there. / was making ropes |
for the lead mines near Nauvoo, and when |
ever the lynchers wanted any string to |
hois, a Mormon | furnished it. NV rope |
vas used to hang the eleven men at Fort |
Madison, and God only knows how many |
Others tnat have never been accounted for. |
When there I became we'll acquainted with |
Brigham Young. He was wiry devilish !
wires as dirty and despisable rs he was. |
One time | saw Young and his 20 wives go i
In bathing with lot of others in the Miss |
iSsippi river. Nineteen of the women had |
babies with them, and while they were in |
the water the childless woman took care 1
o. the kids. They wore very scant bathing |
costumes and seemed to have no idea what. |
egcr Of modesty.
The Mormons were hated bv all the |
other people in the neichborhood and no |
wonder. because they did nothing but steal |
They would 90 into q mans field and har- |
vest a crop without any idea of property |
rights, and if the man didn't like it. the |
whole tribe would help finish the steal | /
met Joseph Smith cnce or twice and saw |
him when he was shot. / saw him give the |
Masonic sign to save himself, but he was |
only book Mason and every person knew
il, so they showed no pity. 1t was iustifi-
able and veu can stake your life that 1
would never have made ropes, if they had
been found guilty, to hang the men who
killed Smith.
The Proper Length of Drop.
After his return from Illinois Mr. Bopp
gained his reputation as maker of hang
mans ropes. He always advocates giving
a man two and one-half feet drop. His
ropes are three-cighths of an inch thick;
smaller size, he claims will cut the skin
and larger one will not work through the
moose.
ITS just like this, said Mr. Bopp, as ne
rnfastened a small rope worn around his
body as a belt and fastened it around the
reporters neck with a hangman's loop "If
the rope doesn't slip easy it is liable 10
catch and make botch of the whole bust !
a lrar 1S mob