Evening journal., 1893-01-25
SCAFFOLD- ON EXHIBITION.
THE HILL MURDERERs' DEATH IN
STRUMENT AT THE WORLDS FAIR.

Party of Curiosity-seeIsers and specu-
lators Attempt TO Buy the scafroId
That Sent Four OF Dr. HnI's Murder
ers Into Eternity.
A conspicuous position at the Worlds
Fair will likely be occupied by the rough
rudiments Of Virginia "bull" pine, form
ing the scaifold on which four murderers
Of DR.. J. Heighe HILL at Chestertown
ended their careers on January 10.
Human curiosity in this line seems to
have no limit. Governor Brown, of the
State Of Maryland, reports that a party
of spectators are desirous of obtaining
the gallows, which was built by Freder
ich J. Pote, of Chestertown, and on
which Charles W. Brooks, Frizby Come
gys, Moses Brown and Fletcher Williams
were hanged.
Sheriff Plummer has already been
offered Sc, 600 by spectators desiring 10
/ get possession of this rough looking
structure, and II successful they will at
once remove it 10 Chicago, where the
morbidly inclined visitors TO the exposi-
tion may feast their eyes upon the struc-
ture.
The gallows was originally constructed
with the expectations that eight were TO
be hanged. IL was erected in the yard
Of the Kent county jail at Chestertown,
near the door leading from the corridor
of the FIRST floor. The material used is
cheap. and the structure is 20 feet long
and feet wide.
The floor Of the scaifold was elevated
seven feet above the ground aud two feet
above the level Of the door sill OF the cor.
ridor. The approach TO 10 was a short
| flight Of temporary steps From the floor
TO the other side Of the 6 by inch beam,
TO which the ropes were attached, 10 was
enclosed by undressed boards, twelve
inches wide The beam was bout seven
feet above the floor, making the total
height of the gallows about fourteen
feet. The trap was made Of four sections,
each OF which was AZ feet long Pieces
of scantling placed across and underneath
supported these.
When the sheriff pulled the lever at
one end of the scaffold these cleats were
moved far enough 20 permit them TO fall
through mortises cut for the purpose In
the two beams. which ran along the two
sides of the eallows and held them
together. The cleats, braces and the
four sections of the trap fell with a
crash leaving the murderers dangling in
the open space Each Of the men had
been placed on either Of the four sections
of the trap.
10 was first proposed that two men
should stand on each of the spaces, but
when four had been pardoned that ar
rangement was abandoned. II is likely
had the eight men been placed on the
scaffCld at one time, that when two haC
gone through the same space that the
ropes would become entangled and q
heartrending catastrophe would have
been the result.
Executions at the Penitentiary.
The experiment Of January 13, at thu
hanging of the four murderers of DR.
Hill at Chestertown, will probably resul
in the hanging Of all prisoners con
demned TO death in Maryland at thl
state penitentiary. The warning giver
out by the sheriff of Kent county at the
last meeting was little needed by thl
citizens. Instead the guards became in
toxicated and were unfit TO be on thl
Streets rather than guardians agains
riot, and the hanging was conducted a
though a public exhibition.
The affair has 80 incensed Governo
, Brown that be has declared his intention
of calling particular notice TO the fact II
his next message to the Maryland Legis
lature, and will recommend the passagl
OF law requiring all executions Of Grim
inals to take place within the walls o
p the state penitentiary, notwithstand
ing the part of the state in which tn
: crime or conviction might occur.
D The governor is of the opinion that th
D only way in which the law requiring
private executions can be enforced is Z
! have the executions take place in tn
penitentiary. The necessity for the pas
q sage or such law will be strongly urge
} upon the next session Of the Genera
D Assembly.
= Whether or not the execution o
Alfred Stout at Elkton will be a repetitio
e Of the 18th instant remains to be told
q Should it prove so.it will only strengthen
the assertions of Governor Brown.