Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-07-11

THE WALKING GALLOWS.
Nickname Given to British Officer Dur
ing the Irish Rebellion.

Nickname Given to a British Officer Dur
ing the Irish Rebellion.
The lato Mr.. W. j. Fitzpatrick was
best known in this country perhaps
as Levers biosrapher, but he was
also the author of many interesting
historical works, dealing for the
most part with tho mysteries which
shrouded tho expenditure of Pitts
secret service money and with the
true character of the shadowy fig
ures moving behind the scenes dur
ing the rebellion of 1898 and the act
of union that followed it,
Time travels slowly over in Ire
land. The peasantry still talk of the
stirring events of that memorable
year in manner that makes it diff
cult for stranger to realize that
nearly hundred years have elapsed
since they took place In several of
Mr.. Fitzpatrick 8 books reference is
made to an officer whose energetic
measures for suppressing sedition
should certainly claim for his NOM
DRY the same respect and admiration
as are awarded to Judge Jeffres and
other gentlemen of the same stamp.
When the rebellion first broke out,
the militia regiment of certain
county adjoining Dublin could boast
the services of an officer of the name
of Hopenstall who soon became
known throughout the length and
breadth of Ireland as the "Walking
Gnllows. " This notorious officer,
originally an apotheoary, was Go
Hath in stature and n Nero at heart.
If after dark, while patrolling tho
country with his men, he met a peas
ant who could not satisfactorily ac-
count for himself, Hepenstall's mode
of procedure was first to knock him
down with IL blow from his fist,
which was quito as effective as a
sledgo hammer, and then, ordering
ono of the drummers to take off q
cord from his drum, to adjust
moose around the prisoners neck,
draw the ropo over his own athletic
shoulders and trot about, tho vic.
tins legs dangling in the air until
death at last put an end to the tor
ture
These details-almost incredible
at the present day-were admitted
by tho gallant officer himself when
undergoing cross examination at the
trial of rebel named Hyland, coun-
sol for the defense exclaiming at the
close of this remarkable evidence,
"Then, sir, you acted the execution
er and play the gallows!"
Eyes, please your HONOR" came
the unabasbod reply.
Such was the barbarous severity
of tho time that Lord Norbury, the
presiding judge, warmly compli-
nented the witness on his loyalty
and assured him that he had been
guilty of no act which was not nat
ural to jealous, loyal and efficient
officer. ProfiXed to that rare and
extremely seditious periodical The
Irish Magazine for 1910 is picture
of Heponstall, in his capacity Of exc
cutioner, slowly strangling an I'M
fortunate wretch, who is dangling
behind his gigantic back. His fea-
lures, handsome in their conforma-
ton and seraphio in their express
sion, present puzzle to the students
of Lavater's theory, and it is impos-
siblo not to admire his magnificent
physique. A wit suggested that his
tombstone would be suitably insorib
ed by the following epitaph:
Hero lie the bones of Hepcnstall-
Judge jury, gallows, rope and all.
-Pittsburg Dispatch.