The Butler weekly times., 1897-09-23
THE HANGMAN'S ART.
Federal ExeCutioner MaIedon
Relates Experiences.
HAS HANGED NEARLY 100 MEN
Including Negroes and Indians, and Says
They all Weaken on the ScafoId-
Whiskey Caused the Crimes.

Whskey Caused the Crimes.
Nevada, Mo, Sept. l7.-Arnong
those attending the encampment at
Lake Park Springs, this city, of the
reunion Ct old soldiers is
the worlds INST noted haDgman,
George Maledon of Fort Smith He
is a small man with iron gray chin
wtiske,s. He was horn in Bavaria
IN 1880, aud went from Michigan to
Fort Smith forty-one years ago. He
hanged his first man there, senteuc-
ed by Judge Parker, in 1872.
He has continued to act as hang
IN An for the United States court ut
Fort Smith ever since, banging
ninety eight men sentenced by the
late Judge Parker, who, during his
term of service, sentenced 2l7 men
to death aud sent 10000 TO the pen
ltentiary.
Speaking of his uncanny calling,
Mr. Maledon said:
cat one time / had twelve men on
the ecaifold-fve of them were com.
muted and seven dropped at one
movement Of the trigger. Every
neck was broken Throughout my
entire service l never s'rangled a
man or drew blood on him. When
the neck is broken the srms and
shoulders drop down. When there
is strangulstion they shrug up.
Ninety per cent of the men l
have hung committed crimes because
of whisky, either directly or indi
rectly One of them, Booth Crump
ten, held up glass on the scstfo!d
aud said:
Young men, when you take up
glass to drink, look into the bot
tom and see if there is not a haog-
mans knot hidden there.
"One OF the worst men l ever
hung was Cherokee Bill. 1t was
known tha. be had killed twelve
meu, aid had doubtless murdered
others. He was in the Fort Smli h
iail, frcm which no man has ever es'
capped. He tried to get away. and
tie guards fred sixty two shots at
i'm without mortally wounding
him. During the fight he shot and
killed very popular guard, named
| Keaton
The people On the outside heard
of it and attempted to mob the muir
derer. but the guards turned and
defended him Cherokee Bill killed
nis brother-in law, and said he did II
's-e him kick. as la was always
kicking at everything
Il have hung negroes, Indians
and white men. and nearly all o.
the m weaken Some of them seem
ed elm, hut when your hand was
placed upon them you could alway:
feel the muscles crawling and trem
bling. An Indian has great horror
# hanging. They would much,pre
fer to be shot. I have had then
draw a black mark on their clothes
over the heart and beg me 10 shoo
them while in their cells. They ar'
great drunkards, and will dlluk rec
ink or any other fluid which has al
cohol in it.
Jack Spaniard was another bac
man. He was the captain of the
Belle Starr gang. She was sho.anc
killed IN tie Red river country no
very long ago by msn III ambush
She was born in Vernon county
Missouri. Jack fought like demon
when be started 10 the scaffold, anc
1t was necessary to choke him down
.Dr. Alexander was brilliant anc
highly educated man, but had bae
temper. He witnessed several O
my executions and then killed
man. He was sentenced. and, know
irg bin so well. I asked If he woult
| prefer some other man to hang him
".Do it yourself,' he said. 'yo'
know how. Break my neck shor
off,
II remember when Cherokee Bill
was brought out to the scaffold. n
looked at the crowd and exclaimed