The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02
HANGED WHEN TRAIN CAME In.

IL Was Ahead OF Time and the Engln-
Ger Had an Anxious Two Minutes.
: There Is . branch Of the Burlington
railroad which runs down into the south
western part of Nebraska, and along
which are strung several county seat
towns At the time to which reference
10 made man named Bruce Mattingly
Was awaiting execution In the jail OF one
of these towns, he having committed q
homicide which, according to the theory
Of the Jury. msrited death. he was .
pretty bad man, but az !: frequently the
CASE with tough citizens, he had strong
circls Of friends who were disinolined to
sse Mattingly snucfed out ~ this end Of .
rope. They iutercvded with the Cover
nor after the regular channel of law
courts of appeal had been run ruthlessly,
but Aattjngly's reputation was against
him, and the Governor would NOT def-
nitely promise TO grant the desired res
pite. The Sheriff of the county had anno-
unCed that he would wait until 3 O'Clock
In the morning for any 0uhsrnatorial In.
terference, and promptly st that hour, In
the absence of q notice TO Q stay hs
would launch Mr.. MattinRly into the
elsewhere.
On the morning Of the day set for the
No. 3 was instructed by the trainmaster
to pick up at this county seat the state
Fish Commissi sioner's private car, which
had been there for some dsys and garry
Il on to the terminal. Ths engineer.
when told of the order. suggested thas IL
would b best for him to run 10 few
sure to have enough time to get away on
tho schedule, for there was strong
COIN petition In the matter Of promptness
on that run, and for over three yoars the
train had not been behind. SO being duo
at o'clouk. the engineer Of No. rushed
things q little and got In at 1865. thus
having four minutes leoway to piok up
the commissioner car. As they pulled
up az the platform sound of whistling
and tile ringing of bells rose In the town,
and from the highboard stockade around
one wing Of the ooCnty jail which was
just across from the depot q red flag fiut-
tered O. somebody hauled 1t up on its
temporary pcle. The engineer asked
"Just hung Msttingly," cried . man
% that moment breaking forth from
the stockade. Hung him prompt AZ 8
o'clock. BIZ Was afraid m order might
come from the 0os'nor, an as soon 40
8 was he let him co."
"But it isn't 8 said the engineer.
''It's three minutes to It."
"No, it isn't It's 8 Amt No. 8 in.
and don't enc Git here at to the dot?''
The engineers heart jumped and tnen
fell down into . deep well.
"Do you mean 90 say you hung q man
by No. SIS time instead OF by watches or
clocksy' no gssped.
''Of course. Why. watches an clocks
varies. lake any dozsn watches among
the crowd In that jail right now an IN
bat there ain't no tWo alike in pintiu'
ouS tho time. But No. -" and the
man looked ct the engineer In eioquent
sjlence which was immensely expire ssive.
The latter leaned against the tank and
pulled his own watch and fastened his
eyes devourinRly upoo It, he afterward
ssid no lived lifetime In waiting for
the two remaining inirutes to pass so
that the hour would rcslly DO 8. Every
instant be expected to see the operator
come Tying out v itb an order TO delay the
hanging, and knowing that he had given
the signal to execute the man four min
utes ahead Of time he fit that n any
such notice were TO come before he
would be- q kind OF murderer. At Last
IL ssen cd after years the hands indicated
the sotuol arriving time Of No. 2. and
with n great assp OF relief the engineer
climted toto the cab end went abous the
work Of hooking on the Comm issioner's
ear.
got around Co a state Of mind where be
TO shis day ne has pever run so much as
four seconds ahead OF tine. lie says it
isn't cond ucive TO . mans reace OF ipind
ous In that country, where they hang
psopls BY railroad time carc.-Chicago
hscord.
Kev. nj. A. Farran will make the I'd
dress ct 4 o'clock tomorrow sfssrnoon In
the y. M. u. A. Hall Mr.. Fsrran was
formerly engaged In Y. M. q. A. work