The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-08-24
AN ANXIOUS TWO MINUTES.
a Hanging That Took Place on Train, Not
Locas, Timeo

a hanging rhat Tcok Place on Train, Not
Locas, Time.
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
is made man named Bruce Mattingly
was awaiting execution in the Jail Of
one of these towns, he having commit
ted homicide which, according to the
theory of the jury, merited death. He
was a pretty bad man, but as is fire.
quently the case with tough citizens, he
had strong circle of friends who were.
disinclined to see Mattingly snuffed out
at the end Of rope They interceded
with the governor after the regular
channel of law courts of appeal had
been run fruitlessly, but Mattingly's
reputation was against him, and the
governor would not definitely promise
to grant the desired respite The sheriff
of the county had announced that he
would wait until o'clock in the morn,
ing for any gubernatorial interference,
and promptly at that hour, in the abb
sence of a notice of a stay, he would
launch Mr.. Mattingly into the else
where.
On the morning of the day set FOR the
execution the conductor of Burlington
No. 8 was instructed by the trainmas-
ter to pick up at this county seat town
the state fish commissioners private
car, which had been there for some
days, and carry it on to the terminal
The engineer, when told of the order,
suggested that it would be best for him
to run in few minutes ahead of card
time, so as to be sure to have enough
time to get away on the schedule. fol-
there was strong competition in the
matter of promptness on that run, and
for over three years the train had not
teen behind. So, being due at 8 o'clock,
the engineer of No. rushed things
little and got in at 1855, thus having
four minutes leeway to pick up the
commissioner car. AS they pulled up
at the platform a sound of whistling
and the ringing of bells rose in the
town, and from the high board stockade
around one wing of the county jail,
which was just across from the depot
red flag futtered as somebody hauled
it up on it's temporary pole. The en-
gineer asked what it meant.
"Just hung Mattingly, cried man
at ti1at moment, breaking forth from
the stockade. Hung him prompt at s
O'Clock. Bill was afraid a order might
come from the gov nor, an as soon as it
was s he let him CO.
tBut it isn't g." said the engineer.
''It's three minutes to it. -
'No, it isn't It's s. Amt No. 8 in,
an don't she git here at 8 to the dot?''
The engineers heart jumped and then
fell down into deep we'll.
"Do you mean to say you hung
man by No. 3's time instead of by
watches or clocks?' he gasped
"Of course. Why, watches an clocks
varies. Take any dozen watches among
the crowd in that Jail right now, an I'll
DSC CuCTG ALI uO wv tlAlhO LII = 1AUAN
out the time. But No go and the
man looked at the engineer in eloquent
silence, which was immensely express
sive. The latter leaned against the tank
and pulled his own watch and fastened
his eyes devouringly upon it. He after
ward said be lived lifetime in wait
ing for the two remaining minutes to
pass so that the hour would really be 8.
Every instant he expected to see the
operator come flying out with an order
to delay the hanging, and, knowing that
he had given the signal to execute the
man four minutes ahead of time, he felt
that if any ouch notice were to come
before s he would be a kind of mur
derer. At last-it seemed after years
the hands indicated the actual arriving
time of No. 3, and with a great gasp Of
relief the engineer climbed into the cab
and went about the work of hooking on
the commissioners car.
1t was some time before that engineer
got around to state Of mind where he
could speak lightly of the incident, and
to this day he has never run so much as
four seconds ahead of time. He says it
isn't conducive to man S peace of mind
out in that country, where they hang
people by railroad time card.-Chicago
Record