The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-02

his predecessor, went to Boston and
requested the sheriff there to be 30 kind
as to lend him a few hours use Of his
gibbet, but, to the generals surprisA
he was politely told that he was
not the only one to have hangingA H9
the sheriff of Suffolk county. also had
a little matter of the kind to settle A
certain malefactor named Piper was
booked to be hung at precisely the same
day and hour as Frost. The gallow9
was not ubiquitous. It could not pefss
form It's useful functions In Boston and
Worcester simultaneously Tha aherp
if from Suffolk county liked 10 DO Ao4
commodating, but really he must no~
fuse Sheriff Spragues request
Here was a situation requiring prompt
action. Gen. Sprague was not salts
fed to borrow the gallows at SPRING
field, Dedham or Plymouth, which were
poor affairs at best. He thought It
preferable to build brand new one for
Worcester county, so he put in re-
quest with the county commissioners,
and It was built. The scaffold and gall
lows cost in the neighborhood of $3.50.
1t was ten feet high above the ground,
and had a drop of five or six feet II
was all ready at the day appointed for
Frosts hanging.
That horrible event is well remember
cester at that time. The crime for
which Frost was executed was IN
doubleday the most fiendish and bru-
tai act committed In the history OF
Worcester county. Perhaps it was no
more than justice that. his execution
should be equally revolving.
Frost was substantial farmer living
near Petersham. He had dispute
with his brother-in-law which ended
by his Staying the latter. Frost came
up behind him while he was milking
and struck him on the head with some
blunt instrument. He buried the re-
mains under the barn. An investiga-
ton for the missing man was soon an
stltuted. In the course OF 1t the Peters
ham selectmen visited the barn. One
of them noticed some loose earth ana
showed his cane into It, They left de-
termined to return and dig up the spot
they had discovered,
In the meantime Frost returned and,
seeing the earth had been disturbed,
dug up the remains and carried them
to a distant swamp in the dead of the
night. There he CNsmembered the
corpse, burying the pieces in different
localities. Evidences Of the crime were
soon after discovered, although frag-
ments of the body were never found.
strong case was made out against Frost
largely on oircumstantial evidence.
On the appointed day, May 26, a
gathering Of $50 people assembled at
the jail to see the execution. The new
scaffold had been set in place. The
procession, headed by Sheriff Sprague,
marched out Of the jail. The prisoners
hands were tied, the black cap adjusted
over his eyes, and the signal was given.
The trap was sprung.
Those who witnessed the sight that
followed will never forget 1t. AS the
moose frightened around the victims
neck blood was seen to squirt out A
weakness in the structural formation OF
the neck had caused the bursting OF
the Jugular vein. Death was instahta-
neous. The condemned man suffered 20
more pain than the ordinary individ-
ual that is hanged. Nothing that hap
pened was in the slightest degree ahs
trbutable to those in charge Of tina
hanging. The smallest details had been
carefully arranged. The very rope was
part Of the same strand with which
Piper was hanged at the same hour
But the effect upon the epectnturs
was horrible Many tainted ct the
sight of the blood, The rest left IN
horror. The press was filled with SEM
sational articles, making tho absurd
statement that the prisoners haad wa9
literally torn Off.
This was the first and last time Wpr-
cester's gaiows was ever put TO use
Change of sentiment has demanded q
more humane method Of putting muir
derers to death and it Is not unlikely
that before the passing Of another
generation the death penalty will be
abolished altogether The electric chair
in Boston viii then be consigned to the
rubbish heap the Same as the galloWs
Is today
When questioned recently concerning
the old scaffold Gen. Sprague EXPRESSED
his qualification that it would never be
put to use again.
Whether or not the chair Is more
humane is a question" he said, but
the means IS certainly less revolving.
AS far as lack of pain to the victim is
concerned probably the French gull
tine is as satisfactory a method as any.
But 1t is bloody and degrading. Hang
ing has always been considered an e8-
peciafly degrading form of punishment.
In olden times kings and mobiles were
beheaded, while common malefactorH
were hanged. In the army spies are
hanged and those adjudged guilty OF
other Grimes are shot"