River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-06-15
A WALKING GALLONS.
Lieut.. HepenstaIl, Who Used TO Hang
RebeIIious Britons from His
own Neck.

Among the examples and records OF
British tyranny during the terrible year
of 1898 there is none more extraor-
binary, according TO writer in an
English magazine, than that of Lieut.,
Edward Hepenstall, known by the nick
name of "1he Walking Gallows," for
such he certainly was literally and
practically.
This notorious individual, who had
been brought up as an apothecary in
Dublin, obtained commission in the
Wicklow militia, in which he attained to
rank of lieutenant in 1895. He was a
man of splendid physique, about SIN
feet two inches in height, and strong
and broad in proportion. Referring to
this handsome but brutal giant, Sin
John harrington, in his Memoirs,
states:
II knew him well, and from his coun.
tenance should never have suspected
him of cruelty, but SO cold-blooded and
eccentric an executioner of the human
race never yet existed"
At the outbreak of the sanguinary
rebellion. when the common law was
suspended and the stern martial vari-
ETY. nourished in its stead, Lieut.. Hep
enstall hit upon the expedient of hang
ing on his own back persons whose
physiognomies he considered character
istic of seditious tenets. At the present
day the story seems almost incredible
but il is notorious fact, revealed by
the journalism of the period, that wher
rebels. either suspected or caught red
handed, were brought before him
Hepenstall would order the cord of q
drum to be taken off, and then, rigging
up a running moose, would proceed to
hang each in turn across his athletic
shoulders until the victim had beer
slowly strangled to death, after which
he would throw down his load and take
up another.
The walking Gallows" was clearly
both new and simple plan and mode
of execution not nearly so tedious OF
painful as a Tyburne OF Old Bailey
hanging. 1t answered his majesty's
service as well as two posts and crow
bar. When a rope was not at hand
Hepenstall's own silk cravat, being
softer than an ordinary halter, becam,
merciful substitute.
In pursuance of these benevolent in
tentions. the lieutenant would fire
quently administer an anesthetic to his
trembling victim-in other words hs
would knock him silly with blow. Hi.
carriers then did duty as handouts ant
ha eli 4
condemned mans neck.
Whenever he had an unusually power
| full victim to do with Hepenstall tool
pride III showing his own strength
With a dexterous lunge of his body the
lieutenant used to draw up the poo
| devils head as high as his own, anc
then, when both were cheek by jowl
begin to trot about with his burden like
jolting cart horse, until the rebel hat
| no further solicitude about sublunary
affairs. 1t was after one of these trot
ing executions, which had taken plac,
in the barrack yard adjoining Stephens
Green, that Hepenstall acquired the
surname of 1.-The Walking Gallows.
He was invested with it by the gallery
At the trial of rebel in that city the
lieutenant, undergoing cross-examina
ton, admitted all the aforementioned de
tails of his method of hanging, and Lore
Norbury, the presiding judge, warml,
complimented him on his loyalty ant
assured him that he had been guilty o
no act which was not natural to zeal
Gus, loyal and efficient officer.
Lieut.. Hepenstall, however, did no
long survive his hideous practice. III,
died in 1904. Owing to the odium il
which he was universally held, the au
thorities arranged that his funera
should take place secretly, while |
Dublin wit suggested that his tomb
stone would be suitably inscribed b.
the following epitaph:
Here lie the bones of Hepenstall,
Judge, jury, gallows, rope and all.
Baltimore Sun.