Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-23
CUT Off BY
HAND IN PRUSSIA

bodv block by a space of a foot and a
half the space being filed in with a zinc
kettle, the purpose OF which may be
guessed. On the other side OF the olock
was a smaller table covered with a white
cloth. and under this cloth was the ak
the handle ready to the hand of the
headsman. At the end of the courtyard.
near the great gates which were to open
for the condemned's passage into eter-
nity Law an open coffin, partly hlled
with shavings and sawdust.
IT had nerved myself for most brutal
exhibition" DR.. Wesley said in telling OF
the beheadine 'I recalled a hanging
had witnessed in Fredericton, when the
stethoscope told me sixteen minutes after
the drop fell that the condemned was still
alive and breathing. The horror OF that
time was sure to be eclipsed by the dread
full details of this butchery, and was
more than half sorry to be there. The
faces of the officials and witnesses ana
the prison guards were pale and their at
titudes tense and expectant. There was
no whispering. no movement; nothing but
a strained waiting for the dreadful mo-
ment.
PRISONER ENTERS.
1.-THE prison bell tolled the hour. and up
on the first stroke the great doors at the
end of the courtyard swung wide to admit
the condemned On one side OF him walk
ed the prison inspector, on the other side
a priest Deppe halted for a moment
and looked defantly down the courtyard.
He was clad only in trousers and under
shirt, with his coat thrown loosely across
his shoulders. Urged by the inspector, ne
marched up to the table presided over
by the states attorneys. The priest fell
back a few PAGES and the executioner
stepped over between the block and the
table covered with that white cloth, from
he rat
ously, 1 thought. The proceeding was ex-
tremely solemn and decorous.
1.-The states attorney said: Now, Deppe,
do YOU, in face of immediate death, de-
sire to ease your conscience by free con-
fession? Or do you still stick to your lie%
The prisoner spoke then for the first time.
I have nothing to confess he said.
''Then came the dramatic moment. The
states attorney raised his hand and said
to Herr Reindell: DO your duty The ex-
ecutioner waved his hand at his assist
ants On the Instant one of them seized
the coat and tore 1t from the shoulders Of
the condemned, the others, one on each
side, lifting Deppe at the same moment
and throwing him PROSTATE on the block
table. AS his body fell into position the
assistant who had taken the coat fastened
his hands in the condemned mans hair
and stretched his neck out upon the block
holding to it with all the force of which
his strong arms were capable. AS the neck
came into position Herr ReindeH whisked
the white covering from the table beside
him with his left hand, and as he swung
around with the same motion the ak
flashed into play and descended upon the
barred neck just above the shoulders. 1t
was done so quickly and so clear and
clean was the cut that the condemned
mans head was, of and by the hands Of
the assistant, who had not released his
hold upon it, was laid beside the block
white we still were straining to meet the
climax.
Herr Reindell, with a back swing from
the block, laid his ak upon the table and
drew the cover across it to hide the gore,
saying at the same time: Mr.. First
States Attorney. the sentence has been
carried out
Judging from my own observation,
should say that in all the years that have
elapsed since beheading went out Of fash
ion in other parts Of Europe we have not
been able to produce substitute which is
at one and the same time so terrifying
and so merciful TO the condemned as the
old chopping block. It Is better than hang
ing, more certain even than electricity. 1t
mas also that quality of horror which
serves better than any other method ever
devised except. perhaps. the rack, to hold
the criminally'. inclined within bounds"