Evening star., 1902-02-01
SCHOOL FOR HANGMEN.
Training Prescribed for Public Exc
tutfOners In Great Britain.

FROM the London Express.
An interesting insight into the methods
Of the "Hangmans Training School, is
given by a Sussex newspaper, which COM
ments on the recent demand for a profess
sional assistant executioner, which was
supplied by the appointment, after due ex-
animation, Of Mr.. John Ellis draper, of
Rochdale Despite the unpleasant nature
Of the work, more applications were re-
ceived than would comfortably supply the
united kingdom and all the colonies. The
artistic knotting Of rope and the sliding
Of small iron bolt seems an easy way to
make money, and the more gruesome side
Of the work apparently does not affect
the majority Of applicants.
Hangmen, however. are made, not born,
and the making thereof is an interesting
process. No state secret was ever more
jealousy guarded than the course OF IN
struction whereby novices are officially
transformed into capable executioners. The
authorities do not feel inclined to boast
about this form Of government training, at
least But, then" said case-hardened,
though philosophical prison warden re-
Gently, there must be hangings as long
as there are capital crimes. Why not have
the Job done right? OF course, men must
be trained for it, or there would be fright
full bungling'' The dean" Of the profess
ton Is not ubiquitous, and his inability to
hang two different murderers in different
parts Of England at the same time has
made the appointment Of an assistant nee
essary What Ellington does not know
about official methods OF putting men to
death Is hardly worth knowing, and 1t is
the most reasonable thing In the world
that he should be selected as chief instruc-
tor in the school Of Applied Hanging" -
An execution means more than the mere
tying Of a moose and collapse Of trap
door. The hangman must make certain
nice calculations-how much of faH is
required to produce instantaneous death,
and how to adjust the gallows to meet the
requirements Of each particular case.
Every detail, from binding the malefactor
in his cell to adjusting the fatal cord, is
conscientiously gone through with for the
benefit of the novices. A weeks instruc-
tion is none too much. A time Is chosen
when the head executioner Is not busy for
a few days, and then, under his supervis-
ion, mock executions, 1t is said, take place
within the prison walls.
As sort Of postgraduate course,
warder sometimes enacts the role of the
condemned man. He is bound in the most
approved fashion, and then led to the gal
lows, just as though he was about to suf-
fer the death penalty. Sufficient to say.
however, great care is taken that the trap
door keeps in place while he is upon it.
Skill is required to deftly secure prisoner
about to take the fatal drop. The hangman
must show no nervousness or clumsiness.
he must De dDl0 10 duJuSl lie Straps QulCh-
ly and securely, The students, who are
carefully drilled in this branch Of the work,
go over and over each detail, and mistake
must be followed by increased practice.
The warder who acts as lay figure during
this pleasing process must possess sublime
patience No instance Is recorded of any
prisoner, condemned or otherwise, Offering
himself as a subject. Thus the School of
Applied Hanging suffers in not possessing
the same facilities for study as school OF
medicine or dentistry. After the final ex-
animation of the candidates by the prison
commissioners, before whom the entire pro-
gram of an execution (minus the drop is
carried out candidates who have passed"
it is said are granted licenses by the home
secretary.
To many people this businesslike method
Of training public executioners may seem
repugnant. 1t is necessary. however, in or
der to avoid distressing scenes on the scaf-
fold. The present increase In applications
for employment as hangmen in England is
due largely to the unusual number of exc
cutions pending in several parts of Eng
land. The dean OF the school will be a
very busy man for the next few weeks. and
in a number of northern prisons he will be
a Christmas holiday visitor bringing any
thing but peace and good cheer.