The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-06

Russian blouse. and approached Svetlo
ggyb g3bP 6Is nmst 'ne ooarqs % Ut ome Sb
sharp glance at Svctlogoub, came up
quito close TO him, spreading an unpleas-
can't 81 smell III, OF PFts m and S1
the arms just above the wrists and
gripping them SO that he felt pain;
twisted them behind his back and ted
them firmly. Having fastened his hands
thrs. the hangman stopped for a min
ute, as II considering, and glanced from
svetl2goub to some things he had placed
on tho platform and then to the rope
hanging from the crossbcam Having
calculated what he required he went to
the, rope did something with 1t and
rope and the edge Of the platform.
AS during the announcement OF his
death sentence Svotlogoub could not real
ize what II all meant for him, so also now
he could not grasp the fun meaning of
the approaching moment and looked with
astonlshment at the cxecutloncr, who was
quickly, adroitly and carefully fulfilling
his dreadful work The executioner's face
was the most ordinary one OF a Russian
Workingman. not cruel but concentrated,
such as those have who are trying to full
III n necessary and complex task as ac-
curatcly an possible
"Yet a lttlo more this way" said the
hangman with hoarse voice pushing
SYetlogoub moved. Lord help me. have
mercy on met he murmured.
Svetlogoub did not believe In God and
ltu even DlltU IuuSIltu NJ lnOSt WIN bN-
licycd In him. And even now he did not
believe In God. He did not because he
could neither express him in words nor
grasp him In thought. But that which he
now implied by tho One he was address,
ing-he fclt it-was something the most
real Of all that he knew. He also knew
this appeal was necessary and important
because 1t Immediately strengthened and
soothcd him.
He approached the edge and involunta-
rily elanclng around at the rows of SOL
md EVsisv ~ 81 grNl, ,alyF ha
once more thought:-Why, why do they
do this? And he felt pity both for them
and for himself, and tears cnme into his
eyes,
And are you not sorry for me-" he
said, catching the quick gray eyes OF tho
hangman
The hangmnn stopped for a momnt. his
face suddenly became hard.
Now, then; no talkingr' he mumbled
end quickly bent down to the floor, where
his oVercoat was lying and some cloth.
hands embrac cling SYetlogoub from behind
he threw over his head n cloth bag and
hurricdly pulled 1t halfway over his back
and front,
Into thy hands / commend my spirit"
thought Svetlogoub. recalling the words OF
the gospel.
His spirit did not oppose death. but his
strong young body did not accept II, did
not submit and wished to struggle.
He wanted TO shout. to free himself. but
al that very moment he felt jerk the
loss OF MS lOOlnOIu, NTS DnNslCdl HoIlp
of strangling, noise in his head and
the disappearance OF everything.
Svotlogoub's body hung swinging on the
rope; twice the shoulders twltchcd up and
down
Having waited couple OF minutes the
hanGman, dorkly frowning placed his
hands on the shoulders of the corpse and,
with a strong jerk. pressed ii down.
All movement ceased except the slow
swing of the dummy I'm the bag with Its
head unnaturally bent forward, and show
ing the stretched out legs In their prison
stockings,
Descending from the platform the exc
cutioncr informed the commander that the
corpse might be taken out of the moose
and buried
In an hours time II was taken down
from the galows and driven to an uncon-
secrated cemetery.
The hangman had completed that which
he intended and had undertaken To do
But the fulflment of II was not easy
Svetlogoub's words, And are YOU not
sorry for me2" would not leave his mind
He had been convicted for murder and the
post of hangman afforded him certain Inn
munity and ease: but from this day he
refused to fulhll the duty he had taken up
on himself and the same week he drank