Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-07-24
A GALLONS MYSTERY
holm Lees Remarkable Expert
enoe on the ScaffoId.
FACED DEATH THREE TIMES.

And Three Times tho Trap, Which Had
Previously Been Tested and Found
In Good Working Order, Refused to
Open When the Bolt Was Drawn.
One Of the most remarkable scenes
ever witnessed on the gallows took
place In England In the last century.
Early on the morning Of Feb. %,
1885, considerable crowd of people
gathered before the grim front Of Elk.
! eter prison. 1t was silent crowd,
shivering In the keen wind that blew
around those frownlng walls on that
dull, misty morning, and its eyes were
all bent on flagstaff which stood bare
They were waiting for a flag to be
! hoisted-the terrible black flag which
| should announce that justice had been
done on a murderer.
: Inside the prison warder stood
ready, holding in his hand the cord
which should hoist the hideous black
drapery lying on the ground at his feet
but the signal did not come. Instead
of 1t there arrived an excited prison
officer
1.-THE flag Will not be holsted. Lee
will not be hanged today" he said.
John Lee, the prisoner whose death
signal that crowd had awaited, had
had one Of the most remarkable es'
capes from capital punishment record
ed In our prison history. To this day
! Il remains somewhat Of mystery
how John Lee lived so many years
{ after the events of that terrible morn
ing.
az had a dream" the wretched man
! wrote to his sister the day after his
! fearful experience on the scaffold-"l
had dream on Sunday night 1.-THE
night before the day fixed for the exc
cution) that the scaffold was not ready
and that they had to make another.
told the officers that were on watch
/ over me az 6 o'clock in the morning,
/ but did not think 1t was coming true
! But II did 1t was the Lords will that
! I should not die yesterday at the time
appointed by man. | believe what &C.
| Cured was a miracle. ! was on the
| brink of death three times. 1t Is my
| wish to die. ! am tired of this world,
and am waiting for the time to come,
and | hope 1t will not be long. | have
been dead to this world three times"
John Lee did not exaggerate his aw-
full experience.
AT 8 in the morning Of that Febru-
ary day he had been led from his cell
70 die In what had been the coach
house Of the prison the gallows had
been erected. Beneath was deep pit
covered by the closed doors, which,
when the condemned man was placed
In proper position, should, at a signal
from the executloner, fly open, bolt
being withdrawn by an assistant pull
ing a lever. The whole arrangement
had been tested several times and had
worked satisfactorily. But now, with
John Lee standing there with the cap
drawn over his face and the hangmans
rope around his neck, the flap doors
| beneath his feet would not give way!
Berry made the fatal signal, the assist
ant pulled the lever, the bolt few back,
| but the doors kept their place. Then
warders rushed forward and stamped
with their feet upon the doors. They
remained firm. Lee was led aside, and
carpenters were called in to saw some
OF the woodwork away. Again all was
ready. The clergyman once more came
| to the words, I'm the midst Of life Wa
/ are In DEATH" Again the signal was
given. the bar was pulled, but the doors
refused to part.
John Lee stood there before them
alive!
Three times did that happen. For no
fewer than eighteen minutes Lee stood
there tasting the agony Of momenta-
rIly expected death.
Then the white cap was taken from
his face and the rope from around his
neck, and he was led back to prison,
while the Jail authorities hastily con-
ferred as to what should be done. A
telegram was dispatched to the home
secretary, Sir William Harcourt In
forming him Of the extraordinary oc-
currence and requesting instructions.
Later the undersheriff proceeded to
London to interview the secretary.
81 felt" said Sir William Harcourt
later in the house of commons, that 1t
would shock the feelings Of every one
II this man were called upon to again
undergo the pangs of imminent death,
and consequently signed respite
during her majesty's pleasure. Lon
don Tit-Bits.