The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-15
.HANGEO AS SPY,
he STILL LIVES
Rev. Mr. Mann Pays Visit to
Richmond for First Time Since
Civil War.
TRYING TO EARN LIVING
Sale Of Pamphlets Is Small, How
ever, and Stricken Veteran
Leaves Empty-Handed.

| man who has had the unique and
uncomfortable experience of being hanged
| by the neck, not until he was dead, but
until lie was very nearly so, is a visitor
IN Richmoftd this week. Rev. D. I. Mann,
! a Baptist minister of Fitzgerald, Gu.
| went through the trying ordeal of being
| hanged as n spy at Barrancas, Fla. dur
| Ing the Civil War. and tells n thrilling
story OF his experiences In the Confed-
crate service.
| In late years Rev. MIR. Mann has suf-
fered from paralysis OF the throat and
stomach, and is, therefore. unable to
preach. He has written II number OF
pamphlets on religious topics related to
the Baptist Church, and also an account
| OF his experience when on the gnlloWs
| He Is IN Richmond to sell copies OF these
writings. this being now his only means
| Of support and of caring for an invalid
sister, who is sevcnty-fve years OF age,
two years younger than himself. He is
fully endorsed by Rev, Carl w. Minor,
pastor OF the First Baptist Church of
Fitzgerald. Ca. and by the newspapers
of that town.
His War Record.
Mr.. Mann enlisted in the Confederate
service at Amite City, La. on August
B. 1861, In Company G, Third Louisiana
Battalion, and served throughout the
| war; having checkered career, AT
Gainess Mill. near Richmond. he was
shot in the back of the neck. a second
ball passing between his hand and the
gun. AT the Second Manassas, he. was
again severely wounded, receiving q
broken hip and thigh bone
Ills experience with the hangman was
on April 4, 1864, when in the hands of
a Federal mob at Barrancas, Fla. In
his pamphlet entitled "a Confederate
Soldier Hanged as Spy" Mr.. Mann
| gives graphic account OF his service
and of the causes leading to his capture
| as a Confederate spy, when on special
| service around the Pesacola Navy Yard.
| working under instructions from General
| d. IT. Maury. After an Intellectual at
tempt to explode Federal powder mag
azine. a crowd of Infatuated Northern
soldiers surrounded Mr. Mann and i'm
nedately proceeded to the hanging, slip
| ping a rope over a joist and pulling
him UP until his feet We're off the ground.
He was choked into a state of insensi-
mility, and when life was nearly extinct
was taken down b yorders of u sergeant
who assisted that he was the wrong
person.
The minister described with careful
minuteness the sensasions he felt while
being hanged, the swelling Of every
vein and blood vessel, as If about to
explode. the 'tingling, pricking sensa.
ton throughout the nervous system
followed by q sense of relief amount
ing almost to pleasurable sensation
Mr. Mann tells that in this stage jus
, previous to unconsciousness, there
|, was a sweet taste In his mouth and ;
delightful so,ihd OF music in his ears
! The sensation of coming back to lif'
is described as being even more painful
than the hanging. Every nerve seem
ed to have a pain of It's own" say!
Mr.. Mann. MY nose and fingers seem
ed to be the seats OF the most eXcrucia
ting agony of all. Yes, sir, l hav
who live to tell of its sensations. no
only those you experience whel
dangling at the end of rope, but ais
of knowing that you are leaving thi
, world"
Pathetic Case.
This is the first time Mr.. Mann ha
I been in this section since the Civi
War. His case is one of the mos
pathetic that has ever come to TIL
attention of Richmond people. TO
: years he has been travelling from plac
to place striving to earn a pittance b.
n the sale of his two pamphlets, 70
u which he asks 10 and % cents, respec
o lively. Out of this small accumulate
: he has to pay railroad fare and board
= ing house bills and with the residu
q support himself and his sister. Thong
a the exertion is painful, he has to wal
many miles in the week seeking pur
It chasers for his little books His slow
!, ness and difficulty OF jpeech, resultin
u from his paralysis, Is serious obsta
- Gle. Busy men have not time to wal
= to listen to him and learn his tru
q state. In Richmond, up to yesterda,
h he had sold Just ten books-s1. II
VIII stay here until Monday, and the
le set out for some other city hopin
there to have better success.