The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-04-17
/ GALLON|S MYSTERY
lohn Lees Remarkable Expert
ence on the Scaffo|d.
FACED DEATH THREE TIMES.

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 Sot 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, a considerable crowd Of people
gathered before the grim front OF Ex-
eter prison. 1t was {; silent crowd,
shivering in the keen wind that blew
around those frowning walls on tnat
dull, misty morning. and its eyes were
all bent OF flagstaff which stood bare.
They were waiting for q flag to be
hoisted-the terrible black flag which
should announce that justice had been
done on a murderer
Inside the prison a warder stood
ready, holding in his hand the cord
which should hoist the nideous black
drapery lying on the ground at bis feet,
but the signal did not come. Instead
Of it there arrived an excited prison
officer
s.The fag will not be hoisted. Lee
will not be hanged today" he salo.
John Lee, the prisoner whose deaen
signal that crowd had awaited, nau
had one Of the most remarkable es-
capes from capital punishment record
ed in our prison history. 10 thls gay
u ran,ains somewhat Of a mystery
how John Lee lived so many years
offer the events of that terrible morn
ing.
II had a dream" the wretched man
wrote to his sister the day after his
fearful experience on the scafold-'l
had o dream on Sunday night Ghe
night before the day fixed for the exc
cution) that the scaffold was not ready
and that they had to make anotner.
7 told the officers that were on Watcn
over me at 6 o'clock in the morning,
hut ! did not think it was coming true.
But it did. It was the Lords will that
I should not die yesterday at the time
anoointed by man. 7 believe what oc'
Cured was q miracle. was on tne
brink Of death three times: It IS my
wish to die. am tired of this WORLD
and am waiting for the time to come,
and I hope it will not be long: nave
been dead to this world three tiAes.
John Lee did not exaggerate his aw-
full experience.
At S in the morning of that feoru.
ary day be had been led from his ecu
TO die. In what had been the coach
house cf the prison the galloTs had
been erected. Beneath was deep plt
covered by the closed doors, wien
when the condemned man was placed
in proper position, should, at sigma!
from the executioner, fly open, bolt
being withdrawn by an assistant pull
ing 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 hangman
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 bacS'
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, ano
carpenters were called in to saw some
Of the woodwork away. Again all was
ready. The clergyman once more came
to the words, ''In the midst Of life we
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 nc
fewer than eighteen minutes Lee stooc
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 homo
secretary, Sir William Harcourt, IN
forming him Of the extraordinary oc
currence and requesting instructions
Later the undersherif proceeded tc
London to interview the secretary.
.'I felt said Sir William Harcour,
later in the house Of commons, that II
would shock the feelings Of every one
if this man were called upon to again
undergo the pangs of imminent death
and I consequently signed respite
during her majesty,s pleasure. Lon
don Tit-BitS.