Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-08-27
4 WALKING GALLONS
The Horrible Deeds of Lieutenant
 HepenstaII.
HANGED MEN FROM tis NECK
This Handsome but Brutal Giant of the Wicklow Militia Was the Most Gold Flooded and Eccentric Execu- tioner That Has Ever Existed.

tUS WtCNt0W vvAo suV thS1s
 Cold Flooded and Eccentric Execu-
 tioner That Has Ever Existed.
 Among the examples and records of British tyranny during the terrible year 1798 there is none more extra0r- dinary, according to writer in an English magazine, than that of Lieu tenant Edward Hepenstall, known by the nickname of .'the walking gall lows" for such he certainly was, lit orally and practically.
 This notorious individual. who had been brought up as an apothecary in Dublin, obtained commission in the Wicklow militia. in which he attained to the rank of lieutenant in 1795. He was man of splendid physique, about six feet two inches in height and strong and broad in proportion. Refer ring to this handsome but brutal giant. Sir Jonah Harrington in his memoirs states:
 q knew him we'll and from his coun- tenance should never have suspected him of cruelty, but so cold blooded and eccentric an executioner of the human race never yet existed"
 At the outbreak of the sanguinary re- bellion, when the common law was suspended and the stern martial va- riety fourished in its stead, Lieutenant Hepenstall hit upon the expedient Of hanging on his own back persons whose pkysiognomies he considered characteristic of seditious tenets. At She present day the story seems almost incredible, but 1t is notorious fact. revealed by the journalism of the pe- riod, that when rebels, either suspected or caught red handed, were brought be- fore him Hepenstall would order the cord of a drum to be taken off and then. rigging up a running moose. would proceed to hang each in turn across his athletic shoulders until the victims had been slowly strangled to death, after which he would throw down his load and take up another.
 The walking gallows" was clearly both new and simple plan and q mode of execution not nearly so tedious or painful as Tyburn or Old Bailey hanging. It answered his majesty's service as well as two posts and crowbar. When rope was not at hand Hepenstalls own silk cravat, being softer than an ordinary halter, became merciful substitute.
 In pursuance of these benevolent in- tentions the lieutenant would frequent ly administer an anaesthetic to his trembling victim-in other words, he would first knock him silly with a blow. His garters then did the duty as handcuffs, and the cravat would be slipped over the condemned mans neck.
 Whenever he had an unusually pow erful victim to do with. Hepenstali took pride in showing bis own strength. With dexterous lunge of his body the lieutenant used to draw up the poor devils head as high as his own and then. when both were cheek, by fowl, begin to trot about with his burden like a jolting cart horse until the rebel had no further solicitude about sublunary affairs. It was after one of these trotting executions, which had taken place in the barrack yard ! adjoining Stephens green. that Hep penstall acquired the surname of "the walking gallows." He was invested with 1t by the gallery of Crow Street theater, Dublin.
 At the trial of a rebel in that city the lieutenant, undergoing cross exam ination, admitted the aforementioned details of his method of hanging, and Lord Norbury, the presiding judge, warmly complimented him on his loy- alty and assured him that he had been guilty of no act which was not natural to zealous, loyal and efficient officer.
 Lieutenant Hepenstall. however, did ] not long survive his hideous practice. He died in 1894. Owing to the odium ! in which he was universally held, the ! authorities arranged that his funeral should take place secretly, while q ! Dublin wit suggested that his tomb stone would be suitably inscribed by ! the following epitaph:
 i Hero lie the bones of Hepenstall. Judge. jury. gallows. rope and ah