Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-10-08
A WALKING GALLONS
The Horrible Deeds Of Lieutenant
HepenstalL
HANGED MEN FROM HIS NECK

This Handsome but Brutal Giant -
the Wicklow Militia Was the Most
Cold eloodsd and Eccentric Exsou.
TONER That Has Ever Existed.
Among the examples and records OF
British tyranny during the terrible
year l1gs there Is none more extraor.
dinary according to writer in an
English magazine. than that Of Lieu.
tenant Edward IIepenstau. known by
the nickname OF tho walking gal
lows" for such he certainly was. lft.
orally and practically
This notorious individual. who had
been brought up as an apothecary "a
Dublin, obtained commission fn the
Wicklow militia IN which he attained
70 the rank Of lieutenant In 1895. he
was a man Of splendid physique, about
six feet two inches in height and
strong and broad in proportion. Refer
ring % this handsome but brutal giant.
SIR Jonah harrington in his memoirs
states:
Il knew him well and from his coun-
teuancc should never have suspected
him of cruelty. but so cold blooded and
eccentric an eNecutiouer of the human
race never vet existed"
At the outbreak Of the sancuinary re-
bellion, when the common law was
suspended and the stern martial va
riety hourishod IN its stead Lieutenant
Hepenstall hit upon the expcdicnt or
hanging on his own back persons
whose physiognomies hc considered
characteristic of sediu0us tenetS. At
the present day the story seems almost
incredible. but 1T is a notorious fact
revealed by the journalism OF the pc
riod, that when rebels. either suspected
or caught red handed, were brought be-
fore him IIcpenstau would order tho
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 straucled TO
death, after which he would throw
down his load and take up another.
The walking Callows" was clearly
both new and simple plan and a
mode of execution not nearly SO
tedious or painful as q Tyburn or ola
Bailey hanging 1t answered his
majesty's service as wen as two posts
and a crowbar When rope was not
at hand HepenstaIl's own silk craTat.
being softer than an ordinary halter.
became merciful substitute.
In pursuance Of these benevolent in
tentions the lieutenant would frequent
" administer an anaesthetic 10 his
trembling victim-in other words, be
would first knock him silly with a
blow. His carters then did the duty
as handouts and the cravat would be
slipped over the condemned mans
neck.
Whenever he had an unusually DOW
erful victim 10 do with. uepeustau
took a pride in showing his own
strength. With a deErer0us luuce OF
his body the lieutenant used 10 draw
up the poor devils head as high as his
own and then, when both We're cheek
by jowl, begin to trot about with his
burden like a joltinS c1-- ha--r r..a.
the rebel had no further sa....-.
about sUhlUuIrv affairs II was AFTER
one Of these tTotunE executions. WHICH
had taken place in the barrack yard
adjoining stephens green. thar Hep-
penStaU acquired the surname OF The
walking caIlOws." He WIS Invested
with il by the gallery Of crow S-est
theatcr Dublin.
At the trial Of q rebel in Than CITY
the lieutenant undergoing cross exam
ination, admitted the afaremaulOned
details of his math0l OF hanging. and
Lord Norbury, The presiding Judge,
warmly cOmplimented linn ON his l0y-
atty and assured him that he had been
guilty Of uo act which was not natural
10 q 2ealous loyal and oIcigu1 officer.
Lieutenant Iepeustal however. did
not long survive his hi1e8us Ir.letire.
He died ia 1SJ4 Owing r1 the 0- -lum
in which he was universally haI- the
authorities arranged than IiS funeral
should take place secretly. while a
Dublin VIII suggested Than lis Eanl-
stone would he suitably inscribed II
the following cpltaph;
Here lie The bones OF T5cTterzraI.
Judge, jury, Eal0ws. rope ana I'll.