The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1908-08-26
A WALKING GALLONS
The Horrible Deeds OF Lieutenant
Hepenstall.
HANGED MEN FROM HIS NECk

This Handsome but Brutal Giant of
the Wicklow Militia Was the Most
Cold Rlooded and Eccentric Execu-
toner That Has Ever Existed.
Among the examples and records OF
British tyranny during the terrible
year 1898 there is none more extraor
binary. according to writer In an
English magazine. than that of Lieu
tenant Edward Hepenstall, known by
the nickname Of the walking gal
lows" for such he certainly was. lit
orally and practically.
This notorious individual, who had
been brought up as an apothecary In
Dublin, obtained u commission In the
Wicklow militia, In which he attained
to the rank Of lieutenant In 1886 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:
IL knew him well and from his coun-
tenance should never have suspected
him OF cruelty, but 30 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 hourished In Its stead, Lieutenant
Hepenstal hit upon the expedient Of
hanging on his own back persons
whose physiognomies he considered
characteristic of sedltlous tenets. At
the present Gay the story seems almost
Incredible. but It IL II notorious fact.
revealed by the journalism of the pc
Rod, that when rebels, either suspected
or caught red handed. We're brought be-
fore him IIepenstall would order the
cord of Il drum 10 be taken Off and
then. rigging up II 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 gaIlows" was clearly
both "a new and simple plan and
mode of execution not nearly 50
tedious or painful Us a Tybnm or Old
Bailey hanging. II answered his
majesty's service as well MS two posts
and crowbar. When rope was not
at hand Hepenstall's own silk cravat,
being softer than an ordinary halter,
became 4 merciful substitute.
In pursuance Of these benevolent In
tentions the lieutenant would frequent
ly administer an anaesthetic To his
trembling yictim-ln other words, he
would first knock him silly with a
blow. His carriers then did the duty
as handouts, and the crayat would be
slipped over the condemned mans
neck
Whenever he had an unusually pow
erful victim TO do with, Hepenstall
took pride In showing his own
strength With dexterous lunge Of
his body the lieutenant used to draw
up the poor devils head as high rs his
own and then, when both were cheek
by jowl, begin to tr0t about with his
burden like Il jolting cart horse until
the rebel had no further solictude
about sublunary affairs. II was after
one of these trOttlng executions, which
had taken place In the barrack yard
adjoining Stephens green, that Hep
penstall acquired the surname Of 1.-The
walking gallows" He was Invested
with 1t by the gallery of Crow Street
theater. Dublin.
At the trial Of Il rebel IN that city
the lieutenant undergoing cross exam
nation, admitted the aforementioned
details OF his method of hanging and
Lord Norbury, the presiding Judge,
warmly complimented him on his 10y
atty and assured him that he had been
guilty OF 10 act which was not natural
to Jealous. loyal and efficient officer.
Lieutenant Hepenstall, however, did
not long survive his hideous practice.
He died In 1904 Owing to the odium
in which he was universally held, the
authorities arranged that his funeral
should take place secretly. while
Dublin wit suggested that his tomb
stone would be suitably inscribed by
the following epitaph
Here lie the bones OF Hepenstall.
Judge, Jury. gallows. rope and an.