The Washington herald., 1908-06-07

to insure such a perfect success as was
attained in the final test to which it was
put.
The big blade was sharpened to the
keenness OF a razor's edge. Those who
saw Moons body afterward say that the
neck was cut through so smoothly that
not even a bone was splintered
Bidding his family a happy farewell.
Moon left his home IN the section of Tip
necanoe County. known as the ''Wea
Plains and went 10 the old Hotel Lair,
in Lafayette. one Saturday afternoon in
June. 1876. His only baggage was a trunk.
in which the pieces OF his guillotine, the
materials necessary in the preparation
for his suicide, were stored
The afternoon and evening Moon spent
chatting with friends about the hotel.
and he was the gayest OF all Of them
He gave no indication that the hour was
near when he would carry into execution
the plans he had made to make his name
famous
The hour must have been late before
Moon began his work Of getting up the
Sutllotine, for the men in the adjoining
room told that the light in his room was
burning when they retired, but no sounds
came from the silent chamber II is pre-
sumed, however. that he employed the
early part of the evening in putting the
different parts OF the gullotne together.
The arm proper was six feet three inches
long, and was in three separate pieces.
and was constructed OF hard oak Each
part was put together with screws. so
that there would be no noise necessary
in erecting II.
Took Great Pains.
All OF the parts OF the guillotine in
place. Moon began it's painstaking ar
engagements for the end. At a measured
distance from the hinge he fastened two
straps to the floor with screws. and at
the side Of the window he placed a brack-
e., on which he put an ordinary kitchen
candle. From the wall just above the
candle to a point near the broadax ran
two slender cords that he had sawed
through the side OF the candle in order
that at the center they would practically
becomef a part Of the wick Thus the
fame had some time to burn before II
would release the instrument OF death.
Moon even took the trouble 10 prepare
small box filed with cotton TO receive
his head when II rolled from his body
Through hole in each side OF the box
and beneath his chin he passed a stick.
the object OF this being 20 prevent his
head from falling forward when he be-
came unconscious. The stick held his
head so that there was no chance for the
broadax TO miss his neck in the exact
spot that he had calculated.
ChlOrOfOrm "A Final PrecautiOn.
Shorter and shorter grew the yellow
flame on the side Of the wall, but the
man calculated coldly and deliberately
and he had time for everything. When
the candle had burned certain distance
he reached for bottle Of chloroform that
he had placed at his side and, dashIng its
contents on a heavy cloth. placed il
across his nose and the lower part OF his
face. Then thrusting his hands beneath
the strap across his chest the man had
completed every detail and ali that re-
mained was for the flame OF the candle
to release the guillotine's blade
The night had passed and the day came.
with no one aware Of the tragedy that
had been enacted. SupposiTig that Moon
was sleeping late, he was left undisturb-
ef until late In the afternoon Then a
colored porter was sent 70 investigate.
Getting no response 10 his knock. he
stood on a chair and looked through the
transom Of the door. With a yell he fed
from the building
Grim Revelation.
Then the door was forced open and the
manner in which Jim Moon had sought 10
perpetuate his name was revealed. The
coroner, DR.. w. W. Yinnege. who is s,iu
practicing physician IN Lafayette. was
called and jury Of prominent citizens
was impaneled before the body OF Moon
became cold. From o'clock Sunday
morning until 4 o'clock Monday after
noon this jury remained in constant ses-
sion, debating whether its verdict should
declare the man 10 have been insane
On one side Of the big arm OF the gull
lotine was printed "Hara-kara." and on
the other. For sale or rent" grim EVIL
dence OF the humOr OF a deranged mind.