The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-07-23
FEND HANGS
BY He NECK
Frank Johnson Pays the Pen
atty on the GalloWs at
State Prison.

Frank Johnson. the self-confessed
murderer OF Beulah Martin and four
other persons. was hanged at the
state penltentiary at Moundsyille. late
Friday afternoon. The drop occurred
at 5:13 O'Clock and life was extinct
nine minutes later. His neck was
broken at the first and second cerv-
ical-vertebrae. According to medical
science, Johnson's death was painless.
he lapsing into Inconsistencies the
moment the rope stretched.
Seldom has a condemned man gone
to his death as falteringly as did
Johnson. Although large man. of
powerful physique and in the very
prime OF life, he wobbled very percep-
tibly as he mounted the steps to the
scaffold and his almost limp body
swayed from side to side while the
straps were being adjusted as he
stood upon the trap door. Had 1t not
been for the strong arms OF Captain
Joseph Boyd and Warden Dawson
supporting him, 1t is doubtful IL
Johnson would have kept his feet.
Withal. he was cool. and appeared 70
be making tremendous effort to
die game.
The March from the Cell
to the scaffold started at 5:1O
o'clock. Before mounting the first
step leading to the scaffold. johnson
stopped. knelt upon his knees. and
offered up short prayer. He walk
ed up the steps between Warden
Dawson and Captain Bloyd, both oil
whom had hand on his arm, which
helped to support him. His face,
while free of contortions, showed
plainly the mental anguish he was
undergoing. He was weak In the
knees and his body swayed and his
head wobbled as though his neck was
limp. No time was lost in getting
him in a proper position on the trap
door. and while has faithful religious
adviser. Rev. Sanford, offered conso-
lation to his miserable soul by earn
est prayer, Guards Bloyd and Knight
buckled the straps about his chest,
arms. knees and ankles, and Warden
Dawson slipped the moose over the
wretched negro's head, and as he did
SO the poor brute looked at him APP
pealingly like a dog when his master
Is Furnishing him. The rope being
adjusted. Warden Dawson deftly slip
ped the black cap over the negro's
head and nodded to Rev. Sanford,
who was still praying directly in
front OF the condemned man.
The Drop.
AS Rev. Sanford spoke the word
Amen" at the conclusion OF his
prayer, Warden Dawson reached to
the wall and pressed button. In
simultaneously the two trap doors on
which the negro was standing flew
back with crash and his body shot
through the opening and hung mo-
tionless except for a slight swaying
movement natural to suspended
body when disturbed. Instantly DR..
Boone, the prison physician stepped
forward. grasped the swaying body
and applied the stethoscope to the VIC
TINS heart. Several other phystc-
lans, about thirty of whom were con-
gregated about the suspended body,
took turns at feeling the pulse and
applying their ears to the heart.
Twenty-Five beats of the heart were
counted from the time the stetho-
scope was applied. The body was al
lowed to hang for several minutes af-
ter life was extinct. 1t was then
lowered, the moose removed, after
which 1t was placed on a cooling
board and carried by two negro con-
victs to the hospital to be prepared
for burial.