The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1909-11-24
HOW IT FEELS TO HANG
TWELVE MEN
.CAPT. DAWSON IELLS FEELING WHEN
HANGING CRIMINALS.

How does il feel when you pres
the button that sends man inte
eternitys" queried a repOrterofcspt
c. G. Dawson of the Moundsville
penitentiary, who has sent twelve
men to their doom since he has been
connected with the institution.
well, y answered the genial cap
tain, . the ordeal is not one to be
enyied. In my time ! have sent le
men through the opening below the
GallOws and each time have exper-
fenced the same feeling. It is one
that would tax any mans nerves, as
the strain on my nerves when doing
this is indescriable. To realize that
a life is being snufFed out, is indeed
as awe-inspiring spectacle as anyone
can testify that has witnessed an ex-
ecution. yet the feeling to the eye
witness and the strain on their nerv-
es is as nothing compared to that of
the executioner.
Il do not feel that that / am do
ing wrong in sending men to their
death, as the jury that finds the man
guilty is the real ruler ofhis destiny,
and, after the sentence has been
passed on the prisoner, it is only car
rying out the mandates of the courts
in giving the unfortunate the deserts
that have been appOrtioned to him as
just, for the deeds he has been found
guilty of. When the body of hang
ed prisoner shoots through the OPEN
ing of the platform, the strain has
just about reached its bounds on my
nerves, and for sec nj holds all
spellbOund.
L have had prisoners tell me be-
fore have executed them that if /
carried out the plans, Iwould be
hanging an annocent man, and on
the smame. scafold / have had at
least three men point their finger at
me in wierd manner, tell me that
if dropped them through the OPEN
ing, it would be taking away the life
of innocent men, and yet lido not
feel that 1 have done any wrong, as
/ said before. If any innocent men
have been hanged by me, Ibelieve
the responsibility rests on the jury
that pronounced them guilty.
when man once drops through
the opening, he is unconscious to any
feeling. have never hung man
yet, whose neck was not broken the
instant he fell. Not even while fall
ing the short seven feet is he con-
scious, as a man falling loses consci-
BUSINESS and it is the contract with
some material substance that makes
him realize the fall, and in the case
of hanging the instant that material
substance strikes him, the tightening
of the moose about his neck, he loses
consciousness an account of his neck
and spinal core being broken.
81 always maintain a very friend
ly feeling with condemned prisoners
and up until the last minute have
their best wishes, as none have gone
to their doom with feeling against
me as most all prisoners feel that
their destination is settled by Others
than myself.
THE feeling of various condemn
ed prisoners is varied in every In
stance. Some are afraid that it will
hurt them, and in a few cases this
seems to be the only feeling they
have, against going to the scaFold.
Take Belcher, for instance, who was
to be hanged on last Friday. He
has asked several questions as to
whether the moose would hurt him or
not. When he received word that
the Governor granted his reprieye,
there never lived more happy man.
not more fully demonstrate the fact
that he is the President of the whole