Year: 1866

From the Chattanooga Gazette.


How q Man Felt who was Hanged.


A sHERIFF's STORY.


"Wait till you hear it. Ten
years ago was elected sheriff of this eoun-
ty. This was my first election, and l have
been regularly returned ever since. My
FIRST attempt to open court was made during
an important trial The criminal was q
deprsved, desperate wretch, who had been
indicted for an atroeious and brutal murder.
The fellow was greatly bardeped and SEEM
ed to care but little how the trial vent
the evidence was strong and against him,
and when the case was submited to the jury
they returned verdict of guilty without
leaving their seats.


The execution was fixed for day, two
weeks after the trial. 0fcourse it vas my
duty to put the rope around his neck and
launch him into eternity. 1t was distaste.
full duty, assure you; for, though knew
full we'll the man deserved his death, did
not relish the idea of hanging him. 1 got
through with it, however, and set him to
dancing in the air. He did not struggle
much, and I thought had an easy DEATH
After hanging the usual time he was cut
down and his body given to his friends for
iu.erment. 1 thought bad seeH the last
of the man, as the wagon containing the
body drove out of the Jail yard; but was
mistaken.


About four months after the execution, l
happened TO be passing my barn, when L
saw man sitting in the doorway, with his
head resting on, bis, hands. I did not like
his looks, so l approached him, and asked
him what he wanted there He raised his
head and looked at me in silence. I am
not given to superstition, and don't think
I'm very timid, but l felt my blood grow
icy cold as I recognized in the man before
me the person whose execution l had con'
Quoted. His face showed no traces of bis
violent end and the only indication of 1t,
now visible was slight Disagreement of
the neck l scarcely knew what to say or
think, for I had seen him hung and heard
him pronounced dead, and had delivered his
body to his friends for burial, and yet, after
a lapse of four months, there be sat, look
ing at me with face as white as a sheet.
The terror that was exhibited in his coun.
teuance convinced me that he was no ghost
so I asked him with as much coolness as l
could command:


slack LarkiDs, do you know me?"


"You're are the man that hung me" he
replied doggedly at the same time moving
away.


"Before you go, Larkins," said 1, 81
would like to know how you cheated the
gallows."


"You won't peach on any of them folks
as helped me, will you?" be inquired.


"No," 1 replied, 81 will not get them
into any trouble. simply wish to know
how you felt while you were hanging, and
how you we're resuScitated."


He hesitated for some time, but upon
renewal of my assurance that none of bis
friends should be molested, be told 1he the
following story:


When 1 put the rope around his neck,
and left him on the gallows, he felt
faintness about the heart, caused by his
realizing his fearful situation for the first
time; but before he had time to think, the
trap was sprung, and be fell through the
opening. The shock of the fall was rather
more startling than painful and did not pro-
duce either insensibility or confusion. His
thoughts were remarkably clear, and he
seemed to have the thoughts Of seeing far
above, below and all around him. Every.
thing assumed bright vermillion hue, and
q soft, dreamy laugor gradually stole over
him, until be became iDsensible. There
was nothing painful or unpleasant in any
thing be had undergone. He seemed to be
sinking gently into delicious sleep, and
all his thoughts we're pleasant.


The next be remembered was being
wrung by the most agonizing torture. The
pains were not confined to any particular
place, but extended through the whole
body. His first thought was that be was in
perdition, and was suffering the penalty of
his crimes. The pains increased each mo-
ment, and at last he started to bis feet with
a scream of anguish, at the same time open.
ing his eyes, Great was his surprise to find
himself in his fathers house, in the midst
of his friends and relatives. He tainted at
once, aud when he recovered he found him.
self in his own bed. As soon as it was
thought safe to do so, his frieuds informed
him that upon bringing his body home, they
had determined to try to resuscltate 1t, al
though they feared it would be useless
They worked faithfully, and at last suo-
ceeded.


"But, sir" said the man in conclusion,
"comipg to life again was much worse than
dying"


The man promised to leave the State and
try to do better. had but little confidence