MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 95, 14 November 1877, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

There is room for improvement \n tb<* method in which executions are conducted in this country, and there is s^ill greiter need for reform of the gallows in An_»»ric<\. where " hangings ''are as a rufe so clumsily mangagi-d that the unhappy cr-min-if*. too often die a lingering and horribledeath. A man, however, named Guidrv. who was hanged for murder at New OiWi** on Jul v* 25. was fortunate enough to d ; e instantaneously, owing to the fact that he personally superintende 1 tho arran"pmonts for his own execution. Guidrywhowa* a remnrkubly intelligent murderer. when brought on to the gallows, on inspecting the rope by which _he was tobe banged afc once saw that it was^ not enough" for the purpose. **■ The fall," h* said to the sheriff. " wtll not lv euiugh. T want a regular • breakneck ' fall, about IQ> feet.'* The sheriff <it once took the necessary steps to comply with his request, and the rope was lengthened accordingly and* adjusted round the criminal's neck.. Guidry.then after a scornful remark os tn the general clumsiness of existing arrange- ' ments for the extinction of life, pointed out to the sheriff that the rope was 100 ' ti-dit and the knot in the wrong piice. The sheriff, grateful for any suggestion, immediately re-adjusted tbo rope and drew the cap over Gmdry •-* face. II w* was the " straw that broke the camel s back" and Guidry could no longer suppress his laughter. Tlifi cap lm pronounced to be a complete farce, « it was too thin, and he could see ' through it. Tim point, however, not being of suihotent importance, he would not delay his execu* tion any longer on this accourt, and continuing to laugh immoieratoly, he avowed tho sheriff to proceed. He died* appar* ently in a moment without pnin or strung!.**, having, ns the JNew York Herald flegnnkly expresses it, " bossed the jobliwiweJF. nnd thus secured the •• first thoroughly successful hanging " tbat has taken placej for a long whilo in tbo United States. Ata recent meeting of tbe Riding Club at Warrenstown, Virginia. Murad, aches-. j nut gelding, six years old. ridden by H. ' Bartels, and carryings 1561b5. in clearing ! one of tho hurdles m 'do the extraordinary I jump of 36 feet, measuring from' whero his hind feet left the ground to the point ! where they a gain- reached' ground. Iho 1 leap was made after the horse had gono two miles, nt the last jump in tbo race, which was a very wide sod wall,, four feet higb,. with n> ditch six foot wide in front of it.. Just before coming, to the jump the horse showed an- inclination' to bolt, «nd became very bard-lo control. He rushed at the wall'" at near top speed, took off over 20 feefc thi* side, and. by throwing his fore-quarters high in the air- cleared the obstacle. The distance cleared from the point the bind feet left the ground' to whero tho front feet touched* ground wns 42 feet. These facts, are attested by gentlemen of character, who- witnessedthe leap, and immediately measured it by a standard rule. This feat is only excelled by the performance of Cuandler, who, ridden by Captain Broad ley. nd Warwick, England, in 1847, cleared 3T feet, over water. For many years tho distance of this leap has beeu recorded as 33 feet, but this has been corrected by Captain. Broadlev himself. Murad's performance is confessedly tho best in the Umted States. ._,._. . .