SICKENING SCENE AT AN EXECUTION IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1175, 14 October 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

SICKENING SCENE AT AN EXECUTION IN SOUTH AFRICA.

The “ Diamond News” says : —Early on Saturday Ibrabm Sliaib, a eoolio, who was sentenci d to death at the last Circuit Court at Verulam, for the murder |'>f his wife, suffered the extreme penalty of the law in the Central Gtol, Durban. At six o’clock the bell was tolled, and shortly afterwards the convict, who had been previously pinioned, was led forth from his cell and delivered into the hands of the executioner, a coolie named Chethy, who has performed the duties of hangman since the death of the former executioner. The gallows was substantially erected and fixed by carpenters in the employ of Mr Nichol ; there was no alteration in the mode of construction on this occasion, and the whole structure may be said to have been thoroughly strong and secure. The distance from the top cross-beam, from which the hanging apparatus was

suspended, to the ground below was about 20 feet. The condemned man was of spare build, about 5 feet 1 in in height, and about 8 stone in weight. The condemned cell is close by the gallows, which abutted from the wall. The Sheriff had brought with him from Maritzburg a reim of eamel-leopaid skin or hide, of the length of about 7 feet. The’hangman placed Shaib on the trap-door, and adjusted the noose round the neck of the wretched criminal. Having affixed a black cap, which covered the man’s head ai d face, he descended and withdrew the bolt. The culprit disappeared below, the reim gave a jerk and instantly snapped asunder, and the convict fell on the flag-stones a few feet below with a dull thud. He was immediately picked up, brought into the building again, and assisted upstairs to the level of the scaffold. lie lay down in his pinioned, helpless condition while the hanging apparatus was being readjusted. He asked for some water, with which he was supplied. He was also given some bran-y, in which, we believe, there was a nt tic laudanum. He was then a second time led on to the trap-door. The reim had been fastened to the cross beam, and tied in a knot at the place where it was broken. The noose was om e more placed round the neck of the miserable coolie, who, as has been said, was again placed on the trap-door. In a few me- - the bolt was a second time withdrawn, and the culprit disappeared from the view of the spec - tators overhead. It is horrible to have to state it, but exactly the same deplorable accident again occurred. The reim snapped once more, and the poor wretch again fell to the ground, tl.’s time dislocating his hip bone. Bio, d was seen to flow from his nose abo. His sufferings now made him shriek as loudly as his fast-failing strength would allow. The miserable man, who could no longer stand, was then carried up the stepsand allowed to rest upon the ground. The Sheriff now discarded the reim with the remark that it would have to be sent to the proper authorit es for them to judge as to fitness for hanging any person. A common hemp rope about six feet long was then brought into requisition. Itwasdoubh d to give security against a third break age ; but it left little or no “ drop ” for the criminal. The convict was lifted in a semi-seuseless condition and plact d in a sitting posture on the trap-door of the scaffold. A noose in the end of the rope was placed round his neck, the bolt was withdrawn for the third time, the trap-door again flew open with a noisy sound, and the victim left suspended. The drop, however, as we have said, was very short the third time, and the hangman was observed to occupy himself in tightening the rope at the back of the neck. The body was left hanging an hour, when it was cut down, and life pronounced extinct by the doctor Mr Finnemore held an inquest on the body. I c was stated that the neck was not broken, nor were there any bones fractured ; the deceased died from strangulation or suffocation. A verdict to that effect was returned. Mr Finnemore has, we believe, reported the whole affair to the proper authorities.