TRAINING A HANGMAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8040, 30 January 1906, Page 3

TRAINING A HANGMAN.

it is:, of course, essential that the oliicial whd l>a» to carry out the last dread sentence of the law should first thoroughly learn the technique of his gruesome profession, to ensure that ivbca the time comes all the operations will happen decently and in order. Therefore, each new English hangman, immediately after his appointment, goes through a realistic course of training. In pursuance of this policy, newly appelated executioner Taylor, under the guidance of experienced prison official* *vho have assisted at many executions recently went through his apprenticeship, Several . sandbags, shaped to rcpf.ese*Jt men of .different weights, were supplittl for •Taylor's practice. He was instructed ikat men of varying builds should be (riven • certain prescribed " drops to vfffL'l instantaneous death. Then a sandbag, maAe to the rough semblance and wight of a man, was placed on the scaffold Hap. Taylor was told the weight, the uoose was properly ad-! justed, the requisite drop arranged for, and the lever pulled. This experiment was performed again nnct again with differently weighted bags. The other part of the hangman's training—the pinioning of a condemned prisonerwas even more realistic. For the time being stalwart warders posed as con.denmcil murderers. Taylor, practising on Ihcm, was shown the quickest and .most effective way of securing the lands *»d feet. The experiments Tvcre repeated daily for a week, when :the new hangman was regarded as efficient, and ready to respond to the sheriffs call to officiate at a rpal cxecu-