FullReads

“It stands to reason–don’t it?–that these here
sinful men have got to be hung, an’ that somebody
has got to hang ’em. The Good Book says an eye fur
an eye an’ a tooth fur a tooth an’ a life fur a
life. That’s perzactly whut it says, an’ I’m one
whut believes the Bible frum kiver to kiver. These
here boys that they bring in here have broke the
law of Gawd an’ the law of the land, an’ they jest
natchelly got to pay fur their devilment. That’s
so, ain’t it? Well, then, that bein’ so, I step
forward an’ do the job. Ef they was free men,
walkin’ around like you an’ me, I wouldn’t lay the
weight of my little finger on ’em to harm a single
hair in their haids. Ef they hadn’t done nothin’
ag’in’ the law, I’d be the last one to do ’em a
hurt. I wisht you could make that p’int plain in
the piece you aim to write, so’s folks would
understand jest how I feel–so’s they’d understand
that I don’t bear no gredge ag’inst any livin’
creature.

“Ef the job was left to some greenhawn he’d mebbe
botch it up an’ make them boys suffer more’n
there’s any call fur. Sech things have happened, a
plenty times before now ez you yourself doubtless
know full well. But I don’t botch it up. I ain’t
braggin’ none whilst I’m sayin’ this to you; I’m
jest tellin’ you. I kin take an oath that I ain’t
never botched up one of these jobs yit, not frum
the very fust. The warden or Dr. Slattery, the
prison physician, or anybody round this town that
knows the full circumstances kin tell you the
same, ef you ast ’em. You see, son, I ain’t never
nervoused up like some men would be in my place.
I’m always jest ez ca’m like ez whut you are this
minute. The way I look at it, I’m jest a chosen
instrument of the law. I regard it ez a trust that
I’m called on to perform, on account of me havin’ a
natchel knack in that ‘special direction. Some men
have gifts fur one thing an’ some men have gifts
fur another thing. It would seem this is the
perticular thing–hangin’ men–that I’ve got a gift
fur. So, sech bein’ the case, I don’t worry none
about it beforehand, nor I don’t worry none after
it’s all over with, neither. With me handlin’ the
details the whole thing is over an’ done with
accordin’ to the law an’ the statutes an’ the
jedgment of the high court in less time than some
people would take fussin’ round, gittin’ ready. The
way I look at it, it’s a mercy an’ a blessin’ to
all concerned to have somebody in charge that knows
how to hang a man.

“Why, it’s come to sech a pass that when there’s a
hangin’ comin’ off anywhere in this part of the
country they send fur me to be present ez a kind of
an expert. I’ve been to hangin’s all over this
State, an’ down into Louisiana, an’ wunst over into
Texas in order to give the sheriffs the benefit of
my experience an’ my advice. I make it a rule not
never to take no money fur doin’ sech ez that–only
my travelin’ expenses an’ my tavern bills; that’s
all I ever charge ’em. But here in Chickaloosa the
conditions is different, an’ the gover’mint pays me
seventy-five dollars a hangin’. I figger that it’s
wuth it, too. The Bible says the labourer is worthy
of his hire. I try to be worthy of the hire I git.
I certainly aim to earn it–an’ I reckin I do earn
it, takin’ everything into consideration–the
responsibility an’ all. Ef there’s any folks that
think I earn my money easy–seventy-five dollars
fur whut looks like jest a few minutes’ work–I’d
like fur ’em to stop an’ think ef they’d consider
themselves qualified to hang ez many men ez I have
without never botchin’ up a single job.”