Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1882 — Reportorial Enterprise. [ARTICLE]

Reportorial Enterprise.

A story of a reporter'who, in order to have an account of an* execution in the afternoon paper which employed him, asked the Sheriff to hang the condemned man an hour earlier than the time set, has been going the rounds lately in one form and another. The Dramatic Times vouchee for the truth of the incident, and gives what he declares to be t’4 j true version. Tbe reporter was Mr. Kenward Pliilp, then engaged on the Brooklyn Eagle. He was sent to “do ” the hanging of a man at Plainfield, N. J., and found the execution was not to take place until midday, which would cot let him back to Brooklyn in time to do it justice. He went to the Sheriff and told him that the failure to hang the man at 10, as announced, would knock him out of $6 at least, and asked him to put the ceremony at 11, so that he could get the 11:30 train back. To Mr. Philp’s surprise the Sheriff .was very indignant, but finally promised that, if Pbilp could persuade the condemned man to be banged .an hour sooner, he would only be too glad to get the disagreeable job off liis hands. Mr. Philp went to the murderer’s cell and told him plainly what he came for. They had a drink together. The unfortunate found Philp a very agreeable companion, and said that, so far as he was concerned, it didn’t matter much whether he was hanged an hour sooner or later. Philp then wrote a letter to the Sheriff embodying the request, the condemned man signed it, and he was hanged at 11. It was subsequently ascertained, however, that the condemned man could not read writing, and the painful doubt was expressed whether he knew what he was signing. But Philp caught his train. A physician write* : “I have found that Dr. Guynott’s Yellow Dosk and Sarsaparilla is a perfect and complete cure for sexual weaknesses, the most stubborn of all debilitating diseases. This fact shonid be generally known. It will save many from the clutches of that vile olass of medical pretenders, who call themselves specialists, but whose specialty consists mostly in prolonging the suffering of their victim and emptying his purse.”