bad。 Your great grandfather was hanged。〃
〃That is a l〃
〃Silence！ Hanged sir。 But it was not his fault。 He could not help it。〃
〃I am glad you do him justice。〃
〃Ahgrieve； rather； that the jury did。 He was hanged。 His star crosses
yours in the fourth division； fifth sphere。 Consequently you will be
hanged also。〃
〃In view of this cheerful〃
〃I must have silence。 Yours was not； in the beginning； a criminal
nature； but circumstances changed it。 At the age of nine you stole
sugar。 At the age of fifteen you stole money。 At twenty you stole
horses。 At twenty…five you committed arson。 At thirty； hardened in
crime； you became an editor。 You are now a public lecturer。 Worse
things are in store for you。 You will be sent to Congress。 Next； to the
penitentiary。 Finally； happiness will come againall will be wellyou
will be hanged。〃
I was now in tears。 It seemed hard enough to go to Congress； but to be
hangedthis was too sad； too dreadful。 The woman seemed surprised at my
grief。 I told her the thoughts that were in my mind。 Then she comforted
me。
〃Why； man；〃 she said； 〃hold up your headyou have nothing to grieve
about。 Listen。
＇In this paragraph the fortune…teller details the exact history of the
Pike…Brown assassination case in New Hampshire； from the succoring and
saving of the stranger Pike by the Browns； to the subsequent hanging and
coffining of that treacherous miscreant。 She adds nothing； invents
nothing； exaggerates nothing （see any New England paper for November；
1869）。 This Pike…Brown case is selected merely as a type； to illustrate
a custom that prevails； not in New Hampshire alone； but in every state in
the UnionI mean the sentimental custom of visiting； petting；
glorifying； and snuffling over murderers like this Pike； from the day
they enter the jail under sentence of death until they swing from the
gallows。 The following extract from the Temple Bar （1866） reveals the
fact that this custom is not confined to the United States。〃on December
31； 1841； a man named John Johnes； a shoemaker； murdered his sweetheart；
Mary Hallam； the daughter of a respectable laborer； at Mansfield； in the
county of Nottingham。 He was executed on March 23； 1842。 He was a man
of unsteady habits； and gave way to violent fits of passion。 The girl
declined his addresses； and he said if he did not have her no one else
should。 After he had inflicted the first wound； which was not
immediately fatal； she begged for her life； but seeing him resolved；
asked for time to pray。 He said that he would pray for both； and
completed the crime。 The wounds were inflicted by a shoemaker's knife；
and her throat was cut barbarously。 After this he dropped on his knees
some time； and prayed God to have mercy on two unfortunate lovers。
He made no attempt to escape； and confessed the crime。 After his
imprisonment he behaved in a most decorous manner； he won upon the good
opinion of the jail chaplain； and he was visited by the Bishop of
Lincoln。 It does not appear that he expressed any contrition for the
crime； but seemed to pass away with triumphant certainty that he was
going to rejoin his victim in heaven。 He was visited by some pious and
benevolent ladies of Nottingham； some of whom declared he was a child of
God； if ever there was one。 One of the ladies sent him a while camellia
to wear at his execution。〃＇
You will live in New Hampshire。 In your sharp need and distress the
Brown family will succor yousuch of them as Pike the assassin left
alive。 They will be benefactors to you。 When you shall have grown fat
upon their bounty； and are grateful and happy； you will desire to make
some modest return for these things； and so you will go to the house some
night and brain the whole family with an ax。 You will rob the dead
bodies of your benefactors； and disburse your gains in riotous living
among the rowdies and courtesans of Boston。 Then you will； be arrested；
tried； condemned to be hanged； thrown into prison。 Now is your happy
day。 You will be convertedyou will be converted just as soon as
every effort to compass pardon； commutation； or reprieve has failedand
then！Why； then； every morning and every afternoon； the best and purest
young ladies of the village will assemble in your cell and sing hymns。
This will show that assassination is respectable。 Then you will write a
touching letter； in which you will forgive all those recent Browns。 This
will excite the public admiration。 No public can withstand magnanimity。
Next； they will take you to the scaffold； with great eclat； at the head
of an imposing procession composed of clergymen； officials； citizens
generally； and young ladies walking pensively two and two； and bearing
bouquets and immortelles。 You will mount the scaffold； and while the
great concourse stand uncovered in your presence； you will read your
sappy little speech which the minister has written for you。 And then； in
the midst of a grand and impressive silence； they will swing you into
perParadise； my son。 There will not be a dry eye on the ground。 You
will be a hero！ Not a rough there but will envy you。 Not a rough there
but will resolve to emulate you。 And next； a great procession will
follow you to the tombwill weep over your remainsthe young ladies
will sing again the hymns made dear by sweet associations connected with
the jail； and； as a last tribute of affection； respect； and appreciation
of your many sterling qualities； they will walk two and two around your
bier； and strew wreaths of flowers on it。 And lo！ you are canonized。
Think of it； son…ingrate； assassin； robber of the dead； drunken brawler
among thieves and harlots in the slums of Boston one month； and the pet
of the pure and innocent daughters of the land the next！ A bloody and
hateful devila bewept； bewailed； and sainted martyrall in a month！
Fool！so noble a fortune； and yet you sit here grieving！〃
〃No； madam；〃 I said； 〃you do me wrong； you do； indeed。 I am perfectly
satisfied。 I did not know before that my great…grandfather was hanged；
but it is of no consequence。 He has probably ceased to bother about it
by this timeand I have not commenced yet。 I confess； madam； that I do
something in the way of editing and lecturing； but the other crimes you
mention have escaped my memory。 Yet I must have committed themyou
would not deceive a stranger。 But let the past be as it was； and let the
future be as it maythese are nothing。 I have only cared for one thing。
I have always felt that I should be hanged some day； and somehow the
thought has annoyed me considerably； but if you can only assure me that I
shall be hanged in New Hampshire〃
〃Not a shadow of a doubt！〃
〃Bless you； my benefactress！excuse this embraceyou have removed a
great load from my breast。 To be hanged in New Hampshire is happiness
it leaves an honored name behind a man； and introduces him at once into
the best New Hampshire society in the other world。〃
I then took leave of the fortune…teller。 But； seriously； is it well to
glorify a murderous villain on the scaffold； as Pike was glorified in New
Hampshire？ Is it well to turn the penalty for a bloody crime into a
reward？ Is it just to do it？ Is； it safe？
A NEW CRIME
LEGISLATION NEEDED
This country； during the last thirty or forty years； has produced some of
the most remarkable cases of insanity of which there is any mention in
history。 For instance； there was the Baldwin case； in Ohio； twenty…two
years ago。 Baldwin； from his boyhood up； had been of a vindictive；
malignant； quarrelsome nature。 He put a boy's eye out once； and never
was heard upon any occasion to utter a regret for it。 He did many such
things。 But at last he did something that was serious。 He called at a
house just after dark one evening； knocked； and when the occupant came to
the door； shot him dead； and then tried to escape； but was captured。
Two days before； he had wantonly insulted a helpless cripple； and the man
he afterward took swift vengeance upon with an assassin bullet had
knocked him down。 Such was the Baldwin case。 The trial was long and
exciting； the community was fearfully wrought up。 Men said this
spiteful； bad…hearted villain had caused grief enough in his time； and
now he should satisfy the law。 But they were mistaken； Baldwin was
insane when he did the deedthey had not thought of that。 By the
argument of counsel it was shown that at half past ten in the morning on
the day of the murder； Baldwin became insane； and remained so for eleven
hours and a half exactly。 This just covered the case comfortably； and he
was acquitted。 Thus； if an unthinking and excited community had been
listened to instead of the arguments of counsel； a poor crazy creature
would have been held to a fearful responsibility for a mere freak of
madness。 Baldwin went clear； and although his relatives and friends were
naturally incensed against the community for their injurious suspicions
and remarks； they said let it go for this time； and did not prosecute。
The Baldwins were very wealthy。 This same Baldwin had momentary fits of
insanity twice afterward； and on both occasions killed people he had
grudges agai