Western Justice as it really was

[thehangingtree]

Back in the late 1800s criminals were often put to death for their crimes. The usual means was a very public hanging. This made sure the criminal could not repeat their crime but prevented others from doing the same. It also sold a lot of newspapers. There was the belief that women were rarely hanged. While not as often as men, there were some that once convicted they would be hanged to death.

One of the most chronicled hangings was Maggie Smith’s. It seems she decided to end her relationship with the town’s banker with a .45 bullet in his head. She was tried, convicted, and sentenced to be hanged to death from the gallows in the town square.

Old newspapers describe her being brought to the gallows wearing a pretty white dress.



Once on the gallows, Maggie’s hands were tied behind her back to insure she could not grab the noose she would hang from.



The sheriff’s deputy placed the noose around her neck.



He carefully tightened the rope around her neck to insure she would be hanged with the trapdoor opened.



With Maggie’s hands secured and the noose fixed around her neck, the town preacher said a few prayers concluding the Maggie’s hanging would absolve her of her sins and that may the lord grace her with forgiveness in the afterlife.



The preacher turned to the deputy and solemnly requested he would do his duty and hang Maggie for her crime.



The deputy pulled the lever. Maggie gave a panicked scream as the trapdoor fell from beneath her feet.



There was a loud thud as the trapdoor slammed against the gallows’ structure the overwhelmed the snap of the rope breaking Maggie’s and jerking the noose tight around her neck. Maggie, being lighter than any man they had hanged before, lasted several minutes before she succumbed to the rope squeezing her throat.



The newspaper had the decency not to mention how long she lasted or that Maggie lost control of her bladder when she died. The sheriff and deputy left her body hanged for the required hour before they checked for any sign of life.



Maggie’s body was left dangling from the noose until late in the day. The noose was loosened and her body dropped to the ground below her.



She would be boxed in a pine crate and buried in an unmarked grave with the other hanged criminals.

That was one of few recorded hangings of women put to death in such a manner. Let us review Miss Sharon Ferris’ execution as she was hanged by her neck…

 

[thehangingtree]

Setting the stage, one must look back on Sharon Ferris’ life before she was condemned to be hanged. She was the daughter of European immigrants who moved to the west Texas hill country when she was in her mid-teens. For a few years all was quiet in the hill country, but wealth was brewing for the Ferris family as their land was in a pass through the hills that an expanding railroad wanted to lay tracks to avoid having to do expensive excavating of the rugged landscape. A generous offer was made to the Ferris’ to install a railroad through their land.

Sharon’s family took the offer, moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and invested in a small telephone company that eventually would become a communications giant of the world. Sharon would stay behind in the Permian Basin, living off her (then) generous allowance and passing her time with somewhat seedy oil and rail ‘executives’ that had more money than morals. Still, Sharon enjoyed a rather robust sex life that eased the dreariness of her rather barren surroundings.

Sharon became ‘involved’ with an oil and rail baron known as ‘Rusty’ Spike. He wanted to marry Sharon but she would have none of the married life. The relationship ended when Sharon ended their relationship with a .38 bullet in Rusty’s head.



Sharon became a wanted woman and took to hiding in a cabin on the far-reaches of the family farm. Her allowance still got to her and it was enough to cover her food and healthy consumption of booze.



What Sharon didn’t know was the railroad hired a well-know security firm to track her down and bring her to justice. A reward was placed on her capture and soon anyone in west Texas was hunting her for the unheard-of bounty of $10,000 for her capture. Sharon was successful for over a year remaining a free woman. One day, though, she was on her way to the general store to purchase booze and food when she met up with ‘Lucky’ Stiff. He was waiting for her to pass by, and she never had a chance to draw her gun.



Sharon, with arms raised, approached Lucky offering him money to let her go. Lucky knew what the reward was and refused her offer.



Cleverly, Sharon opened her shirt and offered Lucky the finest pair of breasts he had ever seen.


Lucky was impressed by the site but did not let Sharon free. He tossed her face down on the ground and bound her wrists behind her back.



Sharon pleaded for her freedom offering him anything but Lucky was more swayed by the reward on her head. As he tossed her over her saddle he said “I’ll see enough of your pussy while you’re hanging by your neck.”



The ride back to the sheriff’s office gave Sharon time to ponder her limited future in light of her past.



As they neared the town, Lucky took Sharon from her horse and with her hands bound and her chest bared triumphantly paraded the captured woman through the small town’s main street.



Fortunately (?), they still had to try Sharon before they could hang her…

 

[thehangingtree]

Sharon Ferris was placed in the Permian County jail where she would be held until her trial.



The sheriff strongly suggests life would be much easier on her if she followed the jail’s rules and any order given her. The jail had never had a female prisoner before and Sharon was a tempting sight. The sheriff said he would like to get along with Sharon while she was incarcerated there. Remembering his words, Sharon gave him the best head he has ever been given.



Sharon, not familiar with the life of a prisoner, swallowed his whole load. The sheriff, unfamiliar with having a woman prisoner, gladly let her.

This would lead to encounters with all of the jail’s male staff. At first, Sharon was tightly bound when she serviced the men.



Even in restraints, Sharon proved quite adept at satisfying the sheriff and his men.



Soon the sheriff would ask her to wear some sultry clothing when he would use her body.



Being ass-fucked was not Sharon’s favorite way to have sex but the sheriff assured her it was necessary to check her for smuggled weapons. Not wanting to cause a stir, Sharon willingly complied with each time he requested another search.

Sharon was even brought to Judge Lynchem’s house for a pretrial meeting. It went about the same as the sheriff’s inspection.



At least their meeting consisted of a normal sexual encounter. After their meeting, the judge assured Sharon she would receive a fair trial with a short sentence after she was tried.

Sharon had a visitor the day before her trial. Professor Barbara Moore had traveled from the University of the Virgin Martyrs located in a northern ‘blue’ state all the way to west Texas to meet with Sharon. The meeting got off to a cordial start. Introductions were made and Sharon explained that she was being a model prisoner, being sure to take care of the guards’ needs and even satisfying Judge Lynchem’s desires. She proudly told Barbara that the judge had even promised her a short sentence if she were found guilty at her trial.

Professor Moore seemed unimpressed. She said “They don’t give convicted killers life in prison around here.”

Sharon bragged “But the judge promised me a short sentence!”

“Oh, I’m sure he did” Professor Moore says. “How long will it take you to die when they hang you by your neck?”



Sharon was taken aback by the question. She stammers “You think they’ll hang me?”

 

[Barbaria1]

Sharon was taken aback by the question. She stammers “You think they’ll hang me?”

This girl is a complete idiot! Then again this is Texas.

 

[Harsh Martinet]

OUCH!!!!

 

[FrankO]

This girl is a complete idiot! Then again this is Texas.

Yeah ... the State which is living proof that the Indians screwed buffalo.

 

[Harsh Martinet]

Yeah ... the State which is living proof that the Indians screwed buffalo.

Shouldn't be laughing.....I hold Native Americans and buffaloes in FAR greater esteem than most Texans.

 

[Barbaria1]

Shouldn't be laughing.....I hold Native Americans and buffaloes in FAR greater esteem than most Texans.

It’s one of those states that’s bound to secede succeed.

 

[Harsh Martinet]

They always want to secede...until they need FEMA to come bail them out after a hurricane.

 

[thehangingtree]

A small note here. Maggie Smith was hanged in the late 1800s. Sharon Ferris' encounter with western 'justice' doesn't occur till the 1910s. The Permian Basin economy was still mostly based on cattle ranching but with the dawn of the automobile age and WW1 about to take in the USA, oil people were becoming wealthy and influential. Still, in Permian County, changes in the justice system come slowly...

 

[thehangingtree]

Sunday, May 9, 1915…

The sheriff checks in on Sharon Ferris. He is strangely well mannered and does not do his usual ‘inspections’ of her private parts. Sharon asks “Have I done something to offend you?”

“Not at all! Tomorrow you go to court and Judge Lynchem thinks it would look better if you appeared in pristine condition for your trial” the sheriff replies. He does not mention the judge wants to make an example of her and ordered the sheriff to leave her untouched before her trial.



The sheriff also doesn’t mention Judge Lynchem is up for reelection and hanging Sharon Ferris would only cement the fact he was a fair but stern judge.

The next day Sharon is led from the Dry Hole city jail to the county courthouse. The city and county did not purchase suitable uniforms for women prisoners because there just weren’t many of them over the years. Because of this, Sharon is led into the street naked as the day she was born.



Her short walk to the courthouse drew plenty of attention.



Sharon had it in her mind her nakedness would show she has nothing to hide in court.

When her trial began, Sharon found she would be represented by a court-appointed attorney. Mr. Tree sounded like he knew the big words lawyers use and Sharon though she was well represented.



Little did she know Tree was 0-however many cases he has tried.

So on the morning of May 10, 1915 after only a half hour of testimony, Sharon was found guilty of killing ‘Rusty’ Spike by placing a .38 slug from her derringer between his eyes.



The sheriff seemed pleased with the verdict but was more thrilled when Judge Lynchem hoisted a rope with a noose fashioned on one end and announced “This convicted criminal will be hanged by the neck until she is dead. She’ll be hanged on Saturday, May 29 at high noon!”



“And sheriff, keep her caged up till then. We can’t have her escape before she’s hanged” Judge Lynchem states, not mentioning he would charge admission to those who want to see the doomed woman.



Miss Ferris can’t believe she has just weeks to live!

 

[thehangingtree]

It is just 19 days until Sharon Ferris will be put to death hanged by her neck. She arrives back at the Dry Hole city jail where the deputy leads her back to her cell.



He wears gloves as he escorts her to the cell. Sharon grumbles “You weren’t that careful when you were sticking your dick in me.”

He doesn’t answer and locks her in the cell. Later that afternoon the sheriff comes by her cell. He makes no pretense about inspecting her for contraband but proceeds to bend her over and rapes her from behind. As he rams his cock home, he notes “Only a bit more than two weeks then you’ll be gone. What a waste of a good woman.”



Sharon isn’t shy either. She gasps between his thrusts “Make it good! Fuck me like it’s the last thing we’ll do!”

Later that week she is visited again by Professor Moore. By this time the reality that she will be hanged has set in. She calmly says “At least it will be quick.”



“They’ll take me from my cell and put me on the gallows.”



“They’ll tighten the noose and pull the lever. I’ll drop, my neck will break and this whole mess will be over.”



Barbara looks through the bars at Sharon and shakes her head. In a scolding voice she says “They said you will be hanged by your neck until dead.”

Sharon shrugs and casually replies “So?”

Barb exclaims “When they hanged Mary Surratt they didn’t break her neck!”



“Who is Mary Surratt” Sharon asks.

“She was convicted of being part of the team that kill President Lincoln!” Barb exclaims. “Damn, Sharon, they are going to hang you by your neck until you’re dead! They aren’t going to break your neck!”

“What do you mean” Sharon asks. “I mean how will I die?”



Barbara smirks “You choke to death. The weight of your body tightens the noose and you choke to death!”

Sharon feels sick and barely keeps from vomiting.

 

[Barbaria1]

Barbara smirks “You choke to death. The weight of your body tightens the noose and you choke to death!”

I have perfected that smirk after long hours of practice in front of a mirror.

 

[thehangingtree]

Sharon was convicted of murdering ‘Rusty’ Spike on May 5, 1915. She would be hanged on May 29, 1915. Normally, once a convict is sentenced to death, the hanging happens either the same day or maybe the next one. Sharon is held in the Dry Hole town jail for most of the month. You see, it is a rare occasion when a woman is hanged. Judge Lynchem wanted the would to get out. News of Sharon’s hanging was reported far and wide. It was covered in the Dallas Bugler and even in a ‘scientific’ paper know as ‘The Crux Chronicle’.

Judge Lynchem was selling tickets to Sharon Ferris’ hanging and wanted as large an audience he could get. During the time before Sharon would be hanged she was presented as a sideshow, with the judge selling tickets to the curious gawkers spectators.



One of the visitors was a man named ‘Spike’ Sharp who came to Dry Hole as a reporter for the Crus Chronicle to cover Sharon’s execution. He was there only as an employee of the paper. He started the interview with Sharon by lighting a cigarette and commenting she had a fine looking neck.

Sharon awkwardly thanked him for what she assumed was a compliment. ‘Spike’ looked her over and wondered aloud how much her neck would stretch when her body hung from her neck.



Sharon promptly ended the interview then.

Days before she would be hanged a couple from France came by Sharon’s cell. The two women looked over the naked prisoner and rattle many words in French Sharon did not understand. She stopped them and said “I can’t understand anything you are saying. Can you speak English?”

The women begged forgiveness in their broken English with the dark-haired woman finally saying “I cannot believe they would not buy one of your premium French nooses, Messaline. That Arkansas rope will simply chafe the hell out of her skin.”

Messa replies “They are not a concerned as we French are about a woman’s looks when she is hanged. Still I hear the Arkansas noose is still quite effective and she will dance magnificently before she croaks.”



Dumbstruck by the women’s laisse-a-fare comments Sharon watches her guests leave the jail.



She wonders what they meant about the rope chafing her neck before she croaks…

 

[Harsh Martinet]

I have perfected that smirk after long hours of practice in front of a mirror.

Just wondering Barb what else do you practice in front of the mirror?

 

[Harsh Martinet]

Sharon was convicted of murdering ‘Rusty’ Spike on May 5, 1915. She would be hanged on May 29, 1915. Normally, once a convict is sentenced to death, the hanging happens either the same day or maybe the next one. Sharon is held in the Dry Hole town jail for most of the month. You see, it is a rare occasion when a woman is hanged. Judge Lynchem wanted the would to get out. News of Sharon’s hanging was reported far and wide. It was covered in the Dallas Bugler and even in a ‘scientific’ paper know as ‘The Crux Chronicle’.

Judge Lynchem was selling tickets to Sharon Ferris’ hanging and wanted as large an audience he could get. During the time before Sharon would be hanged she was presented as a sideshow, with the judge selling tickets to the curious gawkers spectators.

View attachment 1118741

One of the visitors was a man named ‘Spike’ Sharp who came to Dry Hole as a reporter for the Crus Chronicle to cover Sharon’s execution. He was there only as an employee of the paper. He started the interview with Sharon by lighting a cigarette and commenting she had a fine looking neck.

Sharon awkwardly thanked him for what she assumed was a compliment. ‘Spike’ looked her over and wondered aloud how much her neck would stretch when her body hung from her neck.

View attachment 1118745

Sharon promptly ended the interview then.

Days before she would be hanged a couple from France came by Sharon’s cell. The two women looked over the naked prisoner and rattle many words in French Sharon did not understand. She stopped them and said “I can’t understand anything you are saying. Can you speak English?”

The women begged forgiveness in their broken English with the dark-haired woman finally saying “I cannot believe they would not buy one of your premium French nooses, Messaline. That Arkansas rope will simply chafe the hell out of her skin.”

Messa replies “They are not a concerned as we French are about a woman’s looks when she is hanged. Still I hear the Arkansas noose is still quite effective and she will dance magnificently before she croaks.”

View attachment 1118743

Dumbstruck by the women’s laisse-a-fare comments Sharon watches her guests leave the jail.

View attachment 1118744

She wonders what they meant about the rope chafing her neck before she croaks…

Hanging this one would be a REAL crime!

 

[thehangingtree]

Part one

Wednesday night, May 26, 1915 at the Dry Hole Saloon and Hotel…

Business was brisk at the Dry Hole Saloon that Wednesday night. There was a large number of out-of-towners who had traveled to west Texas solely for the thrill of seeing Sharon Ferris’ hanging. It is not that often a woman is executed and this one will be special.

A well-dressed man going only by ‘Mr. Martin’ is enjoying his generous helping of adult beverages at his table. He is from New York and is covering Sharon’s hanging for the Brooklyn Tribune.



He has covered hangings before but this one is different. Mr. Martin glowingly says he cannot wait to see them bring Miss Ferris from the city jail and escort her to the gallows.



His vivid imagination clearly pictures the condemned woman’s walk to the gallows.



He gloats “I can’t wait to watch her tits shake as she takes her last climb up the stairs!”



“And I’ll bet she tries to look brave as she walks up to the noose!”



“You can mark my word that woman will nearly shit when they get ready to put the rope around her neck.”



Mr. martin continues “Yes, I’m sure she’ll look brave when the put that noose around her neck!”



“She’ll do her best not to pee when they read her death sentence to her.”



“I’m telling you I can’t wait to see they hang her naked body and she does her last dance as the noose closes around her neck!”

 

[thehangingtree]

PART TWO

A woman at the bar lights her cigarette and says “You have a hell of an imagination. This town hasn’t the money to build a gallows.”



Mr. Martin is taken aback somewhat. He huffs “Then how the hell are they going to hang the woman?”



“They’ll toss a rope over a tree and hang her from the back of a horse” Joan Tree replies.



“But don’t worry. She’ll still put on a good show while the rope kills her!”

“Hmm, an old fashioned hanging. I’ve never seen one of those before” Mr. Martin exclaims.

 

[thehangingtree]

Time draws near for Sharon’s execution. To insure she does not escape (or perhaps kill herself before she is hanged before a curious crowd), Sharon is handcuffed to her bed at night when there are no guards at the jail.



The irons on her wrists do not offer her the warmth clothing would, but she is the first woman condemned to death in Dry Hole’s history and Judge Lynchem didn’t see a purpose in buying clothing for Sharon since she would only be in the jail less than three weeks and his paying guests waiting to see her hanged were told she would be hanged naked.

Sharon passed her remaining last days locked in her cell being gawked at by people who paid the unheard of price of one dollar to view the condemned woman sitting naked in the cell.



If the spectators were very rude with their comments, Sharon was not shy about making remarks back. She told one man “So you came to see me hanged. That’s the closest you’ll get to this body!”



But as her hanging drew nearer, mostly she took what the spectators had to say in passive quiet.

Friday evening she is surprised by a visit from her defense attorney, Mr. T. H. Tree. He asks if there is anything he could do for her. Sharon grabs the cell’s bars and says “They won’t give me any clothing. Can you get a dress that I can wear tomorrow?”

Tree answers honestly and tells Sharon even if he got her clothing, Judge Lynchem has sentenced her to be hanged naked as she is now. Sharon angrily says “You couldn’t win my court case and you’ll let them take me naked to the gallows and hang me. What kind of lawyer are you?”



“The best they would afford to defend you. Besides you were caught carrying the murder weapon. The best attorney on earth couldn’t have gotten you off” Tree replies.



He does not mention that Dry Hole doesn’t have a gallows and Sharon will be hanged naked from the back of a horse. He leaves her and goes to the saloon to settle his nerves.

Early Saturday morning a guard came for Sharon. She carefully but very tightly ties Sharon’s hands behind her back. Sharon complains that the rope is hurting her.

The guard points out they have to be sure her hands are secured. It was with a wicked laugh the guard adds “Besides, the one they put around your neck will be tighter than this one!”



She takes Sharon to another cell and leads her into it. Sharon notices that this cell is much cleaner than the one she has been held in and asks why that is.



The guard says “We couldn’t let the archbishop from Dallas see the hole you’ve been hold in!”

Archbishop Wragg travels from Dallas to give Sharon her last rites. Even though not of his faith, Sharon reverently listens to his long litany spoken in Latin. When the archbishop finishes his prayers, Sharon doesn’t admit he may as well have spoken gibberish. She says to archbishop “They are going to hang me naked. My lawyer says there is nothing he can do about it. Can you get me some clothing? I don’t want to hang nude in front of a crowd.”

The archbishop sighs and says “It is for the better you are naked when you are hanged. I can pray for your forgiveness but the humiliation of being hanged naked may spare you from eternity in hell. Imagine how good you will look while you strangle to death as your body dangles nude from the noose!”



Sharon runs her hand over her naked body not really convinced by Archbishop Wragg’s words.

 

[thehangingtree]

A few hours until Sharon Ferris is to be hanged by her neck and put to death for murdering ‘Rusty’ Spike…

Sharon is brought into sheriff’s office where a woman from the Texas Prison Office is waiting to meet her. The woman is in a seemingly good mood and cheerfully greets Sharon. She says “So you’re the poor bitch they are going to hang today. You should have appealed your sentence.”

Sharon is surprised and asks “You mean if I did I wouldn’t be put to death?”

“Not hardly” the woman replies “but at least they wouldn’t hang you in the town square.”



“No, if you’d have appealed you’d have been brought to the Austin prison where you would have been brought before a firing squad.”



“They would have handcuffed you to a post.”



“Then the squad would shoot you.”



“There are four gunmen with rifles but only three of the guns have live bullets. The fourth one has blanks but we have found three bullets will kill a convict and none of the shooters know who has the blanks.”



“Anyway, most are killed instantly with a few lasting only a couple minutes.”



Sharon thinks fast and asks “Can I still appeal?!?!?!”

The woman from the Texas Prison Office shakes her head and says “Sorry, Miss Ferris, but you have to appeal a week before you are executed. It looks like you are going to be hanged naked by the Permian County hangman. Guard, take her away.”

Sharon is led back to original cell. The guard shows her little kindness as she leads Sharon to the cell.


Sharon cries “They aren’t going to hang me in front of a crowd, are they?”

The guard smirks “They certainly are and you’ll be wearing nothing more than you are now!”


Sharon is locked in the cell with her wrists secured behind her back.



There aren’t the people gawking through the bars at her. They have already gone to the town square to select their seats for Sharon’s execution.

Sharon thinks about being hanged. The prison woman’s words ring in her head.



“Don’t worry, Sharon. “I haven’t seen anyone last more than a quarter hour when their hanged. But I’ve never seen a woman hanged before, so we’ll see, I guess!”