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<v Speaker 1>Hooch by William Sandford. I had committed murder in a

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<v Speaker 1>terrible fit of rage. I had killed my friend Jim McCarthy.

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<v Speaker 1>I was going to be hung at sunrise. There was

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<v Speaker 1>no hope. I must die. Slowly, the great steel doors

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<v Speaker 1>swung open, and four guards entered my cell. One of

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<v Speaker 1>them stepped a little in advance of the others come

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<v Speaker 1>he said that was all. I rose tottering from my bench.

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<v Speaker 1>I must die. I must leave the sunlight of the

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<v Speaker 1>earth behind me. I had committed murder. I was led

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<v Speaker 1>through the cold, bleak prison corridors and out into the

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<v Speaker 1>lighted courtyard, where a number of people were gathered, prison

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<v Speaker 1>officials and a few newspaper men. The scaffold stood before me,

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<v Speaker 1>and with tottering legs, I was assisted to the top.

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<v Speaker 1>A black cap, a horrible thing spelling death, was fitted

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<v Speaker 1>over my head and drawn tight about my neck. All

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<v Speaker 1>was still about me. No one spoke. I felt the

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<v Speaker 1>noose placed about my neck. The cold sweat broke out

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<v Speaker 1>over my body. I could scarcely stand death. Death. I

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<v Speaker 1>was to know the feeling of that terrible rope. In

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<v Speaker 1>a few moments, ready, said a sharp voice, I felt

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<v Speaker 1>the earth slip from under me, and I shot into space.

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<v Speaker 1>A feeling of suffocation, indescribably terrible, enveloped me, and a

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<v Speaker 1>million sparks of fire seemed dancing before my eyes, though

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<v Speaker 1>I could not see. I tried to scream, but could

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<v Speaker 1>make no sound. Then something seemed to burst. My lungs

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<v Speaker 1>were free. I gave a terrible cry. A voice from

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<v Speaker 1>above came sharply down to me, What the devil's the

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<v Speaker 1>matter with you? Bill? The ship gave a lurch and

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<v Speaker 1>brought me wide awake. In the dim light of the cabin,

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<v Speaker 1>I saw Jim McCarthy's face peering at me from the

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<v Speaker 1>bunk above. Jim, I said, wiping my sweat soaked face

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<v Speaker 1>with the sheet. If you fill me up on any

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<v Speaker 1>more of your home made hooch, I will kill you.

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<v Speaker 1>The end of Hooch.