Present at Hanging

Ambrose Bierce

An old man named Daniel Baker, living near Lebanon, Iowa, was suspected by his neighbors of having murdered peddler who had obtained permission the night at his house in 1853, when peddling was more common Western country than now, and was attended with considerable danger The peddler pack traversed the country by all manner of lonely roads, and was compelled to rely country people for hospitality This brought him into relation with queer characters, some of whom altogether scrupulous in their methods of making living, murder being an acceptable means end It occasionally occurred that peddler with diminished pack and swollen purse traced lonely dwelling of some rough character and never traced beyond so case of "old man Baker," as always called (Such names are given western "settlements" only to elderly persons esteemed; general disrepute of social unworth is affixed the special reproach of age ) peddler came house and none went away-- all that anybody knew

Seven years later the Rev Mr Cummings, Baptist minister well known part country, was driving by Baker's farm one night not very dark: bit of moon somewhere above the light veil of mist that lay along the earth Mr Cummings, who was at all times cheerful person, was whistling tune, which occasionally interrupt word of friendly encouragement horse As to little bridge across dry ravine the figure of man standing upon it, clearly outlined against the gray background of misty forest The man had something strapped back and carried heavy stick-- obviously an itinerant peddler His attitude had suggestion of abstraction, like that of sleepwalker Mr Cummings reined horse when he arrived in front of him, gave him pleasant salutation and invited him to seat vehicle--" going my way," he added The man raised his head, looked him full face, but neither answered nor made any further movement The minister, with good-natured persistence, repeated his invitation the man threw his right hand forward side and pointed downward as he stood extreme edge bridge Mr Cummings looked past him, over ravine, saw nothing unusual and withdrew his eyes to address the man again He had disappeared The horse, which all uncommonly restless, gave same moment snort of terror and started to run away Before he had regained control animal the minister was crest hill hundred yards along He looked back and saw the figure again, same place and same attitude as when he had first observed it Then first time conscious of sense supernatural and drove home as rapidly as his willing horse would go

On arriving at home he related his adventure family, and early the next morning, accompanied by two neighbors, John White Corwell and Abner Raiser, returned spot They found the body of old man Baker hanging neck from beams bridge, immediately beneath the spot where the apparition had stood thick coating of dust, slightly dampened mist, covered the floor bridge, but the only footprints were those of Mr Cummings' horse

In taking down the body the men disturbed the loose, friable earth slope below it, disclosing human bones already nearly uncovered action of water and frost They were identified lost peddler double inquest the coroner's jury found that Daniel Baker died by his own hand while suffering from temporary insanity, Samuel Morritz was murdered by some person or persons jury unknown