 A quandary thus presented itself in that the man that was to be killed had died prior to being hanged and there was no legal precedent.Although Radclive believed that justice had thus been served, the presiding local sheriff, who was the legal authority at the execution, thought otherwise.The sheriff, referring to the language of the death warrant issued under the imprimatur of His Majesty the King, which unequivocally stated "I do now direct you the said sheriff of the said county to cause execution of the said sentence to be done," argued that the man was to be hanged until dead, and the fact that the subject had expired prior to being hanged was an unanticipated contingency.