A GALLERY OF HANGMEN

Evening Star, Issue 20253, 14 August 1929, Page 11

A GALLERY OF HANGMEN

TALES OF YEARS AGO ‘■'The Wheel of Time,” declared Marwood, the hangman, when lecturing in Sheffield fifty years ago, “ is constantly casting people into Eternity. ’ “go’s the rope!” shouted a wag m the vast audience which had flocked to listen to the executioner’s professional experiences, and not to a rambling discourse on politics and religion. In vain the chairman appealed Tor order, explaining that the hangman could not reveal official secrets; the audience angrily demanded their money back and tfie meeting broke up in disorder. This was not Marwood’s only appearance as a public speaker, for he took great pride in his work, and regarded himself as quite a personage. > After hanging the infamous Garcia at Usk, he addressed the cheering crowd outside the prison, prgvoking loud laughter by solemnly declaring that_ he had had such a magnificent reception _ that he hoped he would soon have to visit them again! But when another speech was demanded as he left his hotel, he said proudly that he had “ never hanged a man with greater satisfaction.” But executioners have seldom been accorded a reception like Marwood’s, as Mr Horace Bleackley reminds us in his absorbing—and, despite the subject amusing—book ‘ The Hangmen of England.’ The earlier hangmen were invariably greeted with stones and brickbats, and the gallows at Tyburn was frequently the scene of bloody battles between the hangmen and the mob, the former trying to remove the bodies for sale to the Company of Barbers Surgeons for dissection, the latter attempting rescue on behalf of the victims’ relatives. John Price, the earliest of Mr Bleackley’s heroes, was twice arrested for debt on returning from Tyburn, and on the second occasion spent two years in the Marshalsea Prison before escaping. Having lost his job he took to crime, and, to the joy of the mob, was himself hanged for murder in 1718. His successor, William Marvell, who graduated to the scaffold from the smithy, was also arrested for debt on his way to an execution. The bewildered authorities called for an understudy from the crowd, but when a lusty bricldnygr. volunteered, the mob assaulted him with such violence that the sheriff took back the prisoners alive to Newgate. 'Marvell was subsequently convicted for theft and transported to Virginia, and there was subtle irony in the appointment of a bailiff as his successor. John Hooper, the Laughing Hangman “the ugliest being that could be imagined, with a face like a gargoyle.” made himself a universal favourite by his drollery. Indeed, in his day there were opportunities for pleasantry; women went gaily to death, specially rouged and dressed for the occasion: criminals took to the comical habit of going to the gallows in their shrouds; the wealthier victims hired luxurious mourning coaches; and the fateful procession always halted at the Crown Inn so that the victims might drink a last jovial glass. Brave, indeed, were some of these criminals Japhct Crook, after having his cars cut off’ and his nostrils slit and seared, was allowed to repair to the Ship Tavern, where he spent a few hours before returning to life imprisonment, lulling his pain with liquor and listening proudly to the congratulations of his friends on his courage, John Thrift, most polite of hangmen, was also the most unlucky. Ills first execution got him into hot water, for

he forgot to pull the caps over- the faces of his thirteen victims, boon afterwards, a worse misfortune befell him. Thomas Reynolds, highwayman, “ had been banged and cut down as usual, but whilst the undertaker s men were fastening him in his coffin, ho thrust back the lid, much to them annoyance, ami sat up. In obedicnco to orders, the hangman was proceeding to hang the man over again, when tho crowd, forgetting- that Thrift was merely carrying out instructions, made an attack upon him and almost beat him to death.” Thrift can hardly have been an efficient craftsman, for m 1740, when the lardy of young William Dnell, who had been hanged, was placed on tho operating table for dissection, the poor wretch was found to be still alive, ami after three days in prison recovered completely. It was Thrift who - executed the Jacobite .Lords on Tower Hdl after Prince Charlie’s _ rebellion. So overcome was lie on this occasion that be fainted on tbe scaffold and badly bungled the beheading of Lord Halmerino.

Thomas Thurlis is chiefly romn-k----nble for hanging the only peer,, ever hanged—Ear] Ferrers. When his lordship tendered five guineas, the as':stant hangman snatched it away, am 1 n. terrific battle ensued on the scaffold between Thnrb's and bis subordinate. Maybe this interlude affected tbe nro-tes--ionnl men’s skill, fop the earl “died hard.” and the two haiy an had to null bis legs for four miy 'es before life became extinct. Then tho two wretches fought for the ropo, and tlm l,wer burst into tears William B’-unskill, hangman from 1786 to 1814 astonished the crowd after his professional debut by “ advancing to tbo front of the plaH-j-m, in the manner of a star actor and making a profound bow to the c "wd with his hand on his breast.” But ho was no great artist, for on : a later occasion lie so bungled matters that tho nlntform dropped while the two jvVsts and the two hangmen were still on ..it. William Calcraff, “ a simple, sikut soul.” hangman from 1829 to 1‘ 5 "4. whose hohbv was breeding pigeons ami rabbits, took so little interest i” Ms work that he never could reme’-’-eu whom ho had hanged and whom ho had not. Having become a hawker of meat pies, his occupation led him to attend most of the executions at Newgate ami Horsemono-er lane. After movie"- m hangmen’s circles foi a short time ho took a liking to the hangman’s er-'t, with the result that h«* voNutoore 1 to assist a hanging at Lincoln, Hus graduating for the position of pnHic e--"eutioner. He was afwavs a h’ c oH-mis • sually “ dying bate,” and after a mi exhi’ itmn of exception" l inm'd--■«lne«s at the age r f - sevpnH ■■■'><». ’’G was n —ioiied off. h to his chagrin. Yet Ixo was a kindly soul.