WOMEN EXECUTIONERS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XVIII, 6 May 1899, Page 597

WOMEN EXECUTIONERS.

What do you think of a woman who voluntarily offered herself to the Government as the public executioner? A few years ago the official public executioner at Brussels died, and a substitute was temporarily appointed. On one occasion this person was ill and unable to attend. But at the appointed hour a stout, middle-aged woman presented herself at the central police station, and quietly remarked to the assembled functionaries: ‘l've come for the execution. My husband is not very well this morning and has asked me to take his place. Please let an get to business.' The general stupefaction may be more easily imagined than described, which, being noticed by the would-be lady executioner, she added in a reassuring tone. 'Oh. this is not by any means the first time.’ It- afterwinds -transpired that the woman, whose imine was Marie liege, had officiated on several occasions in lieu of her husband. Dressed up in his clothes and her face masked, she had been th.- public executioner nt several executions, and never had the proceedings been interrupted by a single hitch. It is needless to add that the police authorities were unable to avail themselves of her offer on this occasion, however. It will be a surprise to most people to learn that there has actually been o woman executioner in America. In olden times few cared to undertake the office of executioner, and occasionally death sentences were respited on condition that the criminal should perform this office. A case of this sort occurred in pre-Revolut ionnrv days, when a woman was sentenced to death for a murder she had committed in Virginia. The death sentence was respited on her oft' ring to become public executioner, and known as ‘l,ndv Betty' she perforin-d those duties for ninny years. She officiated on the scaffold without any mask or disguise. and flosrired criminals through the streets with enthusiastic vigour.