Execution by hanging

[prroh]

Alfred Pierrepoint was a professional English hangsman in the 20th century, executing over 600 people over the course of his career, including a personal acquaintance and a man later demonstrated to be innocent. He considered weight, height and physical condition

That is the hangman, I mentioned, thanks for the info.

His brother and son were also hangmen. He claimed that ten seconds was his personal best time

 

[K Hale]

Well, they call me Hanging Johnny... away, boys, away...

 

[M E Wolf]

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME X/2 [S# 11]
UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, NORTH MISSISSIPPI, NORTH ALABAMA, AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA FROM MARCH 4 TO JUNE 10, 1862.--#6
HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION,
Camp Taylor, May 19, 1862.
Hon. E. M. STANTON,
Secretary of War:
My line of posts extend more than 400 miles. My own personal attention cannot be given to all the troops under my command.
The most terrible outrages---robberies, rapes, arsons, and plundering--are being committed by lawless brigands and vagabonds connected with the army, and I desire authority to punish all those found guilty of perpetrating these crimes with death by hanging.Wherever I am present in person all is quiet and orderly, but in some instances, in regiments remote from headquarters, I hear the most deplorable accounts of excesses committed by soldiers.
beg authority to control these plunderers by visiting upon their crimes the punishment of death.(*)
O. M. MITCHEL,
Major-General.
-----
O.R.--SERIES II--VOLUME IV [S# 117]
CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, ETC., RELATING TO PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE FROM JUNE 13, 1862, TO NOVEMBER 30, 1862.--#2
PECIAL ORDERS No. 121.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT No. 2,
Tupelo, Miss., July 16, 1862.
I. At a military commission, convened by virtue of Special Orders, No. 112, paragraph VII, Headquarters Department No. 2, at Tupelo, Miss., on the 14th day of July, 1862, was tried Simeon Tidwell, a citizen of the Confederate States, on the following charges and specifications:
CHARGE: Treason.
Specification.--In this, that the said Simeon Tidwell, being a citizen of the Confederate States, on or about the 4th day of July, 1862, in the State of Mississippi, did steal certain negro slaves, the property of Ferguson and Fitzhugh, with intent to deliver them over to the enemy.
To which charge and specification the prisoner pleaded as follows:
To the specification, "Not guilty."
To the charge, "Not guilty."
Finding and sentence.
The commission, after mature deliberation on the testimony adduced, finds the prisoner, Simeon Tidwell as aforesaid, as follows:
Of the specification, "Guilty."
Of the charge, "Guilty."
And the commission does therefore sentence him, the said Simeon Tidwell, to be put to death by hanging, at such time and place as the general commanding may direct.
II. The proceedings, findings and sentence are approved and the general commanding directs that the said Tidwell be executed at or near Tupelo on Friday, the 25th of July, 1862, at 12 m. The commanding officer of the Army of the Mississippi is charged with the due execution of the foregoing order.
By command of General Bragg:
THOMAS JORDAN,
Chief of Staff.
-----
O.R.--SERIES II--VOLUME VI [S# 119]
UNION AND CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, ETC., RELATING TO PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE FROM JUNE 11, 1863, TO MARCH 31, 1864.--#6
GENERAL ORDERS No. 228.
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, July 23, 1863.
In the case of James Clark Lisle, tried at Cincinnati, Ohio, by general court-martial on the charge of "being found and arrested within the lines of the U.S. forces as a spy," convicted and sentenced by General Orders, No. 106, Department of the Ohio, June 19, 1863, "to be punished with death by hanging by the neck, at such time and place as the commanding general shall direct," strong additional testimony having been produced by which it is clearly shown he was a member of Colonel Cluke's regiment, of General Morgan's command of rebel troops, and not a spy, the sentence in his case is remitted by the President, with directions that he be held and treated as a prisoner of war.
By order of the Secretary of War:
E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
-------------
O.R.--SERIES IV--VOLUME II [S# 128]
Correspondence, Orders, Reports, And Returns Of The Confederate Authorities, July 1, 1862-December 31, 1863.(*)--#5
AN ACT to punish and repress the importation, by our enemies, of notes purporting to be notes of the Treasury of the Confederate States.
Whereas, manifestly with the knowledge and connivance of the Federal Government, and for the purpose of destroying the credit and circulation of the Treasury notes of this Government, immense amounts of spurious or counterfeit notes, purporting to be such Treasury notes, have been fabricated and advertised for sale in the enemy's country, and have been brought into these States and put in circulation by persons in the service of the enemy:
The Congress of the Confederate States [of America] do enact, [That] every person in the service of, or adhering to, the enemy, who shall pass or offer to pass any such spurious or counterfeit note or notes, as aforesaid, or shall sell or attempt to sell the same, or shall bring any such note or notes into the Confederate States, or shall have any such note or notes in his possession, with intent to pass or sell the same, shall, if captured, be put to death by hanging; and every commissioned officer of the enemy who shall permit any offense mentioned in this section to be committed by any person under his authority, shall be put to death by hanging. Every person charged with an offense punishable under this act shall be tried by a military court in such manner and under such regulations as the President shall prescribe; and, after conviction, the President may commute the punishment to imprisonment in such manner, and for such time, as he may deem proper, and may pardon the offender on such conditions as he may deem proper, or unconditionally.
Approved October 13, 1862.
-----

 

[matthew mckeon]

Alexander Gardner did a series of photographs of the execution of the Lincoln assassination conspirators.

prroh
Pierrepoint would later voice opposition to the death penalty, saying "in his experience" it did not actually deter anyone, and was simply revenge.

 

[prroh]

Alexander Gardner did a series of photographs of the execution of the Lincoln assassination conspirators.

I found it interesting that they had umbrellas and chairs on the gallows so that the condemed were not bothered by the summer sun and that mrs Surrat had her legs, outside her dress was tied so that he dress would not fly up and give the soldiers witnessing an immodest view.

Pierrepoint would later voice opposition to the death penalty, saying "in his experience" it did not actually deter anyone, and was simply revenge.

This worthy quit as a hangman over a dispute about his fee for a hanging was called off. He demanded full payment. His thoughts about anything should not concern serious people.

Pierrepont ran a pub and the "friend" he hanged was merely someone who frequented the pub.

 

[Freddy]

For the Confederates to call it treason for a person to help a slave gain freedom and then execute the person for this act is beyond imagination. Guess opposition to slavery was equated as treason. What were they fighting for?

"CHARGE: Treason.
Specification.--In this, that the said Simeon Tidwell, being a citizen of the Confederate States, on or about the 4th day of July, 1862, in the State of Mississippi, did steal certain negro slaves, the property of Ferguson and Fitzhugh, with intent to deliver them over to the enemy."

 

[gary]

Military men prefer death by firing squad as hanging was reserved for criminals and spies. British Maj. John Andre, who was carrying an incriminatory message from Benedict Arnold was court martialed as a spy and hung despite his request for a military death. He was hung in retaliation for the death of Nathan Hale.

 

[K Hale]

For the Confederates to call it treason for a person to help a slave gain freedom and then execute the person for this act is beyond imagination. Guess opposition to slavery was equated as treason. What were they fighting for?

"CHARGE: Treason.
Specification.--In this, that the said Simeon Tidwell, being a citizen of the Confederate States, on or about the 4th day of July, 1862, in the State of Mississippi, did steal certain negro slaves, the property of Ferguson and Fitzhugh, with intent to deliver them over to the enemy."

It was probably the "intent to deliver to the enemy" that did it. Horses, guns, slaves... all commodities that you want to keep out of the enemy's hands.

Not saying it wasn't trumped up. Just that this might have been the reasoning.

 

[Leah's Choice]

So in the case of a botched job by a firing squad he's not patched up and let go. Therefore, with a botched hanging, he's also not let go.

Regards,
Cash

Although...if what he suffered during the botched attempt to hang him was considered in any way to be punishment enough, his sentence could have been commuted to life in prison. It bothers me a bit that he went to his death still claiming innocence of the rape. One might think, especially since people of the 19th century seemed to believe strongly in God, heaven, etc., that he would not want to meet his maker with a lie on his conscience. Even if he was guilty, he probably believed that if he confessed his sins and was forgiven, all would go well for him in the Great Beyond, and he had time to do that before his execution, so why leave this earth with an unconfessed sin?

 

[bankerpapaw]

hanging

Execution by firing squad was considered a more honorable execution than execution by hanging. Hanging the man can be considered a final insult, saying he wasn't fit to be shot. In the case of rape, I've seen cases where soldiers were hanged, but I don't recall seeing one shot. There could be some, but I just haven't seen them.



This was a violent crime.



Why? It doesn't automatically wipe away his guilt. He still did the crime and the sentence still has to be carried out.

Regards,
Cash

Wouldn't the reason for hanging be because he commited a crime against a civilian and not the military?

 

[prroh]

Although...if what he suffered during the botched attempt to hang him was considered in any way to be punishment enough, his sentence could have been commuted to life in prison.

I think, by the standards of the time, the execution was not considered "botched", just not neat and clean. I have seen photographs of Civil war hangings and the drop did not look like the six or seven feet drop required to get a clean neck break with their feet inches from the ground and the length of rope maybe three feet long.

Somehow, some posters seem to think that by "taking another turn" on the rope implied that the poor fellow was taken down, the rope ajusted then he was dropped a second time. This does not seem to be the case, the rope was given another turn while the fellow was doing his gallows dance.

Pat

 

[cash]

Wouldn't the reason for hanging be because he commited a crime against a civilian and not the military?

Not necessarily.

Regards,
Cash

 

[ole]

How very macabre! Ideally, the droppee had his neck snapped and death was instantaneous. Ideally. Like that happens a lot. As I see it, the hangman was supposed to be skilled in that the perp died instantly. Humanely? Not all hangmen had that skill. More than a few just strangled at the end of the rope. In the end, the perp was dead and justice was served.

 

[Bobbie]

Thank you for all your posts so far. Many interesting points.

I was also thinking about the soldier's actual guilt. What Leah wrote is somewhat disturbing:

It bothers me a bit that he went to his death still claiming innocence of the rape. One might think, especially since people of the 19th century seemed to believe strongly in God, heaven, etc., that he would not want to meet his maker with a lie on his conscience. Even if he was guilty, he probably believed that if he confessed his sins and was forgiven, all would go well for him in the Great Beyond, and he had time to do that before his execution, so why leave this earth with an unconfessed sin?

Dawson was a Catholic, so he probably wanted to receive the sacrament of Penance, which recquired him to acknowledge his wrongdoings. Yet we can't be sure how devout he was.
Was a testiomony of one person sufficient to sentence a soldier to be hanged?
But, I guess that even if he wasn't guilty of the assault, getting drunk and leaving his post would be enough to be given the death sentence?

As for acquitting Dawson.... I know there were more cases of failed executions, also by firing squad (I'll try to find one example, I've had it somewhere)... I just think that something like medieval judicium Dei should be practiced in such cases If death doesn't claim his life...

 

[Ellsworth avenger]

I am not sure this is the right thread for this Lincoln's religious beliefs concerning hanging of non violent offenders come through in book called A Quaker Conscience,a small green book iv'e misplaced:hmmm:,sorry,Written by a Quaker recipient of Lincoln's kindness.Hope someone else may expound.

 

[Bobbie]

Another example of a failed execution by firing squad:

"We have already spoken of the character of a large percentage of these recruits and the very many desertions from camp and during the journey from Connecticut. Growing out of these circumstances Elliott and Laton, members of the Fourteenth, the first a drafted man and the second a substitute, were sentenced to be shot for desertion. The regiment had no part in the execution only as spectators in common with the whole division. It, however, loaned its chaplain for comfort and band for impressiveness, which lead the way, playing the Portuguese hymn. It was a very bungling affair from the fact that not more than one cartridge out of the five did any service. After repeated firing the men were pronounced dead and the division was marched by companies past the graves and the bleeding forms of the victims. New recruits to the regiment were after that marched by the graves as a silent example.

September 20th. the regiment was ordered out on picket duty for two days, and Major Hincks says that when they returned from picket duty two days later, The ammunition was all called in and a new supply issued, owing to shocking incidents of the execution".
C. D. Page, History of the Fourteenth Regiment Connecticut Vol. Infantry, Meriden, Conn., 1906, p. 186.

There's much more dramatic description of this execution in W.C.Davis, R.A.Pritchard, The Fighting Men of the Civil War, but the one quoted above seems to me more reliable.

 

[ole]

Don't know where to go from this, Bobbie. For sure, the zeal and political aspirations of most any prosecutor depends on his record of convictions. He doesn't get to be Mayor or Senator or some such if his record of convictions sucks. This quite naturally leads to the conviction of a few innocents. I'm an advocate of "better that a hundred guilty men go free than one innocent be convicted." This is easier said than done. It is something that better angels tend to gloss over.

But it is there, and it is very real and messing with most everything most would like to believe and hold dear.

Given the ambitions, it is not likely that we'll see the perfect situation. We are, after all, dealing with humans. So long as man aspires, we'll see some cheating. We weren't dealt a good hand and we weren't given an instruction manual. We just have to play the hand we were dealt.

Just a thought.

Ole

Afterthought. Some will say we were given an instuction manual. That's become a an old comic book. Life goes on; whether we like it or not.

 

[Bobbie]

Ole,
thank you for sharing your sensible and insightful thoughts.

 

[prroh]

Another example of a failed execution by firing squad:

"We have already spoken of the character of a large percentage of these recruits and the very many desertions from camp and during the journey from Connecticut. Growing out of these circumstances Elliott and Laton, members of the Fourteenth, the first a drafted man and the second a substitute, were sentenced to be shot for desertion. The regiment had no part in the execution only as spectators in common with the whole division. It, however, loaned its chaplain for comfort and band for impressiveness, which lead the way, playing the Portuguese hymn. It was a very bungling affair from the fact that not more than one cartridge out of the five did any service. After repeated firing the men were pronounced dead and the division was marched by companies past the graves and the bleeding forms of the victims. New recruits to the regiment were after that marched by the graves as a silent example.

September 20th. the regiment was ordered out on picket duty for two days, and Major Hincks says that when they returned from picket duty two days later, The ammunition was all called in and a new supply issued, owing to shocking incidents of the execution".
C. D. Page, History of the Fourteenth Regiment Connecticut Vol. Infantry, Meriden, Conn., 1906, p. 186.

There's much more dramatic description of this execution in W.C.Davis, R.A.Pritchard, The Fighting Men of the Civil War, but the one quoted above seems to me more reliable.

80% of the ammunition failing is amazing. The description gives the dates but not the year and where this took place. being that it was a draftee and a substitute it must have been in 1864 (Sept 1863 was a bit too early in the draft process) when the system of ammunition manufacture and distribution had been pretty well organized.

Sometimes heavy rain might have effected ammunition but this doesn't seem to be the case. I have never before seen such wholesale ammunition failure. Imagine if that CT regiment was holding a crucial point in a line of battle during a large scale engagement and then experienced 80% failure rate? I assume the ammunition failed to fire which would mean that a time consuming process would be involved in clearing the weapons.

 

[rebelgurl]

honorable death

I am curious as well regarding the hanging for the offense of rape . . . desertion is defintely not considered honorable and yet those soldiers were subject to a firing squad. Could it be because desertion is not a violent crime?