Judicial hanging.

Marshall, John James de Zouche.

Date:: 1913

Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Judicial hanging. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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Scale of Drops Laid Down hy Lord Aherda/re’s Committee. Weight of culprit. Drop. Energy developed. st. lb. ft. in. ft. lb. 7 98 11 5 1119 8 112 10 0 1120 9 126 9 6 1197 10 140 9 0 1260 11 154 8 2 1258 12 168 7 6 1260 13 182 6 11 1259 14 196 6 5 1258 15 210 6 0 1260 16 224 5 7 1251 17 238 5 3 1250 18 252 5 0 1260 19 266 4 8 1241 20 280 4 6 1260 of 130 1b. weight, one of whom got 9 ft. 3in., another lift. OJin., and a third, 8ft. 9 in., one of 1311b. getting 10 ft. 85 in., while a drop of Oft. 6in. was impartially given to one of 118 lb. and to another of 1441b.—another 1181b. man getting 10 ft. 9 in. Dr. Barr stated (para. 621) that the executioner was responsible for these drops. I shall now, with your permission, give a few brief extracts from reports in the Standard of executions since the com- mittee laid down the foregoing drops to show that the rules were never adhered to. In three reports the weights were not given, but in only one case out of the ten has the drop exceeded 7 ft., the average being 6 ft. 9 in., and the average “foot-poundage ” for the seven whose weights were given is 932^ or (as I stated in my former letter) about three- quarters of that laid down—viz., 1260.^ 1. Joseph Morley, Nov. 20th, 1887. Springfield Prison, Chelmsford ; Berry the hangman. “Quite a lad,” height, 5ft. ; weight,8st. (1121b.); drop, 7 ft.; energy developed, 784 ft. lb. “ Death instantaneous.” 2. Robert Upton, July 18th, 1888. Oxford Gaol; Berry. Age, 61; weight not stated ; drop, 7ft. ; nearly decapitated. “Berry had given a drop of 5 ft., but it looked more after the drop. The prison officials and reporters then heard a splashing sound and looking into the cavity they saw that the shock of the fall had torn the flesh of the culprit’s neck from which blood had poured into the pit below and splashed on the side of the scaffolding.” “One who was present” wrote to the Daily Telegraph: “The doctor on the best data swore at the inquest that he was convinced that the drop was 7 ft. instead of 5. I am in a position to say that this is the general opinion of all those present most likely to know, and this opinion is quite unaffected by Berry's oath to the contrary.” 3. Ebenezer Jenkins, March 6th, 1889. Wandsworth; Berry. Age, 20; weight, not stated; drop, 6ft. 6in. At the inquest “Dr. Quinton stated that the convict was such a spare youth that it was neces- sary to put a 7 1b. weight on each of his feet.” “Appeared to die instantly.” 4. FrederickDavis, August 26th, 1890. Birmingham; Berry. Weight, 10 st. (140 lb.); drop, 6 ft. 6 in.; energy, 910 ft. lb. “ At the Inquest on the body it was stated that there was a shocking gash in the man’s throat, severing the windpipe and blood-vessels. In fact, the culprit’s head had been nearly pulled off.” 5. James Harrison, August 26th, 1890. Leeds; Billington executioner. Age, 40; weight, not stated; drop, 6ft. 2in. “Died without a struggle.” 6. Thomas Macdonald, Dec. 30th, 1890. Kirkdale Prison, Liverpool; Berry. Age, 34; weight, 8st. 10Ib. (1221b.); drop. Oft. 2in.; energy, 1096 ft. lb. “ The length of the drop fixed was 8 ft., but the actual drop as registered was 9 ft. 2 in. The execution was stated by Dr. Barr to have been the quickest ever known.” t I will send these newspaper cuttings gummed into a book to The Lancet Office.