The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-25
some WHO WOULD Be HANGMEN
LETTERS WHICH .tRE REALLY
HCNiN NOT VENTS.
The Man Who Waited Outside To Give
You . Personal Proof OF ", M-,hody
You" Was the British Home ,.,.
rrtary-BarDer Who Noted IiL.,,
Gust Orners-(;entIe Win "ps,ien,..

Gust Win "paren,,,
queer bundle OF letters became pih;.
property in England week or So ago The,
are applications from men of many typa.
for the post Of public hangman: and M
stranger collection OF human docunor,.
has come to light ina very long lime Thea
show what remarkable fascination grew.
some calling can have for some minds :,
sort OF glamour Of the rope
Sir william Vernon HARBOUR, was III.
British Home Secretary, and Marwood
long the public executioner, had jls, died
when these letters were received ,w.n,,
years or 80 ago. They Law in "A draws,
in the Home Office till recently, when Soma
one discovered them there and thinkin,
to educate the public in the knowcJgs
OF the queer people who 60 to make M ths|
world, made the most striking of ,bc,
the subject Of newspaper article
They are from men of all degrees of in.
telligence and education. The ilitera,s.
are in the majority, but not overwhelminu,
10.
The writer's address the Home Secrr,ar,
"A'h "8 uV8iOto vi TrSI)ttN ana lnlll.
iarity. Ono Of them. bringing the HON,
Secretary into tho circle of friends OF til.
hangman, refers to the late execution.
az our esteemed friend Marwood
He urges that he Ia especially fitted "a,
the post because he, like the late Marwood
Ia shoemaker and he "wouId he sorrv 70,
the Office to 60 outside our trade"
Hnear air adds "a pot har
in postscript. Il am waiting outside with
coil Of rope and should be glad to civil
you personal proof Of my method TmI
Home Secretary unfortunately has ,eh|
no comment to show how he felt on 70,
ceving this intelligence
Many of the letters show plainly th|
strange fascination which the executionert|
calling had for them. One says marvel,
Of the late hangman. Il have followed hid
career and actions with deepest interest,"
In only one is the grewsome nature 4
the duties admitted. The writer says.
Il have some knowledge OF ANATOMY
am an exceedingly strong man and cad
command sang-froid under any cir.
cumstances. I have witnessed execution|
among all nations. consequently there 81
no fear Of my getting sick at the rieh|
moment"
The following letter might be read with
double meaning. 1t says:
will you except Nee the Office Of PubLs|
Executioner, sweep by trade and fea,|
Nothing. marread and children"
Here is one OF the best written and thsj
stra M est Of the lettere.
SIR: ! herewith beg to make applicatios|
for the appointment OF Public E1ecutioner|
for this realm OF Great Britain and ireland
rendered vacant by the death Of Mr.. Mari
| wood. have at various times made somi|
very successful experiments in the art o1
hanging Thy means OF lifcsize figures with
the view to making myself thoroughly pro|
flcient in the despatCh of criminals, and
l have no hesitation in saying that belev'
my system would be the most expeditoulI
never-failing. and most humane that bad
ever been adopted or that could possibly
be used. as it has been my greatest study.
My system OF hanging is not lingering
death by strangulation. but instantaneous
and painless, rendered 50 by small appliance
Of my own for the instant severins OF tn
spinal cord l may say that adopt . va
riety Of drops. varying from IT, loH in. :
10 IT. II 1882 in.
shall be glad to conduct series OF ef1
periments under your personal inspection cd
the first batch OF criminals for e1ecutoHl
that you may see for yourself the superiority
OF my system over that Of all others.
may state that having been many years d
sailor. have had experience In running them
up to the yardar m. Of character not to b
met with in everyday life. Awaiting
al phadiopf
Note the self satisfaction this applicant
displays in the success Of his experiments.
and picture him. absorbed in the study
OF nooses and drops, practising on dummies
and deliberately calculating effects even to
the fraction Of an inch. He prefers to SHOW
his skill on a batch OF criminals not one
Was ever an enthusiast more absorbed
in an invention? And did ever the In.
yentor OF a patent for saving human Life
write OF II with more pride than this man
does OF his for destroying 1t?
But here is another letter equally stranss
and suggestive:
SIR: Beg to make application and onT
my services as the Public Executioner BET
to state that by trade / am q Barber and thai
my age is - and also that helth and nerve
ia good in my Line Of Business as q Barb6
1 have had some years OF Great Experiena
in the Formation OF the neCks and Wind
pipes OF all kinds Of people and therefore
| think hat the situation II dear Sir II Will N
YOUR Pleasure to appoint Me would be inc
means Of my Fulfilling II to your full satsiac'
ton / can Refer you for my Testimonials v
| several Manchester Gentlemen OF High hoha
, and Long Standing. ! remain Hon hf'
Your humbule Servant
| II this BARRIERS patrons had only knoW'
that while he lathered their chins AZ the!
! Law in his chair he was studying the COD
tours of their necks and the line of then
| windpipee, " hat would they have though
| The letter raises the question are there
| more BARRIERS in England who have notot
10 be hangmen'
| definitely. There IL one applicant WIG
| must have served on jury and healo
| the oath administered. He remembers III
| language at an odd time.
| Should YOU trust me- with the duty,
| he writes, II will endeavour to perform
| the same without fear, favor, or affection;
| The last seems little unnecessary. IN
| il A., he says, powerfully built ana o'
very commanding appearance, chaIa"s'
unimpeachable and courage uncoh4UH
| able.
| In all Of the letters one man only b'frsly'
the least touch of sentiment. AatnraIIy.
perhaps, you would not expect lh' Y
| the hangman. He writes OF the coude'nhn.a
as patients" and promises to handle MEN
"aa gently az a child" He says f'Ir' her n
All business entrusted to my cnf' VIZ
| be executed with the Creates de-Pa..a,
combined with Kindness that Is ~ me Pow"