We rarely hang anybody who is anybody, and only occasionally make an
issue of stretching the neck of the veriest nobody. They will hang
almost anybody Haman-high, or even higher than that. They do not exactly
hang their murderer before they catch him, but the two events occur in
such close succession that one can readily understand why a confusion
should have arisen in the public mind on these points. First of all,
though, they catch him; and then some morning between ten and twelve
they try him. This is a brief and businesslike formality. While the
judge is looking in a drawer of his desk to see whether the black cap is
handy the bailiffs shoo twelve tradesmen into the jury box. A tradesman
is generally chosen for jury service because he is naturally anxious to
get the thing over and hurry back to his shop before his helper goes to
lunch. The judge tells the jurors to look on the prisoner, because he is
going away shortly and is not expected back; so they take full advantage
of the opportunity, realizing it to be their last chance. Then, in
order to comply with the forms, the judge asks the accused whether he
is guilty or not guilty, and the jurors promptly say he is. His Worship,
concurring heartily, fixes the date of execution for the first Friday
morning when the hangman has no other engagements. It is never necessary
to postpone this event through failure of the condemned to be present.
He is always there; there is no record of his having disappointed
an audience. So, on the date named, rain or shine, he is hanged very
thoroughly; but after the hanging is over they write songs and books
about him and revere his memory forevermore.
Our guide was pleased to introduce us to the late Mr. Charles Pease,
as done in paraffin, with creped hair and bright, shiny glass eyes. Mr.
Pease was undoubtedly England's most fashionable murderer of the
past century and his name is imperishably enshrined in the British
affections. The guide spoke of his life and works with deep and sincere
feeling. He also appeared to derive unfeigned pleasure from describing
the accomplishments of another murderer, only slightly less famous than
the late Mr. Pease. It seemed that this murderer, after slaying his
victim, set to dismembering the body and boiling it. They boil nearly
everything in England. But the police broke in on him and interrupted
the job.
Our attention was directed to a large chart showing the form of the
victim, the boiled portions being outlined in red and the unboiled
portions in black. Considered as a murderer solely this particular
murderer may have been deserving of his fame; but when it came to
boiling, that was another matter. He showed poor judgment there. It all
goes to show that a man should stick to his own trade and not try to
follow two or more widely dissimilar callings at the same time. Sooner
or later he is bound to slip up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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