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The Trial and Execution, for Petit Treason, of Mark and Phillis, Slaves of Capt. John Codman: Who Murdered Their Master at Charlestown, Mass., in 1755; for Which the Man Was Hanged and Gibbeted, and the Woman Was Burned to Death. Including, Also, Some Account of Other Punishments by Burning in Massachusetts — John Shaqi

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The Trial and Execution, for Petit Treason, of Mark and Phillis, Slaves of Capt. John Codman: Who Murdered Their Master at Charlestown, Mass., in 1755; for Which the Man Was Hanged and Gibbeted, and the Woman Was Burned to Death. Including, Also, Some Account of Other Punishments by Burning in Massachusetts

Name: The Trial and Execution, for Petit Treason, of Mark and Phillis, Slaves of Capt. John Codman: Who Murdered Their Master at Charlestown, Mass., in 1755; for Which the Man Was Hanged and Gibbeted, and the Woman Was Burned to Death. Including, Also, Some Account of Other Punishments by Burning in Massachusetts
Author: Goodell, Abner Cheney

Goodell, Abner Cheney

African American criminals -- Massachusetts; Mark (Slave) -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Phillis (Slave) -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Treason) -- Massachusetts

Another incident to this punishment, though not peculiar to it, since
it applied to all atrocious felonies, was the gibbeting, or hanging in
chains. This was no part of the sentence, but was performed in
accordance with a special order or direction of the court, given,
probably, in most cases, verbally to the sheriff. After execution,
the body of the felon was taken from the gallows and hung upon a
gibbet conveniently near the place where the fact was committed, there
to remain, until, from the action of the elements, or the ravages of
birds of prey, it disappeared. Of the object of this ghastly feature
of capital punishment it is alleged, "besides the terror of the
example," "that it is a comfortable sight to the friends and relations
of the deceased"; but the obviousness of this reason is somewhat
lessened by the doubt in which we are left as to which deceased
person, the criminal or his victim, is referred to. In the case of
Mark it is noticeable that no sentence to the gibbet appears in the
record, and I have found no order for it, or mention of it, in the
papers on file.

Phillis and Mark were executed at the usual place of execution in
Cambridge; and the following account of the affair is taken from the
Boston "Evening Post," of Sept. 22, 1755:--

     "Thursday last, in the Afternoon, _Mark_, a Negro Man, and
     _Phillis_, a Negro Woman, both Servants to the late Capt.
     _John Codman_, of _Charlestown_, were executed at
     _Cambridge_, for poisoning their said Master, as mentioned
     in this Paper some Weeks ago. The Fellow was hanged, and the
     Woman burned at a Stake about Ten Yards distant from the
     Gallows. They both confessed themselves guilty of the Crime
     for which they suffered, acknowledged the Justice of their
     Sentence, and died very penitent. After Execution, the Body
     of _Mark_ was brought down to _Charlestown_ Common, and
     hanged in Chains, on a Gibbet erected there for that
     Purpose."

Frothingham, in his "History of Charlestown,"[10] quotes this item
from the "Post," and adds, from Dr. Josiah Bartlett's account of
Charlestown,[11] that "the place where Mark was suspended in irons was
on the northerly side of Cambridge Road, about one fourth of a mile
above our peninsula." He also adds, from the same authority, that
"Phebe, who was the most culpable," became evidence against the
others, and that she was transported to the West Indies.

[Footnote 10: Page 264.]

[Footnote 11: 2 Mass. Hist. Coll., vol. ii. p. 166, and note.]

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