![]() ![]() ![]() in case of rain." George Maledon, the "Prince of Hangmen," liked to have a rope that was an inch-and-a-half thick, soaked and air-dried before being tallowed or soaped to soften it.Īs more and more events took place, the process became increasingly refined. six feet above the ground" and a “12-by-12 inch overhead beam the noose ropes slanted roof. The ideal setting, or at least the set-up found in Arkansas in 1875, included a "sturdy platform. The territorial government usually absorbed the cost of lumber, labor, a coffin, rope, and other materials needed for the occasion. Just like trials, also something that drew curious audiences, use of the scaffold was somewhat rare. When convicted slayer Charles Waller was terminated in Marshfield, MO, in 1867, around 8,000 intrigued people took part in the walk to the noose with the man.Īccording to an invoice from the Santa Fe County District Court in New Mexico from 1849, the cost exceeded $110, a sum equivalent to more than $3,000 today. When word got out, large numbers of people made a point of attending. ![]() camp out on the road during the night to see some unfortunate son of Adam's misery kick at the end of a rope." Dixon also commented that he had "seen sacrilegious and consciousless villains laugh while the performance was going on." In 1875, when six men met their ends at Fort Smith, AR, onlookers were able to buy concessions and souvenirs.Īccording to the Salida Mail columnist George Dixon, in 1905, these public events were so popular that local businesses closed, farmers drove "20 miles through the rain. Families brought picnic baskets and blankets to sit and eat while awaiting the moment. Hangings often took place on the weekends so more people could attend. ![]()
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