The Last Day Of A Condemned Man
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Last Words of the Executed
Author: Robert K. Elder
language: en
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Release Date: 2010-05-15
Some beg for forgiveness. Others claim innocence. At least three cheer for their favorite football teams. Death waits for us all, but only those sentenced to death know the day and the hour—and only they can be sure that their last words will be recorded for posterity. Last Words of the Executed presents an oral history of American capital punishment, as heard from the gallows, the chair, and the gurney. The product of seven years of extensive research by journalist Robert K. Elder, the book explores the cultural value of these final statements and asks what we can learn from them. We hear from both the famous—such as Nathan Hale, Joe Hill, Ted Bundy, and John Brown—and the forgotten, and their words give us unprecedented glimpses into their lives, their crimes, and the world they inhabited. Organized by era and method of execution, these final statements range from heartfelt to horrific. Some are calls for peace or cries against injustice; others are accepting, confessional, or consoling; still others are venomous, rage-fueled diatribes. Even the chills evoked by some of these last words are brought on in part by the shared humanity we can’t ignore, their reminder that we all come to the same end, regardless of how we arrive there. Last Words of the Executed is not a political book. Rather, Elder simply asks readers to listen closely to these voices that echo history. The result is a riveting, moving testament from the darkest corners of society.
My Experiences as an Executioner
“My Experiences as an Executioner” is a 1892 memoir by English executioner James Berry (1852–1913). Berry was most notable for his contribution to the science of hanging, refining the long drop method developed by William Marwood so as to reduce the mental and physical suffering of those hanged. In this volume, Berry offers insights into the various methods he employed as an executioner and what it was like witnessing people's final moments. Contents include: “The Executioner at Home by H. Snowden Ward”, “How I Became an Executioner”, “My First Execution”, “My Method of Execution”, “Other Methods of Execution”, “Two Terrible Experiences”, “How Murderers Die”, “From the Murderer’s Point of View”, “On Capital Punishment”, etc. Read & Co. History is proudly republishing this classic memoir now in a brand new edition complete with the introductory essay “On Anne Green, Her Execution” by John Mainard.