Amazing True Stories of Execution Blunders by Abbott Geoffrey

Author:Abbott, Geoffrey [Abbott, Geoffrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: History
Publisher: Matrix Digital Publishing
Published: 2007-01-17T00:00:00+00:00

‘The crowd which assembled to witness the executions was unparalleled, being, according to the best calculation, nearly 40,000, and the fatal catastrophe which happened in consequence will cause this day long to be remembered. By eight o’clock not an inch of ground was unoccupied in view of the platform. The pressure of the crowd was such that, before the three malefactors appeared, numbers of persons were crying out in vain to escape from it; the attempts only tended to increase the confusion. Several females of low stature, who had been so imprudent as to venture amongst the mob, were in a dismal situation; their cries were terrible. Some, who could be no longer supported by the men, were suffered to fall and were trampled to death. This was also the case with several small men and boys. In all parts there continued cries of ‘Murder! Murder!’ particularly from the female part of the spectators and children, some of whom were seen expiring without the possibility of obtaining the least assistance, every one being employed in endeavours to save his own life.

A woman, who was so imprudent as to bring with her a child at the breast, was one of the number killed; whilst in the act of falling, she forced the child into the arms of the man nearest to her, requesting him in God’s name to save its life; the man, finding it required all his exertion to preserve himself, threw the infant from him, but it was fortunately caught at a distance by another man who, finding it difficult to ensure its safety or his own, got rid of it in a similar way. The child was again caught by a person who contrived to struggle with it to a cart, under which he deposited it until the danger was over and the mob had dispersed. In other parts the pressure was so great that a horrible scene of confusion ensued, and seven persons lost their lives by suffocation alone. A cart, which was overloaded with spectators hoping to get a better view of the execution, broke down, and some of the persons falling from the vehicle were trampled underfoot and never recovered.’

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