A Handbook on Hanging
A Handbook on Hanging is a Swiftian tribute to that unappreciated mainstay of civilization: the hangman. With barbed insouciance, Charles Duff writes not only of hanging but of electrocution, decapitations, and gassings; of innocent men executed and of executions botched; of the bloodlust of mobs and the shabby excuses of the great. This coruscating and, in contemporary America, very relevant polemic makes clear that whatever else capital punishment may be said to be--justice, vengeance, a...
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A Handbook on Hanging is a Swiftian tribute to that unappreciated mainstay of civilization: the hangman. With barbed insouciance, Charles Duff writes not only of hanging but of electrocution, decapitations, and gassings; of innocent men executed and of executions botched; of the bloodlust of mobs and the shabby excuses of the great. This coruscating and, in contemporary America, very relevant polemic makes clear that whatever else capital punishment may be said to be—justice, vengeance, a deterrent—it is certainly killing. Library Journal This is a chronicle of hanging and other forms of capital punishment throughout history. It is also a tongue-in-cheek commentary on humankind's fervor for public executions and other grisly forms of entertainment. Though published in 1923, this is not out of place in today's society. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
IntroductionxvPreface to the 1961 EditionxxvFashions in Execution3English Neck-Breaking the Best4Praise for Hangmen5A Calm Consideration of Hanging6Hanging as a Fine Art7Hangman an Artist8Sheer Beauty of Hanging9British Hangmen Poor but Honest10Hangman a Man of Many Parts12Hangman a Brave Man13Hangmen Make Mistakes: John Lee14John Lee Saved by Rain!15To Err is Human...16Open Competition and Examination for the Post17Charming Personality of Hangmen19A Uniform for Hangmen20Famous Case Quoted21Conditioning for Hanging23No Ill-Will in Hanging24Bungled Hangings25Farcical Inquests and Official Secrets28Jurymen Must Demand Evidence29Fashions in Evidence30Is America more Civilized Than England?31Broadcasting the Neck-Breaking33Murders Known to the Police: Statistics36Anatomy of English Murders36A General Picture and the Dilemma37House of Lords a Sure Preventive of Abolition39A History of the Anti-Hanging Crusade40Capital Punishment Abolished!40No Increase in the Number of Murders After Abolition42English Hanging "Done on the Sly"45Why Not Hang in Public?45Make Hangings More Impressive46Decline in Hanging47Increase in Law: Decrease in Virtue48Vested Interests in Hanging49Mercy a Dangerous Thing50Consult the Hangman51Dead Men Tell No Tales52Chance of Errors Reduced to a Minimum53Hanging a "Ritual Sacrifice"54Hanging and Ritualism55Extraordinary Case of Derek Bentley56The Writing on the Wall57Party Politics and Hanging58More Mistakes of Hangmen59Fun for the Hangman60Always Hang Women61Romance in a Butcher's Shop62A Hypothetical Murder63The End of a Dream63Popularity of Murder Trials64Plan to Lower the Income Tax65Hanged for Sheer Stupidity67A Book Against Hanging!68Depressing Side of Hanging69A Famous Modern Hangman70The Great Hangman Interviewed71Pride in Profession73Love Versus Career74More Difficult to Hang One Woman Than Two Men!74A New Orientation in Capital Punishment75Executioners Are Good Christians76Digression on the Nazis77Great Era of Execution78Royal Executioners and Aristocratic Hangmen79Executioners Risk Their Lives81Drinking the Prisoner's Dope83Imported Hangmen83Sporting Instinct of the Greeks84Hangman Who Hanged His Brother85On His Majesty's Service87The Press and Crime87Hints for Editors88Making Crime Pay91Memoirs of the Hanged91The "Hangman's Record" Quoted92Hangman's Magazine93The Pierrepoint Papers Quoted95The Condemned Man97Note on the Literature of Hanging98Hanging on Stage and Screen100Still More Mistakes of Hangmen101All Sorts Make Mistakes--Even Experts103Hangmen Not Concerned With Errors of Courts104Hanging in the U.S.A.105The Six Who Were Hanged107Death Never Instantaneous110Saving "L'Honneur De La Belle France"112Disgraceful Plagiarism Exposed113Electrocution Is Torture115A Needle Through the Head118The Rosenbergs119U.S.A.: Abolition and Caryl Chessman121Wider Moral of the Chessman Case122The Death of Chessman123Ugly Stain on Civilization124Honors for Hangmen124Who Ought to Be Hanged?125George Bernard Shaw Quoted126Professor Dr. Joad, Wit and Philosopher127The Great Nuremberg Hangings129Defense of a Choice Hangman131The Executioner Who Works From a Desk133Anti-Hanging Campaigns135Lord Templewood on Hanging137April 1948: House of Commons Against Hanging!138House of Lords to the Rescue139Judicial Psychology141Hanging in Suspense143Post-War Crimes--the Cause144U.S.S.R.--Death Penalty Abolished!145Soviet Decree of May 1961147Roman Catholics and State Killing149Note on Hanging, Drawing, and Quartering151Hanging Etc., Bulwarks of the Constitution153England's Official Church Favors Hanging154England's Public Hangings155The Bold Fenian Men of Oul' Ireland156Account of England's Last Public Hanging157Hangmen Born, Not Made159Hangman's Verses for His Client161The Scienza Nuova162A Wicked Calumny Refuted163Spilsbury on the Drop166Hand-in-Hand With Science167Hanging, Flogging, War, and Sadism168The Late Mr. Berry on Hanging170Vital Importance of the Drop170Mr. Marwood--Pioneer of the New Science171A Rough Working List of Drops172Doctor's Advice on Hanging173The Goodale Mess Explained173Doctor Who Erred174A Hangman's Diploma175How Hanging Kills177Note on Pinioning177Note on Scaffolds178Hangman Describes Hanging178An "Order to Hang"179The Holy Procession180Last Scene of All181Those Last Fleeting Hours182Hangman Shakes Hands and Gets Busy183Fabulous Speed of English Hangings183Scaffold Unaffected By Progress, Revolutions, or Select Committees184Britain Stands By Her Hangmen186The Last Certificate186The New Homicide Act of 1957187No Hangings: No Increase in Murders!188The New Sexual Offenses Act190Campaign for More Hanging: 1960's191England's Defeat Not Always a Victory192Homosexuality in England and France193Conclusion194AppendixA Ready Reckoner for Hangmen197
\ Library JournalThis is a chronicle of hanging and other forms of capital punishment throughout history. It is also a tongue-in-cheek commentary on humankind's fervor for public executions and other grisly forms of entertainment. Though published in 1923, this is not out of place in today's society. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.\ \ \ \ \ BooknewsBeing a short Introduction to the fine Art of Execution, containing much useful Information on Neck-Breaking, Throttling, Strangling, Asphyxiation, Decapitation, and Electrocution; Data and Wrinkles on Hangmanship; with the late Mr. Hangman Berry's Method and his pioneering List of Drops; to which is added an Account of the Great Nuremberg Hangings; a Ready Reckoner for Hangmen; and many other items of interest including the Anatomy of Murder. An Irish native, Duff (1894-1966) wrote plays, travel essays, and other works beside this Swiftian tribute to the unsung public servant. Any original bibliography or index has since been lopped off. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)\ \
