Probably some of the readers of "NOTES AND QUERIES" will share in the
surprise expressed by E.S.S.W. (Vol. ii., p. 6.), yet many persons now
living must remember when spectacles such as he alludes to were by no
means uncommon. An examination of the newspapers and other periodicals
of the latter half of the eighteenth century would supply numerous
instances in which the punishment of strangling and burning was
inflicted; as well in cases of petit treason, for the murder of a
husband, as more frequently in cases of coining, which, as the law then
stood, was one species of high treason. I had collected a pretty long
list from the _Historical Chronicle_ in the earlier volumes of the
_Gentleman's Magazine_, but thought it scarcely of sufficient importance
to merit insertion in "NOTES AND QUERIES." Perhaps, however, the
following extracts may possess some interest: one as showing the manner
in which executions of this kind were latterly performed in London, and
the other as apparently furnishing an instance of later date than that
which Mr. Ross considers the last in which this barbarous punishment was
inflicted. The first occurs in the 56th vol. of the Magazine, Part 1. P.
524., under the date of the 21st June, 1786--
"This morning, the malefactors already mentioned were all
executed according to their sentence. About a quarter of an hour
after the platform had dropped, Phoebe Harris, the female
convict, was led by two officers to a stake about eleven feet
high, fixed in the ground, near the top of which was an inverted
curve made of irons, to which one end of a halter was tied. The
prisoner stood on a low stool, which, after the ordinary had
prayed with her a short time, was taken away, and she hung
suspended by the neck, her feet being scarcely more than twelve
or fourteen inches from the pavement. Soon after the signs of
life had ceased, two cartloads of faggots were placed round her
and set on fire; the flames soon burning the halter, she then
sunk a few inches, but was supported by an iron chain passed
over her chest and affixed to the stake."
The crime for which this woman suffered was coining. Probably the method
of execution here related was adopted in consequence of the horrible
occurrence narrated by Mr. Ross.
In vol. lix. of the same Magazine, Part 1. p. 272, under the date of the
_18th of March_, 1789, is an account of the executions of nine
malefactors at Newgate; and amongst them,--
"Christian Murphy, alias Bowman, for coining, was brought out
after the rest were turned off, and fixed to a stake, and burnt,
being first strangled by the stool being taken from under her."
From the very slight difference in dates, I am inclined to think that
this is the same case with that alluded to by Mr. Ross.