Hangman's training instruction

Memorandum of Instructions for carrying out the details of an Execution

1. The trap doors shall be stained a dark colour and their outer edges shall be defined by a white line three inches broad painted round the edge of the pit outside the traps.

2. On the day preceding an execution the apparatus for the execution shall be tested in the following manner under the supervision of the Works Officer, the Governor being present:-

The working of the scaffold will first be tested without any weight. Then a bag of sand of the same weight as the culprit will be attached to the rope and so adjusted as to allow the bag a drop equal to, or rather more than, that which the culprit should receive, so that the rope may be stretched with a force of about 1,000 foot-pounds. The working of the apparatus under these conditions will then be tested. The bag must be of the approved pattern, with a thick and well-padded neck, so as to prevent any injury to the rope and leather. As the gutta-percha round the thimble of the execution ropes hardens in cold weather, care should be taken to have it warmed and manipulated immediately before the bag is tested.

3. After the completion of this testing the scaffold and all the appliances will be locked up, and the key kept by the Governor or other responsible officer until the morning of the execution; but the bag of sand should remain suspended all the night preceding the execution, so as to take the stretch out of the rope.

4. The executioner and any persons appointed to assist in the operation should make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the working of the apparatus.

5. In order to prevent accidents during the preliminary tests and procedure the lever will be fixed by a safety-pin, and the Works or other Prison Officer charged with the care of the apparatus prior to the execution will be responsible that the pin is properly in position. The responsibility for withdrawing the pin at the execution will rest on the executioner.

6. Death by hanging ought to result from dislocation of the neck. The length of the drop will be determined in accordance with the attached “Table of Drops.”

7. The required length of drop is regulated as follows:

(a) At the end of the rope which forms the noose the executioner should see that 13 inches from the centre of the ring are marked off by a line painted round the rope; this is to be a fixed quantity, which, with the stretching of this portion of the rope and the lengthening of the neck and body of the culprit, will represent the average depth of the head and circumference of the neck after constriction.

(b) About two hours before the execution the bag of sand will be raised out of the pit and be allowed another drop so as to completely stretch the rope. Then while the bag of sand is still suspended, the executioner will measure off from the painted line on the rope the required length of drop, and will make a chalk mark on the rope at the end of this length. A piece of copper wire fastened to the chain will now be stretched down the rope till it reaches the chalk mark, and will be cut off there so that the cut end of the copper wire shall terminate at the upper end of the [page break in the facsimile] measured length of drop. The bag of sand will be then raised from the pit, and disconnected from the rope. The chain will now be so adjusted at the bracket that the lower end of the copper wire shall reach the same level from the floor of the scaffold as the height of the prisoner. The known height of the prisoner can be readily measured on the scaffold by a graduated rule of six foot long. When the chain has been raised to the proper height, the cotter must be securely fixed through the bracket and chain. The executioner will now make a chalk mark on the floor of the scaffold, in a plumb line with the chain, where the prisoner should stand.

(c) These details will be carried out as soon as possible after 6 a.m. so as to allow the rope time to regain a portion of its elasticity before the execution, and, if possible, the gutta-percha on the rope should again be warmed.

8. The copper wire will now be detached, and after allowing sufficient amount of rope for the easy adjustment of the noose, the slack of the rope should be fastened to the chain above the level of the head of the culprit with a pack-thread. The pack-thread should be just strong enough to support the rope without breaking.

9. When all the preparations are completed the scaffold should remain in the charge of a responsible officer while the executioner goes to the pinioning room.

10. The pinioning apparatus will be applied in some room or place as close as practicable to the scaffold. When the culprit is pinioned and his neck is bared he will be at once conducted to the scaffold.

11. On reaching the scaffold the procedure will be as follows:–

(1) The executioner will:-

(i) Place the culprit exactly under the part of the beam to which the rope is attached.

(ii) Put on the white linen cap.

(iii) Put on the rope round the neck quite tightly (with the cap between the rope and the neck), the metal eye being directed forwards, and placed in front of the angle of the lower jaw, so that with the constriction of the neck it may come underneath the chin. The noose should be kept tight by means of a stiff leather washer, or an india-rubber washer, or a wedge.

(2) While the executioner is carrying out the procedure in paragraph (1) the assistant executioner will:-

(i) Strap the culprit's legs tightly.

(ii) Step back beyond the white safety line so as to be well clear of the trap doors.

(iii) Give an agreed visual signal to the executioner to show that he is clear.

(3) On receipt of the signal from his assistant the executioner will:-

(i) Withdraw the safety pin.

(ii) Pull the lever which lets down the trap doors.

12. The culprit should hang one hour, and then the body will be carefully raised from the pit. The rope will be removed from the neck, and also the straps from the body. In laying out the body for the inquest, the head will be raised three inches by placing a small piece of wood under it.