A Handbook on Hanging Book

	Introduction	xv
	Preface to the 1961 Edition	xxv
	Fashions in Execution	3
	English Neck-Breaking the Best	4
	Praise for Hangmen	5
	A Calm Consideration of Hanging	6
	Hanging as a Fine Art	7
	Hangman an Artist	8
	Sheer Beauty of Hanging	9
	British Hangmen Poor but Honest	10
	Hangman a Man of Many Parts	12
	Hangman a Brave Man	13
	Hangmen Make Mistakes: John Lee	14
	John Lee Saved by Rain!	15
	To Err is Human...	16
	Open Competition and Examination for the Post	17
	Charming Personality of Hangmen	19
	A Uniform for Hangmen	20
	Famous Case Quoted	21
	Conditioning for Hanging	23
	No Ill-Will in Hanging	24
	Bungled Hangings	25
	Farcical Inquests and Official Secrets	28
	Jurymen Must Demand Evidence	29
	Fashions in Evidence	30
	Is America more Civilized Than England?	31
	Broadcasting the Neck-Breaking	33
	Murders Known to the Police: Statistics	36
	Anatomy of English Murders	36
	A General Picture and the Dilemma	37
	House of Lords a Sure Preventive of Abolition	39
	A History of the Anti-Hanging Crusade	40
	Capital Punishment Abolished!	40
	No Increase in the Number of Murders After Abolition	42
	English Hanging "Done on the Sly"	45
	Why Not Hang in Public?	45
	Make Hangings More Impressive	46
	Decline in Hanging	47
	Increase in Law: Decrease in Virtue	48
	Vested Interests in Hanging	49
	Mercy a Dangerous Thing	50
	Consult the Hangman	51
	Dead Men Tell No Tales	52
	Chance of Errors Reduced to a Minimum	53
	Hanging a "Ritual Sacrifice"	54
	Hanging and Ritualism	55
	Extraordinary Case of Derek Bentley	56
	The Writing on the Wall	57
	Party Politics and Hanging	58
	More Mistakes of Hangmen	59
	Fun for the Hangman	60
	Always Hang Women	61
	Romance in a Butcher's Shop	62
	A Hypothetical Murder	63
	The End of a Dream	63
	Popularity of Murder Trials	64
	Plan to Lower the Income Tax	65
	Hanged for Sheer Stupidity	67
	A Book Against Hanging!	68
	Depressing Side of Hanging	69
	A Famous Modern Hangman	70
	The Great Hangman Interviewed	71
	Pride in Profession	73
	Love Versus Career	74
	More Difficult to Hang One Woman Than Two Men!	74
	A New Orientation in Capital Punishment	75
	Executioners Are Good Christians	76
	Digression on the Nazis	77
	Great Era of Execution	78
	Royal Executioners and Aristocratic Hangmen	79
	Executioners Risk Their Lives	81
	Drinking the Prisoner's Dope	83
	Imported Hangmen	83
	Sporting Instinct of the Greeks	84
	Hangman Who Hanged His Brother	85
	On His Majesty's Service	87
	The Press and Crime	87
	Hints for Editors	88
	Making Crime Pay	91
	Memoirs of the Hanged	91
	The "Hangman's Record" Quoted	92
	Hangman's Magazine	93
	The Pierrepoint Papers Quoted	95
	The Condemned Man	97
	Note on the Literature of Hanging	98
	Hanging on Stage and Screen	100
	Still More Mistakes of Hangmen	101
	All Sorts Make Mistakes--Even Experts	103
	Hangmen Not Concerned With Errors of Courts	104
	Hanging in the U.S.A.	105
	The Six Who Were Hanged	107
	Death Never Instantaneous	110
	Saving "L'Honneur De La Belle France"	112
	Disgraceful Plagiarism Exposed	113
	Electrocution Is Torture	115
	A Needle Through the Head	118
	The Rosenbergs	119
	U.S.A.: Abolition and Caryl Chessman	121
	Wider Moral of the Chessman Case	122
	The Death of Chessman	123
	Ugly Stain on Civilization	124
	Honors for Hangmen	124
	Who Ought to Be Hanged?	125
	George Bernard Shaw Quoted	126
	Professor Dr. Joad, Wit and Philosopher	127
	The Great Nuremberg Hangings	129
	Defense of a Choice Hangman	131
	The Executioner Who Works From a Desk	133
	Anti-Hanging Campaigns	135
	Lord Templewood on Hanging	137
	April 1948: House of Commons Against Hanging!	138
	House of Lords to the Rescue	139
	Judicial Psychology	141
	Hanging in Suspense	143
	Post-War Crimes--the Cause	144
	U.S.S.R.--Death Penalty Abolished!	145
	Soviet Decree of May 1961	147
	Roman Catholics and State Killing	149
	Note on Hanging, Drawing, and Quartering	151
	Hanging Etc., Bulwarks of the Constitution	153
	England's Official Church Favors Hanging	154
	England's Public Hangings	155
	The Bold Fenian Men of Oul' Ireland	156
	Account of England's Last Public Hanging	157
	Hangmen Born, Not Made	159
	Hangman's Verses for His Client	161
	The Scienza Nuova	162
	A Wicked Calumny Refuted	163
	Spilsbury on the Drop	166
	Hand-in-Hand With Science	167
	Hanging, Flogging, War, and Sadism	168
	The Late Mr. Berry on Hanging	170
	Vital Importance of the Drop	170
	Mr. Marwood--Pioneer of the New Science	171
	A Rough Working List of Drops	172
	Doctor's Advice on Hanging	173
	The Goodale Mess Explained	173
	Doctor Who Erred	174
	A Hangman's Diploma	175
	How Hanging Kills	177
	Note on Pinioning	177
	Note on Scaffolds	178
	Hangman Describes Hanging	178
	An "Order to Hang"	179
	The Holy Procession	180
	Last Scene of All	181
	Those Last Fleeting Hours	182
	Hangman Shakes Hands and Gets Busy	183
	Fabulous Speed of English Hangings	183
	Scaffold Unaffected By Progress, Revolutions, or Select Committees	184
	Britain Stands By Her Hangmen	186
	The Last Certificate	186
	The New Homicide Act of 1957	187
	No Hangings: No Increase in Murders!	188
	The New Sexual Offenses Act	190
	Campaign for More Hanging: 1960's	191
	England's Defeat Not Always a Victory	192
	Homosexuality in England and France	193
	Conclusion	194
Appendix	A Ready Reckoner for Hangmen	197