Albert Pierrepoint, born in England in 1905, is a famous British hanger who has executed more than 400 people in 25 years. His deeds have also been remade into the movie The Last Hanger. Pierrepoint died in 1992 at the age of 87. Today, 27 years after his death, one of his death notes has been discovered, detailing the information and process of each prisoner he executed, some of which are chilling.
Becoming a hanger was Pierrepoint's childhood dream. His father and uncle were both in the business. Pierrepoint, 11, once said: "When I grow up, I want to be a hanger like my father and my uncle." Because this profession requires a calm personality and stable hands. ”
At the age of 27, he started as an assistant hanger (the assistant hanger's job was to take death row inmates to the gallows and tie their legs, after which the main hanger would activate the hanging device). At the age of 36, Pierrepoint officially became a chief hanger.
During his tenure, he is known to have executed more than 600 criminals, including defeated criminals and German spies.
Can you imagine that? In February 1948 alone, he executed 13 people. Many notorious criminals ended their lives at his hands. Yet even though these death row inmates committed the most heinous crimes, Pierrepoint still believes that in their last moments of life, it is a respect for life to end all this as quickly as possible and let them leave with dignity.
To do this, Pierrepoint recorded information about all the executioners in a notebook, including their age, height, weight, length of the rope used, etc. After accumulating a large amount of data, pierrepoint was able to calculate the most appropriate rope length for a death row inmate to help them leave this world as quickly and with least pain.
"The highest mercy I can give to death row inmates is to let them go away with dignity." Pierrepoint was known for its efficiency and calmness in executions. He never allowed anyone to make jokes about death row prisoners, and naturally he himself would not have done such a vulgar act. "I accept my profession and our approach is the fastest, cleanest and most humane. I have always respected death row inmates and their dignity. ”
Pierrepoint resigned as a hanger in 1954 for reasons that remain unknown.