The Drunken Hangman – Bartholomew Binns

The role of hangman isn’t for everyone, and Binns is a good example of someone who should never have applied for the job.

You see, after Marwood died, there were over a thousand applications for the hangman position, and two men were under serious consideration: Bartholomew Binns and James Berry.

Binns was hired in 1883 and, after a mere ten executions, he was fired in 1884.

Hi everyone. This is Elizabeth from Strange Ago, and today we are taking a look at the very short career of Bartholomew Binns.

Binns performed his first solo hanging on November 6th, 1883. An article about this hanging reported:

“Henry Powell, aged 25, a bricklayer, convicted at the last session of the London court of the murder of the son of his employer, was executed the other day within the walls of the prison… Binns, the newly appointed hangman, acted for the first time. The prisoner Powell was a confirmed atheist, and he appeared to have held the same views down to the last moment, although he listened with respect to what was said to him by the chaplain of the prison. He has been visited on two or three occasions by his wife and has all along exhibited a composed and firm demeanor, never once alluding to the crime for which he was to suffer or expressing any regret at having committed it. A few minutes before 9 o’clock the prisoner was brought out of his cell, and a procession, headed by two wardens, led the way to the scaffold… Binns set about the task of pinioning the prisoner with great alacrity, a slight smile being observed upon his face during the whole time. He appeared to pull the straps rather tightly, and the prisoner said something to him in a low tone. The prisoner walked with a firm step to the scaffold. The cap having been placed over his face, the hangman speedily adjusted the rope, and after a steady look at the culprit, as if to see that all was right, he loosed the drop and the condemned man fell about seven feet. A good many persons assembled outside the prison and waited for the elevation of the black flag.” [Source]

With his first execution having swung off without a problem, Binns would make his first mistake about a month later, on December 3rd.

Henry Dutton, sentenced to the gallows for murder, was given a drop of 7 feet and 6 inches. Binns, who was reportedly drunk, had placed the knot at the back of the condemned man’s neck instead of under his left ear. Dutton was left to slowly strangle at the end of the rope for 8 minutes before he expired.

The hanging of Patrick O’Donnell, an Irish Republican, on December 17th of the same year filled the newspapers across the U.K., Australia, and the United States.

The last moments of Patrick O’Donnell were reported in London papers hours after his execution.

“O’Donnell retired at an early hour last evening. This morning he rose promptly and took a good breakfast shortly after 5 o’clock. At 6, Father Fleming arrived. He received the prisoner’s last communication, and administered the holy sacrament. A few minutes before 8 o’clock the prisoner was removed from his cell to a large room of the prison, escorted by the wardens. In the large room were stationed Binns the hangman, the sheriffs and under sheriffs, the governor of the jail, the prison chaplain and surgeon. The process of pinioning the prisoner’s limbs was quickly performed by Binns, O’Donnell keeping a resolute silence and showing the utmost firmness… This work done, the procession went to the courtyard, where the scaffold was [located]. O’Donnell declined any assistance and ascended the scaffold… The prisoner took his place on the drop under the rope… Binns appeared very calm, and quickly fixed the noose around O’Donnell’s neck, carefully placing the knot under the left ear. He at once stepped back and pulled the fatal lever, and O’Donnell fell eight feet. The rope hardly quivered. According to the surgeon, death was instantaneous…

“As the black flag ran up, those in the prison could hear the hushed murmur from the multitude outside. The body hung one hour, then it was cut down and removed for the proper legal inquest.

“The usual inquest upon the body of O’Donnell showed the face bore a calm expression. The head was quite loose from the trunk.” [Source]

While this hanging appeared to have gone well, a report came out a few days later that Binns was fond of gin and that he might not be kept on as hangman.

Sure enough, Binns performed his last solo hanging on March 10th, 1884. This time the reportedly drunk Binns hung 18-year-old Michael McLean. The hanging was again botched, and the condemned man was left to strangle for 13 minutes until his heart stopped.

The unsuccessful hangman was replaced by James Berry, but Binns career wasn’t entirely over. Three years after reports came out that his daughter had accused him of hanging cats and dogs, Binns joined a traveling show. An article published in 1887 said:

“Binns, the ex-hangman, is traveling with a show, in which he reveals his art for the entertainment of the large crowds who collect to see him perform the happy dispatch. The subject is a figure representing the Oldham poisoner. The showman, a young man, first gives a biographical sketch of Binns, then the curtain is rung up, revealing a scaffold with the regular cross beam, and the subject standing on the drop, strapped. A chaplain stands on one hand and a uniformed jail governor on the other, while two reporters… watch the grim proceedings. Binns, black bag in hand, steps forward, extracts the rope, places the noose around the subject’s neck, and when the feeling of the spectators has been wrought to an intense pitch, draws the bolt, and the wax figure disappears into the pit beneath.” [Source]

In 1900 and 1901, Binns went on to assist hangman Thomas Scott when his expertise was needed.

He died in 1911.

Author: StrangeAgo