It was drizzling in New York that morning. Despite the early hour, about thirty people gathered at the main entrance of the famous Sing Sing prison. They came to see the life of robber and murderer John McKintyre end in the electric chair.
Electric chair tenacity
The McKintyre trial lasted several days. At the trial there were witnesses who allegedly saw the killer entering the apartments of his victims. However, McKintyre stubbornly repeated that he was innocent. The verdict was harsh: execution by electric chair! The last action of this tragedy was to be played out in a special building of the Sing Sing prison.
At exactly five in the morning, the prison door opened and the guards began checking the documents of the people who had come to watch the execution. Most of them were reporters. Several lifts simultaneously took them to the top floor. Then the iron door opened and everyone entered the hall. where the execution was to take place.
This hall was divided into two unequal parts. The big one was meant for the audience. The smaller one was the stage on which the execution was performed. In the center of the stage was a wide armchair with straps attached to it. The prison doctor, the priest, and the prison governor soon appeared. The last to enter was the masked executioner. He had to turn on the switch.
Everyone was waiting for the suicide bomber. Finally, a tall, handsome 20-year-old boy in handcuffs was brought to the stage. It was John McKintyre. They put him in a chair and offered him a cigarette. John inhaled greedily several times. Then a priest approached him and began to persuade him to repent of his sins. But in response, the condemned stubbornly repeated one thing: "I am not guilty of anything."
The priest shrugged his shoulders and gave way to the executioner. He strapped the suicide bomber to the chair and approached the switch. There was an oppressive silence.
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The executioner, with a wave of the warden's hand, slowly pulled the switch towards himself. McKintyre sat with a look of frozen horror on his face, but the current seemed to have no effect on him. An electrician was urgently called. He carefully checked the electrical network and was very surprised: everything was in order. The head of the prison reproachfully looked at the executioner. He again went to the switch and pulled it to failure. And again a misfire!
A whole team of electricians examined every inch of the wiring, but the electrical line was in perfect order!
And again, for the third time, the executioner, whose nerves had already begun to fail and his knees were shaking, pulled the switch with all his might. And everything repeated itself: the current stubbornly refused to kill the condemned man! The young man was still sitting motionless, strapped to the electric chair. Huge tears rolled down his deathly pale face. merging with rivulets of sweat.
And suddenly a single feeling of pity seized all the witnesses of this terrible scene. Shouts were heard: “Stop immediately! You don't know how to execute! Free the unfortunate man!"
Not only the executioner, but the head of the prison himself was already in complete confusion. He ordered to unfasten the belts and take the convict to the cell, and announced to the public that the execution was postponed indefinitely.
And the next day, the king of detectives Alan Pinkerton detained the real murderer, who confessed to all the crimes of which John McKintyre was accused. It turned out that this man completely sincerely denied his guilt. The chief state judge ordered McKintyre's release.
Suspicious Samuels
In Sydney, thieves carried out a bag of gold and silver coins from a wealthy house. Leaving a robbed house, they unexpectedly ran into a constable. He tried to stop them. With two shots at point-blank range, the thieves killed the guardian of order and fled.
It was 1803. The Sydney Police has a new chief. And the new broom, as you know, sweeps in a new way. A serious campaign against crime has begun. All the police were on their feet to track down the constable's killer.
One day, a patrol noticed a suspicious person coming out of a gambling den. They searched him and found several coins - the same ones that were recently stolen. The detainee - Joseph Samuels - was a man with a bad reputation. And despite the fact that there were witnesses who confirmed that the coins were won at cards, Samuels was arrested on charges of murder. Samuels was forced to confess to the crime. A trial took place, and the defendant was sentenced to death by hanging.
The real killer - Isaac Simmonds - was also detained by the police, but did not give a confession and therefore he was released.
Capricious gallows
Samuels' execution was scheduled for early September. A platform was erected on the market square and a gallows was erected on it. When Samuels was brought to the gallows, he began to speak: he confessed that he really participated in the robbery. but he killed Constable Isaac Simmonds, who must be in the square now.
The executioner threw a rope around Joseph's neck, and Joseph continued to talk about his innocence in the murder. They put him on a bench. Numerous spectators leaned forward so as not to miss the exciting moment. The executioner knocked the bench out from under Samuels' feet - and he hung in the air. However, not even a second passed when the rope snapped and he fell onto the platform. The crowd murmured. Exclamations were heard: “He is innocent! He must be released!"
Samuels lay unconscious on the platform. They poured water over him, and when he came to his senses, the executioner made him climb onto the bench and put a new rope around his neck. The chief of police waved his hand and the executioner knocked the bench out from under the convict's feet. The crowd watched tensely. so everyone saw the rope stretched under Samuels' weight and began to unravel strand by strand until his feet touched the platform. The crowd roared, demanding the release of the unfortunate. "This is the will of the Lord!" - people shouted.
However, the chief of police ordered a new rope to be brought. But the third attempt to execute Samuels was not crowned with success - the rope burst, as if someone had cut it. The executioner loosened the noose to let Samuels catch his breath.
Helping hand
The chief of police, amid the whistles and hooting of the crowd, jumped on his horse and rushed to the governor to report on the strange events. After some deliberation, the governor issued a pardon order for Samuels. but wished to examine the ropes from which the loops were made. Maybe someone cut them beforehand? Not! The ropes were all right. The last one, which broke like a thin thread, was thick and strong enough. By the way, before hanging Samuels on this rope, she was thoroughly checked.
A new investigation was appointed, which established that Joseph Samuels was not involved in the murder of the constable. Isaac Simmonds was indicted that same day and was later sentenced to death by hanging. This time the sentence was carried out without any complications.
Perhaps, from heaven, the most just judge really observes the actions of people and at critical moments comes to the aid of the innocent?
Boris Gertzenon, Vladimir Fedorov. Magazine "Secrets of the XX century" No. 15 2010