AN EVENTFUL LIFE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1173, 13 November 1883, Page 3

AN EVENTFUL LIFE.

The death of Mar wood, the common hangman, which took place on Sept. 4th from inflammation of ihe lungs, accompanied by jaundice, terminated a somewhat remarkable career. He had held the office for about twelve years, his first engagement being at Lincoln in 1871, and bis last, very recently, in London. When he was appointed to the post he was successful for some time in keeping the fact from the knowledge of his neighbors, but when it became known bis presence in the little town of Horncastle was not at all appreciated, and he was continually hooted and hissed. This practice gradually wore off; and when not engaged in his professional duties—or ‘on circuit,’as he used to term it—he was employed as a cobbler in a little shop close to the parish church. Over the door the words ‘ Marwood, Crown Office,’ in large letters, showed that he was not ashamed of his work, and a very short conversation with him was sufficient to show that he looked upon himself as a benefactor of the human race. The little shop was filled with implements of his work as a country cobbler, but hanging from the roof were some curious coils of rope, concerning which he was particularly proud. Somehow or other he had obtained possession of a rope used by Calcraft, with a clumsy slip knot, and he compared it with considerable self-asser-tion with the ropes hanging from his ceiling, which were made to his order in Government workshops. Until he was executioner he said he had never seen an execution, but for many years he had thought over the subject, and he objected to the way in which Calcraft ‘ choked ’ hia prisoners to death. There were many attempts to get a portrait 'of Marwood. but he always refused. An enterprising photographer offered him £6O one day for a sitting but he declined, his explanation being that one of the things he enjoyed was to go to a* town by an earlier train than that by which he was expected, and mix with the crowd that was awaiting his arrival.