The Murderess and the Hangman  The Murderess and the Hangman is a novel about murder from both sides of the scaffold. Hangman, and gentleman executioner William Marwood, executes Kate Webster for murdering her landlady... Marwood was a professional hangman, Webster a thief in love with her exectutioner. He was socially conscious, she a failed vaudeville actress impersonating her own victim. He was trying to help society, strange as it seems, by inventing the 'long drop' to humanely break necks. She was helping his little boy through robbery and killing. They were together and apart and always on opposing sides of the law. Then Webster must be hanged by Marwood for killing her landlady for a few pieces of furniture...
The noose. A "Jack Ketch" or poor hangman blames his tools! S'blood and death! England must have its justice! And as any Jack Ketch would say: "Toe the line!" "Swing for us!" and "Do the dance of death!" In 1879 murder was executed with blood and laughter...The noose hangs about our heads all our lives! | Mugshots: Executioner  This is William Marwood and his ghostly eyes, one strangely inert and the other eerily cruel. A man of science, he spent his career as exeuctioner trying to quicken the 'dance of death' at the end of his hangman's rope. Mugshots: Killer  This is Kate Webster, proud and mournful... |