This is super interesting ---- and indeed really quite important. I am curious about how she was carried, was this common practice, did other women who were executed made similar pleas and were these also rejected? I love these case studies -- and it often makes me wonder if they are trends or exceptions. This case is clearly extarordinary given the role that scietnific evidence played .
There also seem to be some interesting assumptions --- a request to burn correspondence, need not imply conspiring to commit murder. Instead the letters could be lewd and perhaps they worried such spicy content would sow doubt re their character. From your article, my sense is that they did conspire... but I like to think why else would they have made such change --- what else could explain what they did.
I agree that it’s a very interesting case. The carrying request was reported widely in the press, which may suggest that it was rare at the time. I’ve read about other executions during which the convict has asked for small adjustments to their clothing, such as wearing a necktie or a handkerchief over their face as they were guided to the scaffold, but these were usually removed at the point of hanging. It seems that those in authority were quite ‘kind’ in that they tried to accommodate individual requests, although the only evidence for this is of course the newspaper reports.
The letters are rather intriguing too and, as no one knew the content of them, I agree with you that they might well (and more likely) have been due to what would have been considered lewd and shocking content, which might well have still led to her conviction at that time, and as happened with other later female poisoners, such as Florence Maybrick. It’s difficult to know to what extent the couple colluded in Francis’ death, as there are no material witnesses. Mary did have a motive but, whether she could have deliberately poisoned her father remains to be seen…
Thanks for chatting about the case and for restacking it. In the light of our conversations, which I really enjoy, and due to my current work on detective history, I’m planning to tweak my Substack from next month, with a new brand, The Detective’s Notebook, which will have a greater focus in analysing crime cases, as well as providing more info on detective history, investigative practice and forensic science. It would be great to have your feedback, once it’s relaunched. Thanks!
This is super interesting ---- and indeed really quite important. I am curious about how she was carried, was this common practice, did other women who were executed made similar pleas and were these also rejected? I love these case studies -- and it often makes me wonder if they are trends or exceptions. This case is clearly extarordinary given the role that scietnific evidence played .
There also seem to be some interesting assumptions --- a request to burn correspondence, need not imply conspiring to commit murder. Instead the letters could be lewd and perhaps they worried such spicy content would sow doubt re their character. From your article, my sense is that they did conspire... but I like to think why else would they have made such change --- what else could explain what they did.
I agree that it’s a very interesting case. The carrying request was reported widely in the press, which may suggest that it was rare at the time. I’ve read about other executions during which the convict has asked for small adjustments to their clothing, such as wearing a necktie or a handkerchief over their face as they were guided to the scaffold, but these were usually removed at the point of hanging. It seems that those in authority were quite ‘kind’ in that they tried to accommodate individual requests, although the only evidence for this is of course the newspaper reports.
The letters are rather intriguing too and, as no one knew the content of them, I agree with you that they might well (and more likely) have been due to what would have been considered lewd and shocking content, which might well have still led to her conviction at that time, and as happened with other later female poisoners, such as Florence Maybrick. It’s difficult to know to what extent the couple colluded in Francis’ death, as there are no material witnesses. Mary did have a motive but, whether she could have deliberately poisoned her father remains to be seen…
Thanks for chatting about the case and for restacking it. In the light of our conversations, which I really enjoy, and due to my current work on detective history, I’m planning to tweak my Substack from next month, with a new brand, The Detective’s Notebook, which will have a greater focus in analysing crime cases, as well as providing more info on detective history, investigative practice and forensic science. It would be great to have your feedback, once it’s relaunched. Thanks!
Thank you kindly for the informative response. Interesting to see these requests being given.
Good point re the letters. Even if she wanted to poison him, she may not have colluded with her partner.
The rebranding sounds interesting--ensure all links continue to work.