Executions

[timquizpam]

Why were people shot at dawn and not at other times of the day or night?

[Dave G]

So as not waste the rest of the day and they did not have to be fed or cared for especialy in the days of sentence to be carried out at the earliest convience as stated by the court of the time
now a days in USA they just keep appealing to see if they can die a natural death in prison and in UK they get 8 years as a life sentance so they can get another coulple of 8 years in thier life
shooting was quicker and more humane but I digress
regards Dave g

[Sado]

As a young jailer at Manchester's Strangeways in 1980, I spoke to one of the old sweats, and an old lag, about the last hanging there in the 60's. All the prisoners were fed their breakfast as normal, then locked up whilst the execution took place. At the sound of the trapdoor falling, prisoners would start clapping and cheering, to give them 'a good send off', whilst staff paraded on the prison centre until everything settled down again. The condemned was left for one hour, 'whilst the soul departed the body!' I never quite knew how they worked that one out!

[football21]

Being shot at night; we're talking about times of flickering candles or before reliable artificial light. At dusk also for the person with the gun to see what they were doing. At midday the sun would most likely be dazzling & temperature a distraction.
At dawn has the best conditions.

[ll_billym]

It's probably a device to make their fate worse as well because they wouldn't see the the rest of the day like everyone else would.

[mad4music]

Interestingly enough people used to touch the body of someone whose been hung straight away after they died. It was supposed to be the closest thing to God on earth, the soul leaving the body etc. Not sure if its true and can't even remember where I heard it now

amx