_____MATT FULLERTY'S____ THE PRIDE AND THE SORROW

A novel about Paul Morphy___New Orleans chess champion___prodigy, genius, tragedy
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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 common hangman or "Jack Ketch" 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!  

 

 

 
Matt Fullerty is currently writing The Murderess and the Hangman. 

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...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Long Drop

This is the gallows at Wandsworth Prison, London, similar to the ones used to execute Kate Webster in 1879. Note the nearby lever to activate the 'long drop.' The room was a self-enclosed execution chamber, and portable. 

 

It was known affectionately as "The Cold Meat Shed."

The Pride and the Sorrow Blog
 
Please visit The Hangman and the Murderess's sister blog, The Pride and the Sorrow, the story of boy genius chess player Paul Morphy who became chess champion of the world aged twenty-one. After touring and conquering Europe, Paul is drawn back to New Orleans and a self-destructive love for the red-light district girl Clarabelle. See the full blog at http://theprideandthesorrow.blogspot.com
 
 
 
This page was last modified by Matt Fullerty on June 25, 2008