The Hangman Chronicles: The Last Public Hanging on PEI

Public hangings. They used to be a thing on PEI. Like in all colonies, we had public executions. But, in 1869, we had our last public hanging. Hangings continued until 1941, but they were only attended by official witnesses. Today we are going to look at why the last few hangings were not public.

Connaught Square in Charlottetown. This is where the public hangings took place (Image credit: CBC News, originally from the Public Archives and Records Office)

But, the first thing you need to know is that you could be executed for both serious and not so serious crimes. For example, the first execution sentence was handed down to Elizabeth Mukely for stealing £ 7.7 from her employer in 1778.

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You read that right. She was sentenced to execution for petty theft. Her sentence was commuted to exile from PEI and she moved to Nova Scotia when they couldn't find anyone willing to actually hang her.

The first actual hanging carried out was the hanging of Joseph Farrow. Farrow was convicted of rape in 1792 and hanged. When a death sentence was handed down, petitions were often circulated, petitioning for clemency. In some cases, this worked and other times, it didn't. PEI had control over its own justice system until 1873, when capital cases were placed under federal jurisdiction. From 1778 to 1873, when PEI was in control of capital cases, there were eight hangings. After that, there were three executions.

The last three executions were done privately. And there is a reason for that. The hanging of George Dowie in 1869.

Who was George Dowie and what was his crime

Dowie was born in Montreal and was a sailor aboard the Clara Novello. He was in port and visiting, what was likely an unlicensed, drinking establishment in Charlottetown. He got into a drunken argument with fellow crewman John Cullen over a local, Island woman. In a rage, Dowie pulled out a knife and, in front of witnesses, stabbed and killed Cullen. In January 1869, he was tried before judge Peters and convicted of wilful murder.

And the sentence was death.

Like in other capital punishment cases, a petition for clemency was sent around but PEI didn't have an official Lieutenant-Governor at the time. Acting Lieutenant-Governor and senior colonial administrator, Robert Hodgson, didn't know if he had the rights to grant clemency. He was only an acting Lieutenant-Governor, not the official one. He did try to get advice and he spent a lot of money on telegrams to England. He decided to err on the side of caution.

The court ordered a hanging so Dowie would be hanged.

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On April 6, 1869, he was sent to the gallows. Over 1,500 people attended - there hadn't been a hanging in a while so many people wanted to see it. The planned execution also led to a re-emergence of the debate over whether or not the executions should be public. Some claimed it was barbaric and others claimed it was a good deterrent.

The hanging

As over 1,500 people attended, the militia was in attendance to ensure there was no disruptions or violence.

According to George Wright's "Who Departed This Life: A History of the Old Protestant Burying Ground, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island" the militia was also present because some men blamed the woman for the crime and some even claimed she should be hanged or punished as well. I will state, that I haven't found this particular motivation mentioned anywhere else.

The hanging...didn't go well...

Dowie was given an opportunity to address the crowd. In his 45 minute speech, Dowie confessed to other crimes and asked for the crowd's forgiveness. At some point, a chair was brought up for him to sit on! Once he was done speaking, he was led to the trap door (where he forgave the executioner for what was about to happen), his head was covered, and the rope was placed around his neck. Then it all went wrong.

Attempt 1

When the trap door was opened, Dowie fell 15 feet to the ground because the rope broke. He was taken to the jailhouse to recover then returned to the gallows that had been fitted with a new rope about an hour later.

Attempt 2

Dowie had to be helped up the gallows scaffolding. Once he was back in position, the trap door was opened, and once again, he landed 15 feet down on the ground below. The cleat that attached the rope to the gallows had sheared off. But this time, the rope was intact. Some of you may see where this is leading...

The executioner and some aides grabbed hold of the rope, pulled Dowie up, and held him suspended by the neck until the officiating doctor declared him dead...

Dowie is a perfect example of a botched hanging.

Last public execution

This incident must have been horrifying to those attending. This incident played a large role in hangings becoming private events.

Dowie's hanging was the last public hanging on PEI and one of the last in Canada. If you read my post on the murder of Mary Picking Tuplin, then you will remember her "murderer" (as there is debate over his guilt) was hanged in 1888. His hanging was private, meaning only official witnesses attended.

People were disturbed by what happened to Dowie. Those who couldn't attend the execution got to read about it in Island newspapers, and all the disturbing details.

Some believed the breaking of the rope was a sign that Dowie should not be hanged, others were outraged at the actions taken after the cleat broke.

Dowie was buried in the Old Protestant Burying Grounds on University Avenue in Charlottetown.

Abolition of capital punishment in Canada

In 1962, Canada's last two hangings occurred, Arthur Lucas and Ronald Turpin. Although these were the last hangings in Canada, the death penalty wasn't actually abolished for civilians until 1976 when capital punishment was abolished from the Criminal Code.

In 1987, the House of Commons did re-examine the issue. The vote ended in 148 against reinstating the death penalty and 127 in favour of reinstatement.

Finally, in 1998, all references to capital punishment were removed when it was taken out of the National Defence Act for military crimes like treason and mutiny.


Sources

"Capital punishment in Canada." CBC News. March 16, 2009, updated June 7, 2010. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/capital-punishment-in-canada-1.795391

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 03 December 2018), memorial page for George Stewart Dowie (unknown–7 Apr 1869), Find A Grave Memorial no. 138110752, citing Old Protestant Burying Ground, Charlottetown, Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada; Maintained by Linda (contributor 47353767).

MacKay, M. "The end of the line." The Guardian. June 19, 2010, updated September 30, 2017. https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/regional/the-end-of-the-line-105440/