This is a list of people who have acted as official executioners.
Contents
- Monsieur dAlger The Executioners of the French Republic
- Brazil
- Bas Rhin 67
- Haut Rhin 68
- Dordogne 24
- Gironde 33
- Landes 40
- Lot et Garonne 47
- Pyrnes Atlantiques 64
- Allier 03
- Cantal 15
- Haute Loire 43
- Puy de Dme 63
- Calvados 14
- Manche 50
- Orne 61
- Cte dOr 21
- Nivre 58
- Sane et Loire 71
- Yonne 89
- Ctes dArmor 22 Ctes du Nord before 1990
- Finistre 29
- Ille et Vilaine 35
- Morbihan 56
- Cher 18
- Eure et Loir 28
- Indre 36
- Indre et Loire 37
- Loir et Cher 41
- Loiret 45
- Ardennes 08
- Aube 10
- Marne 51
- Haute Marne 52
- Corse
- Corse du Sud 2A
- Haute Corse 2B
- Doubs 25
- Jura 39
- Haute Sane 70
- Territoire de Belfort 90
- Eure 27
- Seine Maritime 76
- Paris 75
- Seine et Marne 77
- Yvelines 78
- Essonne 91
- Hauts de Seine 92
- Seine Saint Denis 93
- Val de Marne 94
- Val dOise 95
- Aude 11
- Gard 30
- Hrault 34
- Lozre 48
- Pyrnes Orientales 66
- Corrze 19
- Creuse 23
- Haute Vienne 87
- Meurthe et Moselle 54
- Meuse 55
- Moselle 57
- Vosges 88
- Arige 09
- Aveyron 12
- Haute Garonne 31
- Gers 32
- Lot 46
- Hautes Pyrnes 65
- Tarn 81
- Tarn et Garonne 82
- Nord 59
- Pas de Calais 62
- Loire Atlantique 44 before 1957 Loire Infrieure
- Maine et Loire 49
- Mayenne 53
- Sarthe 72
- Vende 85
- Aisne 02
- Oise 60
- Somme 80
- Charente 16
- Charente Maritime 17
- Deux Svres 79
- Vienne 86
- Alpes de Haute Provence 04
- Hautes Alpes 05
- Alpes Maritimes 06
- Bouches du Rhne 13
- Var 83
- Vaucluse 84
- Ain 01
- Ardche 07
- Drme 26
- Isre 38
- Loire 42
- Rhne 69
- Savoie 73
- Monsieur de Paris The Executioners of the French Republic
- Monsieur de Cayenne The Executioners of the French Republic
- Monsieur de Saint Laurent The Executioners of the Bagne
- Wittstock
- West Germany 1949 to 195153
- India
- Monsieur de la Bagne The Executioners of the Bagne
- Pakistan
- United States of America
- Arkansas
- California
- Before Statehood
- Adams County
- Cuyahoga County
- Fairfield County
- Franklin County
- Gallia County
- Ross County
- Portage County
- State Executioners with the Gallows
- State Executioners with the Electric Chair
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
- References
Monsieur d'Alger: The Executioners of the French Republic
In 1870 the Republic of France abolished all local executioners and named the executioner of Alger, Antoine Rasseneux, Éxécuteur des Arrêts Criminels en Algérie, which became France's official description of the executioner of Algeria's occupation. From there on there would be one only executioner to carry out death sentences for entire Algeria. Since the colony's executioner had obligatorily to live in Alger, people soon started to refer to him as to the "Monsieur d'Alger", "The Mister from Alger". At the occasion of his nomination, Rasseneux could choose four among France's and Algeria's former local executioners to be his aides.
Brazil
After 1808, during the Portuguese-Brazilian Kingdom (1808-1822) and the Empire (1822-1889), when Brazil's States were still called "Provinces" and the currency was called "Reis", Brazil had factually abolished torture but was a busy death penalty country.
Method of execution was public hanging by an ultra-short drop of approximately 90 cm (2' 9 11/2"), with the executioner, after having activated the trap door or pushed the convict, according to the gallows's structure, climbed a ladder and launched himself rope downwards, hitting on the convict's shoulders with his weight.
Executioners generally were selected among convicts of capital crimes who had their death sentences stayed for indefinite terms or even commuted for live without parole, and who in exchange for their stays or commutations had to carry out the executions ordered by law. Executioners were, whenever possible, selected from among slaves convicted for a capital crime. And except for the province of Rio Grande do Norte, executioners had obligatorily to be of African descent.
As stayed or commuted convicts, executioners consequently lived as inmates in the prisons of the respective towns where they were based. When an execution was to be carried out elsewhere in his area, the executioner would be transported to the place of execution in chains and sleep in the local prison; after an attempt of murder against Fortunato José in 1834, prisons started separating the executioners from other inmates.
In the province of Rio Grande do Norte, the executioner had always to be the convict scheduled to die next after an execution, so that province's last execution had to be carried out by a firing squad, after the necessary emergency change of execution protocol.
In the state of Rio de Janeiro, after Independence September 7, 1822 there were also free executioners of African descent who having to travel around, were reached by couriers with execution orders.
Executioners, also when slaves, were paid for their executions; at the example of the province of Minas Gerais, we can establish payment was between 4$000 and 12$000 (4 Mil-Reis to 12 Mil-Reis) per execution.
The last execution of a free convict in Brazil was that of José Pereira de Sousa October 30, 1861 in Santa Luzia (nowadays Luziânia), GO. The last execution at all under law in Brazil was that of the slave Francisco April 28, 1876 in Pilar, AL.
Brazil abolished capital punishment officially with the Proclamation of the Republic November 15, 1889, and by law with its first Republican Constitution of 1891 and Penal Code of September 22, 1892.
Bas-Rhin (67)
Andlau
Benfeld
Bernardswiller
see: Andlau
Bischwiller
Bouquenom
see: Sarre-Union
Bouxwiller
Brumath
Châtenois
Dambach-la-Ville
Diemeringen
Elsenheim
see: Ohnenheim
Epfig
Erstein
see: Epfig
Fleckenstein (Lembach)
see: Memmelshoffen
Fouchy
Geispolsheim
Goersdorf
Gougenheim
Gumbrechtshoffen
see: Gundershoffen
Gundershoffen
Haguenau
Herrlisheim
Hochfelden
Ingwiller
La Petite-Pierre
Lalaye
Lauterbourg
Maisonsgoutte
Marckolsheim
Marmoutier
Memmelshoffen
Molsheim
Mommenheim
Nordhouse
Obernai
Ohnenheim
Otterswiller
see: Saverne
Petersbach
see: La Petite-Pierre
Reichshoffen
see: Gundershoffen
Reutenbourg
Riedheim
see: Bouxwiller
Sarre-Union
Saverne
Schopperten
see: Sarre-Union
Sélestat
Strasbourg
Surbourg
Villé
Wasselonne
Westhoffen
see: Wasselonne
Weyersheim
Wissembourg
Haut-Rhin (68)
Altkirch
Biesheim
Colmar
Ensisheim
Ferrette
Landser
Masevaux
Morschwiller-le-Bas
see: Mulhouse
Mulhouse
Ribeauvillé
Rouffach
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines
see: Ribeauvillé
Thann
Traubach (Traubach-le-Bas and Traubach-le-Haut)
Vieux-Thann
see: Thann
Zimmerbach
Dordogne (24)
Périgueux
Gironde (33)
Bordeaux
Landes (40)
Dax
Lot-et-Garonne (47)
Agen
Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64)
Bayonne
Pau
Allier (03)
Moulins
Cantal (15)
Aurillac
Saint-Flour
Haute-Loire (43)
Le-Puy-en-Velay
Puy-de-Dôme (63)
Clermont-Ferrand (former Clermont-d'Auvergne)
Riom
Calvados (14)
Bayeux
Caen
Falaise
Lisieux
Orbec
Pont-l'Évêque
Vire
Manche (50)
Avranches
Coutances
Saint-Lô
Orne (61)
Alençon
Bellême
Mortagne-au-Perche
Côte-d'Or (21)
Beaune
Dijon
Semur-en-Auxois
Nièvre (58)
Nevers
Saône-et-Loire (71)
Autun
Châlon-sur-Saône
Mâcon
Yonne (89)
Auxerre
Sens
Côtes-d'Armor (22; Côtes-du-Nord before 1990)
Saint-Brieuc
Finistère (29)
Quimper
Ille-et-Vilaine (35)
Rennes
Morbihan (56)
Vannes
Cher (18)
Bourges
Vierzon
Eure-et-Loir (28)
Bonneval
Chartres
Châteaudun
Indre (36)
Châteauroux
Issoudun
Indre-et-Loire (37)
Amboise
Chinon
L'Île-Bouchard
see: Chinon
Loches
Tours
Loir-et-Cher (41)
Blois
Romorantin-Lanthenay
Vendôme
Loiret (45)
Gien
Montargis
Orléans
Ardennes (08)
Sedan
Aube (10)
Troyes
Marne (51)
Châlons-en-Champagne
Chatillon-sur-Marne
Épernay
Reims
Vitry-le-François
Haute-Marne (52)
Bourmont
Chaumont
Langres
Corse
With a four-year delay in 1875 also Corsica was integrated into the area of the executioner of the republic's activity; see: Monsieur de Paris For the different department numbers, before 1976 Corsica used to be one department only and was codenumbered with 20 by then.
Corse-du-Sud (2A)
Ajaccio
Haute-Corse (2B)
Bastia
Doubs (25)
Besançon
Blamont
Montbéliard
Jura (39)
Dole
Lons-le-Saunier
Haute-Saône (70)
Vesoul
Territoire de Belfort (90)
Belfort
Faverois
Grandvillars
Montreux
Eure (27)
Évreux
Gisors
Pont-Audemer
Seine-Maritime (76)
Caudebec-en-Caux
Dièppe
Rouen
Paris (75)
Prévoté de l'Hôtel du Roi
Prévoté de Paris
Seine-et-Marne (77)
Meaux
Melun
Provins
Yvelines (78)
Mantes
Meulan
see: Mantes
Montfort-l'Amaury
Versailles (Prévoté de l'Hôtel du Roi)
Prévôté de Versailles
Essonne (91)
Dourdan
see: Étampes
Étampes
La Ferté-Alais
see: Étampes
Hauts-de-Seine 92
No local executioner known so far
Seine-Saint-Denis (93)
No local executioner known so far
Val-de-Marne (94)
No local executioner known so far
Val-d'Oise (95)
Pontoise
Aude (11)
Carcassonne
Castelnaudary
Limoux
Narbonne
Gard (30)
Nîmes
Hérault (34)
Montpellier
Lozère (48)
Mende
Pyrénées-Orientales (66)
Perpignan
Corrèze (19)
Brive-la-Gaillarde
Tulle
Creuse (23)
Guéret
Haute-Vienne 87
Limoges
Meurthe-et-Moselle (54)
Baccarat
Badonviller
Bauzemont
Bayon
Blâmont
Briey
Conflans-en-Jarnisy
Deneuvre
see: Baccarat
Domjevin
see: Bauzemont
Einville-au-Jard
Foug
Gerbéviller
Haraucourt
see: Einville-au-Jard
Harbouey
see: Blâmont
Longuyon
Longwy
Lunéville
Nancy
Nomény
see: Pont-à-Mousson
Norroy-le-Sec
Pont-à-Mousson
Réchicourt-la-Petite
see: Blâmont
Saint-Clément
see: Baccarat
Saint-Nicolas-de-Port
Sancy
Thézey-Saint-Martin
see: Delme at Moselle (57)
Thiaucourt (Thiaucourt-Regniéville)
see: Pont-à-Mousson
Toul
Ville-sur-Yron
see: Conflans-en-Jarnisy
Villers-la-Montagne
Meuse (55)
Arrancy-sur-Crusne
see: Longuyon at Meurthe-et-Moselle (54)
Avioth
Bar-le-Duc
Billy-sous-Mangiennes
Commercy
Damvillers
Étain
Fresnes-en-Woëvre
Herméville-en-Woëvre
Marville
Montmédy
Saint-Mihiel
Verdun
Moselle (57)
Ancerville
Angevillers
Ay-sur-Moselle
see: Buding
Bambiderstroff
see: Courcelles-sur-Nied
Béchy
Beux
see: Béchy
Bitche
see: Schorbach
Boulay
Buding
Budling
see: Buding
Château-Salins
Château-Voué
see: Dieuze
Courcelles-Chaussy
Courcelles-sur-Nied
Delme
Dieuze
Ébersviller
see: Hombourg-Budange
Elzange
see: Rodemack
Faulquemont
Fénétrange
see: Niederstinzel
Filstroff
Forbach
Freistroff
Gorze
Grostenquin
Hérange
Hombourg-Budange
Insming
Jallaucourt
Kédange-sur-Canner
Kirsch-lès-Sierck
Lixheim
Longeville-lès-Saint-Avold
Lorquin
Louvigny
Lutzelbourg
Metz
Montenach
Morhange
Niederstinzel
Phalsbourg
Porcelette
Prévocourt
Puttelange-aux-Lacs
Rodemack
Saint-Avold
Sarralbe
Sarrebourg
Sarreguemines
Schorbach
Sierck-les-Bains
Thionville
Tincry
Tragny
Vatimont
Vic-sur-Seille
Vosges (88)
Bruyères
Charmes
Châtel-sur-Moselle
Châtenois
Darney
Dompaire
Épinal
La Neuveville-sous-Châtenois
Mirecourt
Neufchâteau
Rambervillers
Remiremont
Saint-Dié
Saint-Nabord
Ariège (09)
Foix
Aveyron (12)
Rodez
Haute-Garonne (31)
Toulouse
Gers (32)
Auch
Lectoure
Lot (46)
Cahors
Hautes-Pyrénées (65)
Tarbes
Tarn (81)
Albi
Tarn-et-Garonne (82)
Montauban
Nord (59)
Cambrai
Douai
Lille
Maubeuge
Valenciennes
Pas-de-Calais (62)
Arras
Boulogne
Calais
Saint-Omer
Loire-Atlantique (44; before 1957 Loire Inférieure)
Nantes
Maine-et-Loire (49)
Angers
Saumur
Mayenne (53)
Château-Gontier
Laval
Sarthe (72)
La Flèche
Le Mans
Vendée (85)
Fontenay-le-Comte
Aisne (02)
Laon
Soissons
Oise (60)
Beauvais
Clermont
(former Clermont-en-Beauvaisis, also called Clermont-en-France)
Compiègne
Crépy-en-Valois
Noyon
Senlis
Somme (80)
Amiens
Charente (16)
Angoulême
Charente-Maritime (17)
La Rochelle
Rochefort
Saintes
Deux-Sèvres (79)
Niort
Saint-Maixent-l'École
Thouars
Vienne (86)
Civray
Loudun
Poitiers
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04)
Digne
Hautes-Alpes (05)
Gap
Alpes-Maritimes (06)
Nice
Bouches-du-Rhône (13)
Aix-en-Provence
Var (83)
Draguignan
Vaucluse (84)
Carpentras
Ain (01)
Bourg-en-Bresse
Ardèche (07)
Privas
Drôme (26)
Valence
Isère (38)
Grenoble
Loire (42)
Feurs
Montbrison
Rhône (69)
Lyon
Savoie (73)
Chambéry
Monsieur de Paris: The Executioners of the French Republic
In 1870 the Republic of France abolished all local executioners and named the executioner of Paris, Jean-François Heidenreich, Exécuteur des Arrêts Criminels, which became France's official description of the executioner's occupation. From then on there would be only one executioner to carry out death sentences for all of France except Corsica which would follow in 1875. As the Republic's executioner was required to live in Paris, people soon started to refer to him as "Monsieur de Paris", "The Mister from Paris". At the occasion of his nomination, Heidenreich could choose four among France's former local executioners to be his aides.
Monsieur de Cayenne: The Executioners of the French Republic
Cayenne Central Prison never used its own guillotine.. All death sentences of convicts and locally condemned prisoners were conducted at Saint-Laurent.
Monsieur de Saint-Laurent: The Executioners of the Bagne
All executioners of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni were Bagne inmates themselves.
Wittstock
Hans ? 1537
West Germany (1949 to 1951/53)
Except for Western Berlin where the Allied did not validate the new German constitution, West Germany had abolished capital punishment May 23, 1949. For West Berlin, the death penalty would still continue in law until January 20, 1951. Despite at least one executioner continued nominated, no death sentences or executions ordered by German courts in that period have been reported so far.
India
Monsieur de la Bagne: The Executioners of the Bagne
All executioners of New Caledonia's Bagne were inmates themselves.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, executioners have obligatorily to be Christians.
United States of America
John C. Woods (1911–1950). Hangman for the Third Army in WWII. He was one of the hangmen who executed Nazi war criminals.
Joseph Malta (1918–1999) was the hangman who, with John C. Woods, executed the top 10 leaders of the Third Reich in Nuremberg on October 16, 1946, for crimes against humanity.
Arkansas
During the first part of the 20th century, operators of the electric chair were known as "State electricians".
California
Daniel Vasquez – warden of San Quentin prison who served as executioner at the gas chamber executions of Robert Alton Harris in 1992 and the execution of David Mason the following year.