1873: John Gaffney, Hanged by a President

ExecutedToday.com ^ | February 14, 2016 | Headsman

[CheshireTheCat]

On this date in 1873, John Gaffney hanged in Buffalo — the last of two executions conducted by future U.S. President Grover Cleveland.

The man whom future foes on the national stage would deride as the “Buffalo Hangman” got his political start as sheriff for that Erie Canal port. It was the Sheriff’s honor not only to drop the trap on a condemned man like Gaffney, but, in the first days of February, to successfully petition Gov. John Adams Dix for a short delay pending execution of the sentence.

[CheshireTheCat]

Grover Cleveland had an interesting life. His wife was the youngest first lady every-- only 21 when she married him in the White House.

[Larry Lucido]

And you thought Martin Van Buren was tough.

[bigbob]

They didn’t call him “His Obstinacy” for nothing

[BipolarBob]

If Donald Trump did this it would be in all of the papers and every late night show. Never mind some people need hanging.

[NRx]

One of our two greatest presidents. The other being Calvin Coolidge.

[Nothingburger]

The last good Democrat, although I’m willing to give Harry Truman an honorable mention.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

There is some fine writing in the quoted article. It’s so much more enjoyable to read than today’s unimaginative junk.

Then at two minutes before noon, the 22nd and 24th U.S. president touched the spring to open eternity beneath Gaffney’s feet, and efficiently snapped his neck.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

It was long before he became President. He was the sheriff in Buffalo when it happened.

[clive bitterman]

Teddy Roosevelt once observed that there were only two men he had ever been afraid of in his life - his father and Grover Cleveland.

[edwinland]

Going back even further, there’s a superb quote in the contemporaneous newspaper article they quote. Apparently the prisoner was pretending to be insane to escape hanging but his appeal was denied and when Cleveland delivered the bad news he dropped the charade. According to the article:

“He recovered his senses on being told he will certainly lose them on Friday”

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I read that one, too. Isn’t that wonderful writing? So wry and fun.