A History of Hangings in Nova Scotia

Deanna Foster

Nonfiction: Nova Scotia History, Crime
180 pages
$17.95
6 x 9 paperback
ISBN 978-1-895900-95-8
(Available September 2007)

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From the original gallows tree at the bottom of George Street in Halifax to jail hangings throughout the province, Nova Scotians were always attracted to a hanging. This book explores many of the Nova Scotian crimes that ended with the noose. Included are the Saladin pirates, one of the bloodiest cases ever brought before a court in Nova Scotia; the hanging of Peter Mailman, who murdered his wife but captivated a reporter; and the trial of William Robinson, who not only murdered his wife but desecrated her body and tried to burn the evidence; and many others.

Almost as soon as Halifax was settled by the British in 1749, it became a violent place to live. To curb this excess, public hangings and floggings were a common occurrence for close to 100 years and people were hanged for crimes that ranged from petty theft to gruesome murders.

Hangings may have been a grisly event, but they managed to captivate large crowds, and are a testament to the prevalent interest in the dark side of history. Issues of deterrence, public opinion, and effectiveness down through the years are explored by the author as she traces the crimes and punishment for murders that prevailed from the very first to the last hanging.

Deanna Foster grew up in Tantallon, Nova Scotia. She completed her BA at Dalhousie University and is now working towards her B.Ed. at Mount St. Vincent University. Although a history class prompted her interest in hangings, she had always had a unique fascination with things deemed morbid or gothic. This is her first book.