gallows speeches

Bear and I were wondering a while ago what kinds of things people actually say right before getting executed. I did a little research on it and found out that final statements of a prisoner are referred to a “gallows speech” named after the hangman gallows of course. Following is a collection of ‘last words’ more than true gallows speeches in a few of these are natural deaths, not executions. A few of these also include something even more precious, called ‘gallows humor’ – the wonderful moment when a person makes fun of the fact that they are about to die.

Robert Erskine Childers, Irish author and nationalist, faced a firing squad on November 24^th 1922:

“Take a step or two closer, lads. It will be easier that way.”

Daryl Holton, American child killer, electrocuted by the state of Tennessee on September 12, 2007:

“Two words, I do.”

Tallulah Bankhead, died December 12, 1968 of pneumonia, and was a true American actress to her last breath:

“Codeine… bourbon.”

John Wayne Gacy, Jr., party clown and serial killer, was put to death by lethal injection on May 10, 1994 :

“Kiss my ass.”

Ned Kelly, a notorious Irish-Australian bushranger, was hung on November 11 1880:

"Such is life."

Oscar Wilde, Irish writer and self declared genius, died of meningitis on November 30, 1900. I have a feeling this one may be a bit of an embelleshment:

"Either that wallpaper goes or I do."

Pancho Villa, a Mexican Revolutionary general, was mysteriously assassinated on July 20, 1923:

"Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something."

Madame du Barry, mistress of Louis XV of France, was killed by guillotine on December 8, 1793:

“You are going to hurt me, please don’t hurt me, just one more moment, I beg you!”

Benito Mussolini, Italian fascist, was executed by firing squad on April 28^th 1945. He was a true control freak until the end:

“Shoot me in the chest!”

Frederic Chopin, Polish composer and pianist, died of tuberculosis on October 17^th, 1849:

“The earth is suffocating. Swear to make them cut me open, so I won’t be buried alive.”

Richard Feynman, physicist, died of not one but two rare forms of cancer on February 15, 1988:

“I’d hate to die twice. It’s so boring.”

Giles Corey, farmer and accused witch, was crushed to death by stones on September 19^th, 1692:

“More weight.”

Saint Otteran, willingly buried alive for religious purposes in 548 on the island of Iona.

The legend is that weeks later he pushed his head through the wall of his tomb and told a horrified audience that there was no afterlife.

They pushed him back in.