After Great Pain, a Feeling comes
Prison Walls
The fog lifted to expose the stonework of Newgate prison. It was a chilly morning, the encompassing vapour hung low along the cobblestones and seemed to permeate its dampness throughout. There were only a few men gathered in the shed, officials mostly and they all kept similar expressions on their faces-sombre and serious. Only one onlooker dressed in a black mourning dress stood out, as she held onto the arm of a tall man in a bowler hat.
William looked down at Eliza. She chose to wear her mourning outfit to the hanging. It seemed to drain all the colour out of her face and it reminded him of how woeful she looked the last time she wore it-at Henry's funeral.
The day before, he came to her home and informed her that the judicial process of Frank's execution was complete and he was to be hanged the next day. He hadn't come to invite her, just to let her know it was happening. He planned to attend, he said, and she insisted that she too should attend.
"Are you certain you want to go? It's very early in the morning, and it's inside Newgate, it's not the most pleasant place."
"You forget I spent a night in Woolwich Prison not so long ago. I think I can handle it," she said, a small smile lifting her lips.
"Well, Ivy's told me you don't tend to rise very early," he said with a slight smile. He was trying to make light of the situation without being too fractious. She gave him a typical Eliza glare. After all, the subject was serious. "I mean it, Eliza, is this something you wish to bear witness?"
Eliza softened her gaze and looked down at the floor as if reconsidering. "Yes. Yes, it is. I need to see it through."
William decided not to argue with her, her mind seemed set. "Alright then. I'll be along just before 7:30 and we'll go together."
"Thank you, William." She nodded her approval. He nodded in return and left her in her drawing-room.
And so on that Monday morning, he arrived on time to pick her up in a cab and travel to Newgate prison to witness the hanging execution of one Frank Jenkins.
After a short cab ride and William showing permission papers for them to attend the execution inside Newgate, he escorted her as quickly as possible to the prison's yard and the shed where the deed was to be done. He was grateful that hangings were no longer a public spectacle. He would never have allowed Eliza to attend one of those. People would gather in the wee hours before the hanging outside the pris0n in those days, drinking and feeling festive, bandying jokes and observing the final touches to the gallows construction. It was debauchery at its worst, the crowd drunk and belligerent, some yelling at the accused to burn in Hell, others yelling at the hangman when he arrived, for being cruel and unfeeling. He would have fought Eliza harder if it would have occurred outside Newgate. Inside the prison, was not much better. It was dark and dank, and even though they'd spent time trying to escape an abandoned prison, this one was not abandoned, filled with criminals serving time for any number of heinous crimes. He did not want her here. He did not think Henry would want her here. But he didn't fight her at all. No argument, he knew it would be fruitless to insist she stay home. She was too stubborn, and in fact, he knew she had a strong constitution and may be able to bear this spectacle.
He also knew that the construction of the gallows was such that the accused's body would disappear below the gallows' view once the lever was pulled and she would not be subject to observing the body hang there, potentially twitch or hear his neck snap.
And neither would he.
They crossed the empty yard to the shed, she holding onto his elbow the entire way; all the prisoners were still in their cells, not yet up, the jailers allowing them to sleep in so that they did not need to see the accused be marched across to the shed to his final sentence. And here they stood, her arm tucked into his elbow, watching as William Marwood, London's hangman, unfurled the rope and attached it to the gallows, its length and knot carefully measured to perform its duty promptly and swiftly. Not long after his arrival, a few minutes to eight, two guards marched a pinioned Frank to the shed and was slowly marched up the steps to his fate.
William swallowed hard. This man he had worked, drank, joked and laughed with since he became Inspector was responsible for the largest forgery ever discovered by Scotland Yard, and he'd murdered to keep from getting caught. He murdered Henry. It was unforgivable.
The guards brought Frank to the top of the stairs.
"Are you certain about staying for this?" William asked her one more time.
Eliza stared straight ahead. "I'm certain. I'm certain, it's alright, William," she replied.
A clergyman was then speaking to Frank, likely giving last rites, but his voice was low and William couldn't hear the exact words. He just stared at Frank. His face was sombre, and stoic. He looked out from the gallows and saw William. He appeared a bit shocked at first, then his face softened and he almost smiled but didn't. Marwood then placed the noose around Frank's neck. William stared him down and many unspoken words seemed to pass between their eyes. Then Frank shook his head, refusing any final words and Marwood placed the hood over his face. He felt Eliza's hand tighten on his elbow. William turned his head away and looked at Eliza to his left. She was watching with rapt attention, unblinking. But he couldn't seem to turn back to watch, despite having witnessed hangings before. Then the clergyman said louder, "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace. For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation," and at that moment, Marwood pulled the lever, the doors opened, Eliza jumped at the suddenness of the action, while William heard the beam creak in the stark silence that followed. He looked up, and Frank was no longer standing there, the rope taut and leading below the scaffold. It was done.
"I've seen all I need to see," Eliza said, quietly. William looked at her. Her eyes were dry, but she seemed older at that moment as if the experience had aged her 5 years. William only nodded and led her out of the shed and quickly back to the gate to fetch a cab. It was three minutes past 8.