1860: Johannes Nathan, the last ordinary execution in the Netherlands
October 31st, 2017 Headsman
On this date in 1860, Johannes Nathan was hanged in Maastricht for murder.
Nathan murdered his mother-in-law over a pig. Most executions in the Netherlands at this point were commuted by royal prerogative but it was felt that Nathan’s acknowledgment of guilt was late, partial, and insincere — rendering him an unfit object for mercy.
Although the execution took place on the Markt, it “was not a public amusement as it was in the Middle Ages: Nathan walked through dead streets, the curtains were closed in the houses, children were held in.”
The Netherlands formally abolished the death penalty for ordinary criminal offenses in 1870; the only executions since then took place under 20th century wartime occupation, or in revenge for same.
On this day..
- Triskaidekaphobia: Executed Today's 13th Annual Report - 2020
- 1904: Wang Weiqin, by lingchi - 2020
- 1929: Ilm Deen, blasphemy avenger - 2019
- Striking Midnight: Executed Today's 12th Annual Report - 2019
- Eleventh Hour: Executed Today's (cursory) 11th annual report - 2018
- 1926: Anteo Zamboni, Mussolini near-assassin, lynched - 2018
- Decimated: Executed Today's Tenth Annual Report - 2017
- 1862: Thomas Sanders, rapist - 2016
- Deathed Up to the Nines: Executed Today's Ninth Annual Report - 2016
- The Eight Pains: Executed Today's Eighth annual report - 2015
- 1460: Tiburzio di Maso, Roman brigand - 2015
- Seven-Out: Executed Today's Seventh Annual Report - 2014
- 1814: Private John McMillan, deserter - 2014
- Six Years Under: Executed Today's Sixth Annual Report - 2013
- 1698: The last Streltsy executed in October - 2013
- Executed Today's Fifth Annual Report: Hang Five - 2012
- 1907: Evstolia Ragozinnikova - 2012
- Executed Today's Fourth Annual Report: Wrung, Wan and Quartered - 2011
- 1893: Bertha Zillmann, completely prostrate - 2011
- Executed Today's Third Annual Report: Third Time Lucky - 2010
- 1492: Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, Nearly Headless Nick - 2010
- 1938: The terrified John Deering - 2009
- Executed Today's Second Annual Report: Once Bitten, Twice Die - 2009
- Executed Today's First Annual Report: One Year of Dying Languorously - 2008
- 1793: The Girondists - 2008
- 1589: Peter Stubbe, Sybil Stubbe and Katharina Trump - 2007
Entry Filed under: 19th Century,Capital Punishment,Common Criminals,Crime,Death Penalty,Execution,Hanged,History,Milestones,Murder,Netherlands,Public Executions
Tags: 1860, 1860s, johannes nathan, maastricht, october 31
