The Hangman’s Noose: Unraveling a Piece of Material Culture

While researching the history of capital punishment in New Jersey, a peculiar artifact in the catalog of collections at the Atlantic County Historical Society caught my attention:  the hangman’s noose with its twisted fibers and knots.1 This seemingly simple object, a piece of material culture, embodies a complex history that intersects directly with the evolution of capital punishment in the State. 

As part of my research into the history of judicial executions, I have visited courthouses, jails, historical societies, and archives. Yet no artifact has captured my attention like this rope, a stark symbol of the ultimate punishment once wielded by New Jersey Sheriffs.

hangman's noose
This is an artifact in the collection of the Atlantic County Historical Society. It was donated in 1961, and the record notes that Sheriff Daniel E. Iszard used it.

According to the Historical Society, the noose was used during the tenure of Sheriff Daniel E. Iszard and was involved in three executions in Atlantic County. For centuries, the noose has served as a potent symbol of the ultimate authority of the state, an instrument of execution that evokes strong emotions.

The presence of this grim artifact raises additional questions for research about the lawmen who used it, the prisoners who faced the gallows, and the criminal justice system that grappled with its use. It serves as a tangible link to an era when sheriffs were tasked with carrying out judicially ordered death sentences in New Jersey.

Understanding the history of capital punishment requires more than a chronological account of laws and executions. It demands an exploration of intricate primary sources, court records, and material culture. This noose, preserved among the collections of the Atlantic County Historical Society, is a grim artifact that is representative of the legal, social, and cultural shifts in state-ordered executions.

Among the countless artifacts of local history at the Atlantic County Historical Society, the hangman’s noose stands out as physical evidence of the evolution of capital punishment in the state and nation. While I often see photographs of executions and even preserved gallows in my research, this is the first time I have encountered the actual instrument, although I see newspaper stories about spectators taking pieces of the rope as souvenirs.

Notes

  1. John Estell Iszard, Hangmen’s Noose. (Somers Point, NJ: Atlantic County Historical Society) 1961.018.001-.002-.003, artifact in collection. ↩︎

The Atlantic County Jail

As part of my ongoing research on the history of capital punishment in New Jersey, I recently completed fieldwork along the Jersey Shore. This included visiting various county courthouses, where I examined 19th-century court records. I also visited historic jails and local historical societies.

Last week, I focused specifically on Atlantic County, where I investigated records related to the old jail in May’s Landing, the county seat. Built in 1879, this sturdy structure underwent numerous modifications over the decades. According to a 2000 architectural report, the jail is notable for its distinctive Jersey ironstone walls, arranged in a unique pattern that enhances its historical significance.1

atlantic county jail
The 1879 Atlantic County Jail in May’s Landing,

In 1906, the county erected an additional structure—the sheriff’s house and office—which still stands on the courthouse square. Despite changes in corrections philosophy and various structural alterations, the aging jail housed inmates until 1964. In 1984, a modern county prison went up outside  May’s Landing, leading to the demolition of most of the original complex, except the stone 1879 structure and the sheriff’s house. 

While uncovering traces of the past, I noted that Atlantic County executed at least four men before the disagreeable responsibility for capital punishment shifted to the State Prison in Trenton. The last hanging at the Jail occurred on September 20, 1907, when Sheriff Smith E. Johnson hanged Joseph Labriola. It was striking to note that the convicted murderer wearing a tuxedo met his end in the recreation yard.  He was served lobster as part of his final meal.2 

The convicted murderer wearing a tuxedo met his end in the recreation yard.  He had been served lobster as part of his final meal.

Only a few jurors and official witnesses were present to observe the hanging. However, a crowd gathered in the county seat that September day. Just before Labriola was led to the gallows, Deputy Sheriff Enoch Johnson summoned the official spectators to enter the execution yard.

Labriola’s execution marked the last hanging at the Atlantic County Jail and was the next-to-last hanging in New Jersey. A new law mandated the use of the electric chair for executions, ending the era of hangings in the Garden State. Following this change, those sentenced to death were transferred to the state prison in Trenton for execution in the electric chair.

My research into this aspect of New Jersey’s criminal justice history continues.

For additional photos, see this album on Facebook

  1. Westfield Architects & Preservation Consultants, Atlantic County Jail Historic Structure Report, (Atlantic County Historical Society, Somers Point, NJ, 2000). Photocopy. ↩︎
  2. “Labriola Hanged,” Atlantic City Evening Union, September 20, 1907 ↩︎

Temperance & Prohibition Talk at Court House Museum

beer parade detroit
1932 beer parade in Detroit, Michigan (Detroit News Photo, Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University)

I am pleased to speak at the New Castle Court House Museum on August 6, 2024, at 7 p.m. about the history of temperance and prohibition. 

The talk, part of the museum’s annual “History Revival” summer series, examines the historical attempts to regulate alcohol consumption over the centuries, with an emphasis on Prohibition. During the lecture, we will delve into compelling stories of rumrunners, moonshiners, bathtub gin, Coast Guard rum patrols, and the intriguing personalities that emerged during this era. We will also navigate the intricate landscape of Garden State politics, organized crime, and the influential role of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union.

“Pass the Rum” is made possible in part by Delaware Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.

The “History Revival,” an annual summer program, is sponsored by the New Castle Historial Society and the New Castle Court House Museum, a division of y Delaware Historical and Cultural Affairs .

The program occurs at the Court House, 211 Delaware St., New Castle, DE.

For more information, click this link:

temperance prohibition talk new castle court house museum
Pass the Rum, a temperance and prohibition talk in New Castle.

Oxford Newspaper Available Online

Old newspapers are a goldmine of information when researching genealogy and history, and a recent addition by newspapers.com has made an Oxford Newspaper, the Oxford Press, available to researchers. With editions spanning from 1866 to 1930, the broadsheet provides extensive coverage of Southern Chester County, PA, and Northern Cecil County, MD.

This Oxford newspaper has been invaluable to my work, and I often visited the Oxford Library to use the microfilm reader. However, this recent digitization of the old volumes is a significant advance for anyone uncovering the past, particularly genealogists and historians. With greater ease of access, we now have a vast wealth of text-searchable information at our fingertips.

Newspapers.com is available by subscription, or anyone holding a Harford County Public Library card has free, off-site access through the library. Any Maryland resident may obtain a Harford County Library card.

Here’s the link to newspapers.com

Here’s the link to the Harford County Public Library’s newspaper page.

Oxford newspaper, press
The Oxford Press