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John Robert Radclive (also known as Ratcliffe)(1892 – February 1911) was Canada's first professional hangman, serving from 1892 until December 27, 1899. Placed on the federal payroll as a hangman by a Dominion order-in-council in 1892, on the recommendation of the justice minister Sir John Thompson:〔Martin L. Friedland. ''The Case of Valentine Shortis: A True Story of Crime and Politics in Canada'', University of Toronto Press, 1988, ISBN 0-8020-6728-X, p.136〕 Radclive had trained under British hangman William Marwood. He is known to have hanged at least 69 people in Canada, although his life total was probably much higher. At his death, the Toronto Telegram said he had 150 executions. He died of alcohol-related illness in Toronto on February 26, 1911, at the age of 55.〔Patrick Cain, ("The agony of the executioner" ), ''Toronto Star'', May 20, 2007〕 Radclive was described as a humane and genial Englishman who regarded himself as a public benefactor.〔 He was considered to be a competent executioner and was known for the speed of his executions.〔〔Friedland, p. 136〕 He is considered to be one of Canada's best known executioners.〔 ==Early life== Radclive spent his early life in the Royal Navy, where he hung pirates in the South China Sea.〔Engel, p. 167〕 He later apprenticed under the English executioner William Marwood, who had invented the table of height and weight that was used to determine the length of rope for a hanging.〔 In 1890, Radclive immigrated to Toronto with his family where he passed along testimonials of his work to local sheriffs.〔〔Weaver p. 185〕 When not serving as a hangman, Radclive worked as a steward under the alias Thomas Rately at the Sunnyside Boating Club, a rowing club in Parkdale, Toronto.〔Charlesworth, p. 216〕〔〔〔Adams, p. 66〕 However, when his identity was accidentally disclosed by an inspector from the Northwest Mounted Police,〔〔Engel, pp. 168–169〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「John Robert Radclive」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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