An Important New Book

To Kill the Hangman... Pierrepoint

This book is based on a true story. The attempted assassination is hinted at in ‘Executioner Pierrepoint: The Amazing Autobiography of the World’s Most Famous Executioner, Albert Pierrepoint.

Albert Pierrepoint - To Kill the Hangman - Front Cover

To Kill The Hangman... Pierrepoint

It is 1955, a few years before the British Government finally abolished capital punishment.

   An IRA gang has taken possession of the home of Alderman Gilligan in a Dublin suburb. The Alderman is away at his country cottage and is unaware that his home is about to be used to carry out a plot to assassinate Albert Pierrepoint, the public hangman. The men are posing as decorators to avoid the attention of any unwelcome inquisitors. A Bren-gun is set up in the bay window giving the operator a clear view in both directions along the street. Net curtains conceal the weapon from the outside.

The plan to kill...

Albert Pierrepoint

The plan is to hijack an ambulance minutes before Pierrepoint arrives at the Ambassador hotel on his trip from England to execute two men, Gilroy and Hart, who have been sentenced to death for gunning down a tax inspector in the street.

 The men go over every detail of the plan. One of their men, Waxey Nolan, has been ‘placed’ at the hotel as a waiter. Five minutes before Pierrepoint is to arrive, Rita Conroy is to walk into the dining room and fall in a faint on the floor. This will be a signal for Nolan to call an ambulance.

 By the use of a series of calls from public telephone boxes, the hijacked ambulance is set to arrive seconds before the squad car carrying Pierrepoint. As Pierrepoint steps out of the car the rear door of the ambulance opens to reveal a machine gun. The executioner is to be executed.

 The escape route takes the ambulance past the Alderman’s house when the machine gun will be used to deter any followers of the ambulance.

 

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This book is based on a true story. The attempted assassination is hinted at in 'Executioner Pierrepoint: The Amazing Autobiography of the World's Most Famous Executioner.

Jon Denford