This is a collection of some of the greatest last words spoken by criminals before execution. They range from disturbing, chilling, sad, awesome, and even funny.
Name: Wallace Wilkerson
Crime: Shot and killed William Baxter after an argument about cheating in a game of cribbage.
Sentence: Death by firing squad on May 16, 1879
Last Words: “Oh my God! Oh my God! They have missed!”
The firing squad missed shooting his heart and it took 15-27 minutes for him to die from blood loss.
Name: Peter Kürten a.k.a. “Vampire of Düsseldorf”
Crime: 9 Murders, 31 attempted murders. He sometimes drank the blood of victims
Sentence: Death by beheading on July 2, 1931
Last Words: “Tell me, after my head is chopped off, will I still be able to hear, at least for a moment, the sound of my own blood gushing from the stump of my neck? That would be the pleasure to end all pleasures.”
Name: Charles Panzram
Crime: Killing a prison employee. He claimed to have killed as many as 21 people.
Sentence: Death by hanging on September 5, 1930
Last Words: “Yes, hurry it up, you Hoosier bastard! I could kill a dozen men while you’re screwing around!”
Name: Thomas Edward Ketchum
Crime: Attempted train robbery (also accused of several murders)
Sentence: Death by decapitation on April 26, 1901. (was supposed to be death by hanging, but it was botched because the rope was too long, decapitating him instead.)
Last Words: “Good-bye. Please dig my grave very deep. Let her go.” As told in this newspaper from the time. Some say his last words were, “I’ll be in hell before you start breakfast, boys! Let her rip!”
Name: George Appel
Crime: Murdering a police officer
Sentence: Death by electric chair on August 9, 1928
Last Words: “Well, gentlemen, you are about to see a baked Appel.”
Name: George Engel
Crime: Conspiracy in the Haymarket bombing that killed seven police officers
Sentence: Death by hanging on November 11, 1887
Last words: “Hurrah for anarchy! This is the happiest moment of my life!”
Name: James French
Crime: Murder of motorist who picked him up hitchhiking and then murdered a cellmate in prison so he could get the death penalty.
Sentence: Death by electric chair
Last Words: “Everything’s already been said.”
It was widely reported that his last words were “How’s this for your headline? ‘French Fries,'” but this was actually said a few days before.
Name: Erskine Childers
Crime: Illegal possession of a firearm
Sentence: Death by firing squad on November 24, 1922
Last words: “Take a step or two forward, lads, it will be easier that way.”
Name: Gordon Northcott
Crime: Kidnapping, rape, and murder of children
Sentence: Death by hanging on October 2, 1930
Last words: “A prayer-please say a prayer for me.”
Read more about Gordon Northcott.
Name: Mary Blandy
Crime: Poisoned her father with arsenic
Sentence: Death by hanging on April 6, 1752
Last Words: “For the sake of decency, gentlemen, don’t hang me high.” (She was worried people would see up her dress.)
Historic Horrors 