Lady Betty - Famous Hangwoman of Roscommon

transcribed at

Lady Betty - Famous Hangwoman of Roscommon  [duchas:4793853]

Years ago there lived in Gallowstown a woman who kept a lodging house.  She had an only son, as so cruelly did she treat him, that when he was sixteen years of age he ran away from home and enlisted as a soldier in England.  After many years he returned home and he had a fair amount of money saved.  He went to his mother's house and asked for lodgings, not revealing his identity, and was taken in as a lodger.
The woman guessed he had money and made up her mind to get it.  That night she murdered him and when going through his pockets she found papers which showed that he was her own son.  In her agony of mind she ran out telling the neighbours what she had done.  She was then arrested

Lady Betty - Famous Hangwoman of Roscommon  [duchas:4793854]

and brought to the old jail, where at the same time three men were awaiting the death penalty.  She also was added to the list.  The day of execution arrived and the hangman failed to appear.  The three men were given the choice of whichever would agree to hang the others would be allowed to go free.  None of men would consent to hang any of his companions, and to the surprise of all the woman decided to do the hanging, which she did in due time.  From then she became official hangman.  She fulfilled her duties as wardress and hangman for a number of years.  Any persons committed for serious offences such as robbery or murder were publicly flogged and Lady Betty performed this with the hapless victim tied on a cart.  During her time there three men were arrested for fighting on the street.  They were locked in the jail and on the following morning

Lady Betty - Famous Hangwoman of Roscommon  [duchas:4793855]

they were put in the big yard to break stones.  Whilst thus employed Lady Betty entered and after passing the first man, he lifted a stone and hit her on the back of the head.  She fell and none of the men moved to her aid.  Sometime afterwards a warder coming in found her, but she was dead.  The officials decided that she must have fallen heavily, and hit her head against a stone.  Not for many years afterwards was it known how the dreaded lady had met her end.