Murders of the 18th century, milder forms of punishment Historical murders and executions in Stockholm

1 murders of 18th century, milder forms of punishment

1.1 assassination of gustav iii
1.2 entire family, sentenced death
1.3 cases of infanticide in 18th century

murders of 18th century, milder forms of punishment

during age of enlightenment, trend in europe started aiming towards milder forms of punishment.

stockholm in 1750s described calm city kind , welcoming citizens. secretary of court chancellery stated stockholm had been transformed city extraordinary standards of order , morality. fact stockholm still quite small city compared other european capitals, knew may have contributed this.

the citizens of stockholm avoided leaving homes @ night, stockholm quite dark city @ night in 1800s. torches , other open sources of light prohibited due fire risk, , persons wished leave houses reminded not forget lanterns.

stockholm operated effective guards force consisted of 148 official guards 1720.

in 1776, kungliga poliskammaren (literally royal police chamber) established headquarters located within tessin palace. police chamber overseen over-governor of stockholm , tasked issuing city regulations , laws regarding public order, handling petty crime court cases.

at end of 1700s, cases of deadly violence considered rare in stockholm, , ratio of murder , manslaughter cases per citizen 2 per 100 000 annually. thus, ratio not higher then, in today s stockholm. of violent crime cases of 18th century, more half cases of infanticide.

punishment still relatively harsh, though torture had been abolished under gustav iii. had closed infamous rosenkammaren (literally: rose chamber ), , known despising death penalty , using means necessary change sentences or, in cases, pardon felons. according statistics, hanging never used capital punishment during reign of gustav iii. hanging considered humiliating manner of death, , used on thieves , forgers. beheading sword, however, held higher status.

the assassination of gustav iii

even though gustav iii known mild monarch @ time, victim of assassination attempt on 16 march 1792, led death thirteen days later.

gustav iii , nobility had gone through numerous disputes during reign. parts of nobility did not approve of king cutting privileges. other parts did not agree politics, , parts had personal grounds hatred against gustav iii. led conspiracy against life, led jacob johan anckarström, goals both personal , political.

anckarström, along carl fredrik pechlin, adolph ludvig ribbing, clas fredrik horn af Åminne, among others, conspired against king @ huvudsta gamla slott. gustav iii s own theater, gustavianska operahuset chosen crime scene.

on 16 march 1792, anckarström entered theater during masquerade, granted him inconspicuous concealment, , shot gustav iii. bullet fired @ close range , hit king in back, near left hip. king s company, member of von essen family, ordered exits closed, , polismästare nils henric lilljensparre had party guests demasked , names noted. anckarström arrested day following murder.

gustav iii did not die instantly, instead continued function head of state, until wound became infected died thirteen days later, on 29 march. unaware dying, gave order lives of 40 persons involved in conspiracy spared, except murderer.

anckarström sentenced public humiliation , death penalty. right hand cut off, publicly whipped 3 days on riddarhustorget until beheaded on 27 april 1792. parts of body nailed execution spot, part of tradition.

an entire family, sentenced death

in 1756, maria rial guntlack, lover johan wilhelm falcker, poisoned husband abraham guntlack. falcker s punishment decapitation of right hand followed beheading on 16 july 1756. maria rial received similar punishment, exception of burning on 21 february 1757. due being pregnant falcker s child, execution had postponed few months. abraham , maria s firstborn son jacob guntlack 12 years old when mother executed. jacob grow become thief , swindler. sentenced death on 4 occasions, managed escape custody 3 times. in fall of 1769 recaptured , executed on 16 january 1771. spent 2 years prior execution writing biography, while imprisoned @ tre kronor castle.

the biography supposedly written jacob himself, no proof has been presented support this. book famed @ time , translated other languages. guntlack executed on 16 january 1771 in public.

cases of infanticide in 18th century

between 1751 , 1765, 138 people executed infanticide while 132 persons executed murder.

the average killer of child @ time young woman in late 20s did not have either nor means keep child.

usually, if victim infant, mother state child stillborn, such case in winter of 1765 when brita engström suspected of crime. neighbors had noticed brita had grown fatter , thin. brita confessed had in fact had child, stillborn. when authorities examined corpse of infant, found evidence infant alive @ time of birth. infant s neck had blue bruises indicated had been strangled. simson, father, stated did not know anything, though , brita lived together. court did not believe couple, , simson sentenced 14 days in prison, while brita sentenced death.

in order combat issue, gustav iii passed infanticide act in 1778, law allowed unmarried mothers give birth anonymously. nurses prohibited asking name of father. idea prevent infanticide letting woman travel town , give birth there instead of having state name.

under law, death penalty abolished unintentional infanticide.