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Thomas Pierrepoint

Thomas William Pierrepoint (6 October 1870 – 11 February 1954) was an English executioner who served on the Home Office list from 1906 to 1946, conducting approximately 294 hangings of convicted criminals primarily for murder.^[1]^[2] As the older brother of Henry Pierrepoint, who held the role from 1901 to 1910, and uncle to Albert Pierrepoint, the most prolific hangman of the era, Thomas formed the core of a family dynasty that collectively performed over 800 executions across more than four decades, establishing a trade tradition rooted in mechanical precision and familial succession.^[2]^[3] Pierrepoint was noted for his expertise in the long-drop technique, calibrating rope lengths and noose placement to target neck vertebrae for instantaneous death, a method he refined through empirical assessment of prisoners' physiques to minimize suffering compared to earlier, less reliable practices.^[4] His tenure spanned both world wars, including executions for capital crimes like poisoning and wartime offenses, though he avoided the personal doubts later voiced by his nephew Albert regarding the deterrent value of the penalty.^[1]

Early Life and Family Background

Birth and Upbringing

Thomas William Pierrepoint was born on 6 October 1870 in Sutton Bonington, Nottinghamshire, England, the second child of Thomas Pierrepoint and Ann Pierrepoint (née Marriott).^[5]^[6] The family resided in Sutton Bonington as of the 1881 census.^[6] By 1891, they had relocated to Wolseley Street in Clayton, near Bradford, Yorkshire, where Pierrepoint's father worked as a quarryman; the household then included Pierrepoint (aged 20), his sister Annie Sophia (aged 17), and his younger brother Henry Albert (aged 13).^[3] Pierrepoint spent part of his formative years in Hull, East Yorkshire, living with his parents and brother on Chalk Lane (later known as Hawthorn Avenue) off Hessle Road, and as a youth contributed to the construction of Alexandra Dock for contractors Lucas and Aird before engaging in vegetable selling, specializing in celery.^[6] His early upbringing occurred in working-class environments across Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire, with his father's occupations reflecting manual labor shifts from possible church-related roles to quarrying, showing no familial connection to executioneering at that stage.^[7]^[3]

Pierrepoint Family Dynasty of Executioners

The Pierrepoint family established a notable lineage of official executioners in Britain, spanning from 1901 to 1956 and involving three key members who collectively performed over 800 hangings.^[2]^[1] The tradition originated with Henry Albert Pierrepoint (1878–1922), who applied to the Home Office in 1901 after expressing interest inspired by prior hangmen like James Billington; following an interview, he was appointed as an assistant executioner and trained at Newgate Prison.^[2] Henry advanced to chief executioner by 1905, conducting 105 executions until his dismissal in 1910 amid complaints of incompetence and drunkenness during duties.^[1]^[8] Thomas William Pierrepoint (1870–1954), Henry's older brother, entered the profession as an assistant around 1906–1907 at Henry's encouragement, participating in demonstrations using sandbags to simulate the process.^[8]^[2] Upon Henry's removal, Thomas assumed the chief role, serving until 1946 and executing 294 individuals, including poisoners like Frederick Seddon and Charlotte Bryant.^[1] His tenure marked the family's longest continuous involvement, enduring a 1927 reprimand for soliciting private work but maintaining the position through wartime demands.^[8] The dynasty extended to the next generation via Henry's son, Albert Pierrepoint (1905–1992), who, influenced by family discussions from age 11, joined as Thomas's assistant in 1931–1932 and rose to chief executioner by 1941.^[1]^[8] Albert performed approximately 450 hangings, including over 200 Axis war criminals in Europe post-1945, before resigning in 1956 following a fee dispute.^[2]^[1] This familial succession, rooted in Nottinghamshire origins, reflected a rare hereditary trade in Britain's penal system, where executioners were selected for precision and discretion amid public secrecy.^[1]

Entry into the Profession

Initial Appointment and Apprenticeship

Thomas William Pierrepoint entered the executioner profession in 1906 at the urging of his younger brother Henry Albert Pierrepoint, who had been appointed to the Home Office list in 1901 after persistently applying for the role.^[9]^[9] Following his acceptance onto the Home Office list that year, Thomas underwent private training under Henry's guidance, assisting at 35 executions to build proficiency in the technical and procedural aspects of hanging.^[9] His debut as an assistant executioner took place on April 10, 1906, at Wakefield Prison, where he supported Henry in the hanging of Harold Walters, a 39-year-old miner convicted of murdering his girlfriend Sarah Ann McConnell by battering her to death.^[10]^[10] This initial phase emphasized hands-on learning in drop calculations, pinioning, and rapid execution to minimize suffering, aligning with the Pierrepoint family's emerging approach to the trade as a specialized skill passed through familial instruction rather than formal institutional training.^[9]

Collaboration with Family Members

Thomas Pierrepoint entered the executioner role as an assistant to his brother Henry Pierrepoint, who held the chief position from 1902 to 1910, allowing the siblings to collaborate on early hangings before Thomas's promotion to chief executioner in January 1910.^[11] Their joint work exemplified the family's intergenerational involvement, with Henry demonstrating techniques to Thomas using a bag of grain as a makeshift dummy prior to Thomas's formal appointment in November 1906.^[8] The most extensive collaboration occurred with Thomas's nephew Albert Pierrepoint, son of Henry, who served as Thomas's assistant starting around 1931 during executions in Ireland, such as those at Mountjoy Prison.^[11] Albert continued assisting Thomas in Britain for approximately nine years, including multiple hangings of U.S. servicemen convicted of capital crimes at Shepton Mallet Prison during World War II, where they executed at least six soldiers between 1942 and 1945.^[8]^[11] A documented instance includes the execution of nurse Dorothea Waddingham on 16 April 1936 at Winson Green Prison in Birmingham, convicted of murdering a patient, with Albert handling the pinioning while Thomas managed the drop.^[12] This partnership persisted into the postwar period, leveraging Albert's growing expertise until Thomas's resignation in 1946, amid the family's emphasis on precise, efficient procedures to minimize condemned prisoners' suffering.^[13]

Professional Career

Domestic Executions in Britain

Thomas Pierrepoint conducted the majority of his executions within Britain, targeting individuals convicted of domestic capital offenses, predominantly murder. From his initial entry onto the Home Office list in 1906 until his removal in 1946, he served as chief executioner for 203 civilian hangings in England and Wales—among them three for espionage—and four in Scotland.^[9] These figures exclude his assists at 35 additional executions and his work abroad, such as 28 hangings in Ireland between 1923 and 1944.^[9] Executions occurred in local prisons under strict privacy protocols, with Pierrepoint traveling nationwide to sites including Strangeways in Manchester, Pentonville in London, and Winson Green in Birmingham. Capital punishment remained the mandatory sentence for murder under British law during this era, though Home Secretaries frequently reprieved a significant portion of condemned prisoners; Pierrepoint's role involved only those whose sentences were confirmed. Among notable cases, he hanged poisoner Frederick Seddon on 18 April 1912 at Horfield Prison in Bristol for the arsenic murder of Miss Eliza Barrow.^[1] Pierrepoint's tenure as Chief Executioner, assumed in 1941 following his brother William's death, coincided with heightened demand amid wartime stresses, yet his domestic workload emphasized routine efficiency in dispatching murderers convicted in peacetime trials. Records indicate he handled a diverse array of offenders, from serial poisoners to opportunistic killers, underscoring the Pierrepoint family's dominance in Britain's execution apparatus.^[9] His methodical approach minimized procedural errors, as evidenced by Home Office commendations for seamless operations in high-stakes cases.^[9]

Wartime and Post-War Executions

During the Second World War, Thomas Pierrepoint executed multiple individuals convicted of espionage under the Treachery Act 1940, which prescribed capital punishment for aiding the enemy. On December 10, 1940, he hanged German spies Engelbert Jakob Waldburg and Ernst Meier at Pentonville Prison in London following their conviction for landing by parachute to gather intelligence and transmit signals to Germany.^[14] A week later, he executed another German agent, Charles Albert van den Kieboom, at the same prison for similar activities involving radio transmissions to occupied Europe.^[14] Pierrepoint continued such duties in 1941, hanging British traitor George Johnson Armstrong at Wandsworth Prison on July 9 for conveying military information to Germany via neutral countries.^[15] Later that year, on August 6, he conducted a double execution there of Swiss-German spies Karl Theo Drueke and Werner Heinrich Wälti, convicted of parachuting into Britain to establish radio contact with the Abwehr. Pierrepoint served as chief executioner, assisted by his nephew Albert Pierrepoint, Harry Kirk, and Stanley Cross.^[15] These operations reflected Pierrepoint's role in addressing wartime threats from Axis agents, with a total of three spies among his documented hangings during the conflict.^[9] In addition to civilian spies and traitors, Pierrepoint handled military executions as the designated hangman for U.S. forces in the European theater. From March 1943 to August 1945, he carried out 16 hangings of American servicemen at Shepton Mallet Prison in Somerset for capital crimes such as rape and murder committed against British civilians, often assisted by family members or colleagues like Herbert Morris.^[9] He also executed one U.S. soldier in Canisy, France, in August 1944, underscoring the jurisdictional arrangements under which British executioners operated for Allied personnel.^[9] Following the war's end in 1945, Pierrepoint's executions tapered as he approached retirement, with no recorded involvement in the mass hangings of Nazi war criminals, which were primarily conducted by Albert Pierrepoint at sites like Hamelin prison. Pierrepoint was removed from the Home Office list in 1946 at age 76, concluding his 40-year career that included these wartime responsibilities but no extensive post-war war crimes prosecutions.^[9]

Notable Executions Performed

Thomas Pierrepoint conducted numerous executions, including several high-profile cases involving notorious poisoners and murderers. On 18 April 1912, he assisted John Ellis in hanging Frederick Seddon at Pentonville Prison for the arsenic poisoning of his lodger, Miss Mary Barrow, a crime discovered through traces of arsenic from flypaper used in Seddon's home.^[1] Seddon's conviction relied on forensic evidence linking him to the poison, marking one of the era's prominent poisoning trials.^[16] In 1926, Pierrepoint executed Louie Calvert at Armley Gaol in Leeds for the arsenic murder of her husband, Thomas Calvert, whom she poisoned over suspicions of infidelity; Calvert had a history of similar attempts on prior partners.^[17] Calvert showed no remorse and walked unaided to the scaffold. Pierrepoint also hanged Charlotte Bryant on 15 July 1936 at Exeter Prison for poisoning her husband, Harry Bryant, with arsenic added to his beer; she protested her innocence to the last, claiming the substance was intended as a tonic.^[17] These cases highlighted Pierrepoint's involvement in arsenic-related convictions, often debated for their reliance on circumstantial and toxicological proof. During World War II, Pierrepoint executed George Johnson Armstrong on 9 July 1941 at Wandsworth Prison for espionage on behalf of Germany, a rare instance of capital punishment for spying under wartime regulations. His final execution was that of Leonard Holmes on 28 May 1946 at Lincoln Prison for the murder of a 73-year-old woman during a burglary.^[11] Over his 37-year tenure, Pierrepoint officiated at 294 hangings, emphasizing procedural efficiency in these proceedings.^[1]

Methods and Professional Practices

Hanging Techniques and Drop Calculations

Thomas Pierrepoint utilized the long drop hanging method standard in British judicial executions from the late 19th century onward, which sought to induce rapid death via cervical fracture and spinal cord transection rather than asphyxiation. This technique involved dropping the condemned from a height calculated to generate sufficient kinetic energy—typically around 1,000 foot-pounds—to snap the neck while avoiding decapitation or excessive rope stretch.^[18] The noose, constructed from manila hemp with a brass eyelet and leather washer, was positioned submentally or subaurally (under the left jaw or ear) to maximize rotational torque upon impact, ensuring hyperflexion of the head and disruption of the upper cervical vertebrae within milliseconds.^[12] Pierrepoint, like other official executioners, conducted pre-execution measurements of the prisoner's height, weight, and neck circumference, often supplemented by visual assessment of build to account for variables like musculature or age that could affect outcomes.^[18] Drop distances were primarily guided by Home Office-issued tables, evolving from the 1892 version (targeting 1,260 foot-pounds) to the more conservative 1913 Official Table of Drops, which prescribed lengths between 5 and 8.5 feet based on body weight. The formula approximated drop in feet as 1,000 divided by weight in pounds, rounded to the nearest half-inch, with adjustments for rope elasticity (adding up to 9 inches by 1939 practices) and tested via sandbag simulations to verify breakage without overextension. Pierrepoint frequently deviated from rigid table values using familial expertise, opting for longer drops in lighter prisoners to guarantee efficacy, as shorter falls risked survival through strangulation.^[12]^[18] A documented instance of Pierrepoint's application occurred on June 28, 1928, at Strangeways Prison, Manchester, where he executed Walter Brooks for murder with an 8-foot-10-inch drop—exceeding standard recommendations for Brooks's approximate 110-pound frame—to achieve fracture and dislocation of the second and third cervical vertebrae, confirming spinal severance. Such precision reflected Pierrepoint's over 300 executions, where he prioritized mechanical reliability over formulaic adherence, contributing to the family's reputation for consistent, sub-minute procedures from pinioning to certification of death.^[12] Pierrepoint's notebooks, as preserved in family records, detailed these parameters per case, underscoring empirical adjustments honed through apprenticeship under his brother Henry.^[11]

Emphasis on Efficiency and Minimal Suffering

Thomas Pierrepoint employed the long drop hanging technique, calibrated precisely according to the condemned's body weight, height, and neck circumference to ensure cervical fracture and instantaneous death, thereby avoiding prolonged strangulation.^[12] This method, refined within the Pierrepoint family tradition, aimed to sever the spinal cord at the upper cervical vertebrae, rendering the prisoner unconscious within fractions of a second and eliminating conscious suffering.^[11] In practice, Pierrepoint's calculations typically yielded drops ranging from seven to nine feet, as evidenced by his execution of Frederick Guy Thompson on June 28, 1928, at Strangeways Prison, Manchester, where an 8-foot-10-inch drop caused dislocation of the second and third cervical vertebrae.^[12] Efficiency extended to the operational sequence, with Pierrepoint coordinating rapid prisoner transfer from cell to scaffold—often under 15 seconds—to reduce anticipatory distress and maintain procedural decorum.^[9] Contemporary prison records describe his executions as "most efficient and satisfactory," free of hitches, underscoring a professional focus on mechanical precision over ritualistic delay.^[19] This approach contrasted with earlier short-drop methods, which risked decapitation or slow asphyxiation, and aligned with Home Office guidelines prioritizing spinal disruption for humane dispatch, though Pierrepoint's familial expertise often exceeded standard tables in accuracy.^[12] Pierrepoint's tenure, spanning over 300 executions from 1906 to 1946, yielded no documented botches attributable to miscalculation, reinforcing the efficacy of his minimal-suffering protocol amid varying prisoner physiques, including those of wartime military offenders.^[11] Assistants, such as nephew Albert Pierrepoint, later corroborated the family's commitment to "painless" outcomes through such meticulous engineering, viewing extended agony as a failure of technique rather than intent.^[9]

Retirement and Later Years

Circumstances of Retirement

Thomas Pierrepoint concluded his tenure as an executioner in 1946, after serving on the Home Office list for 40 years since his initial appointment in 1906.^[9] At age 76, he was removed from the official list primarily due to his advanced age, which rendered continued service untenable under the system's requirements for reliability and physical capability.^[9] During his career, he had acted as principal executioner for 203 civilian hangings in England and Wales, alongside additional executions in Ireland, Scotland, and for U.S. servicemen during World War II.^[9] Concerns over Pierrepoint's fitness had surfaced in the preceding years, with prison authorities noting signs of physical decline that could compromise the precision demanded in executions. By 1940, the medical officer at Strangeways Prison had documented his trembling hands, prompting worries about his steadiness in performing the role. These issues, compounded by age, necessitated his retirement, after which his nephew Albert Pierrepoint assumed the position of chief executioner.^[9] Post-retirement, Pierrepoint voiced frustration over the absence of a pension for executioners, a grievance he raised without success despite his long service to the state. This lack of financial recognition highlighted the precarious and undercompensated nature of the profession, where fees were modest—typically around £10 per execution shared with an assistant—and offered no provisions for later years. Pierrepoint lived for another eight years following his retirement, dying on 11 February 1954.^[9]

Death and Personal Life Reflections

Thomas Pierrepoint married Elizabeth Binns in 1892 in Bradford, Yorkshire, and the couple resided in the Clayton area near Manchester before settling in Bradford; they had at least two daughters.^[5]^[3] Pierrepoint maintained a low public profile outside his professional duties, working in civilian trades such as grocery during non-execution periods, consistent with the family's approach to balancing the secretive role of executioner with ordinary life.^[3] He retired from the Home Office list of executioners in 1946 after approximately 320 executions over four decades, transitioning to private life without documented public commentary on his experiences, unlike his nephew Albert who later authored memoirs critiquing capital punishment.^[9] Pierrepoint's personal demeanor reflected the family's emphasis on stoic professionalism, with no recorded expressions of remorse or ethical qualms, preserving the operational secrecy typical of official hangmen who viewed the task as a detached public service.^[3] Pierrepoint died on 11 February 1954 at the age of 83 in his daughter's home in Bradford, Yorkshire, marking the end of his branch's direct involvement in the Pierrepoint executioner dynasty that spanned three generations.^[9]^[20] His death closed a chapter on Britain's long reliance on familial expertise in capital punishment, with historical accounts noting the Pierrepoints' efficiency but highlighting the psychological toll inferred from the trade's isolation, though Pierrepoint himself left no personal writings to substantiate such reflections.^[3]

Legacy and Evaluations

Contributions to the Justice System

Thomas Pierrepoint served as an executioner in the British justice system from 1906 to 1946, conducting 321 executions as principal operator and assisting at 157 others, thereby ensuring the reliable enforcement of court-mandated capital sentences during a period when hanging remained the prescribed method for murder convictions.^[11] His appointment as Chief Executioner in 1941 positioned him to oversee executions amid wartime disruptions, including the handling of 13 U.S. soldiers convicted by military tribunals and hanged at Shepton Mallet prison for crimes such as murder and rape, which supported Allied military justice processes integrated with British facilities.^[11]^[21] Pierrepoint's professional practices emphasized operational efficiency, with contemporary accounts praising specific executions—for instance, the 1931 hanging of Solomon Stein at Strangeways Prison—as completing in approximately five seconds from pinioning to drop, minimizing procedural delays inherent to the gallows setup.^[12] Reports from Irish prison authorities, where he conducted several hangings under reciprocal agreements, described his work as "most efficient and satisfactory," executed "without a hitch of any kind" and prioritizing speed to align with legal requirements for prompt implementation.^[22] This approach contributed to the standardization of execution protocols by reducing variability in timing and technique, which prison officials viewed as essential for maintaining order and fulfilling judicial mandates without prolonging condemned individuals' anticipation.^[23] In applying the long-drop method, Pierrepoint calculated drops based on the prisoner's weight and physique to induce cervical dislocation—evident in cases like the 1928 execution of a convict where second and third cervical vertebrae were dislocated—aiming for rapid unconsciousness and death over slower strangulation seen in pre-19th-century short-drop hangings.^[12] Such precision, refined through familial experience from his brother Henry, supported the justice system's intent under capital statutes to administer punishment decisively while adhering to evolving norms against gratuitous cruelty, as drops were tailored to approximate 1,200 to 1,400 foot-pounds of force for optimal spinal severance.^[12] His tenure thus facilitated consistent application of the death penalty across domestic and military contexts until abolition debates intensified post-1945.^[11]

Debates on Capital Punishment Efficacy

Thomas Pierrepoint's tenure as chief executioner exemplified the British justice system's commitment to administering capital punishment with professional precision, yet his career unfolded amid ongoing debates over its overall efficacy in deterring serious crime. Proponents during the early 20th century argued that the death penalty's severity and irrevocability served as a unique general deterrent, surpassing alternatives like life imprisonment, with public opinion polls and surveys from the era reflecting widespread belief in this effect among the British populace.^[24] This view aligned with retributive principles and the observed low recidivism among executed offenders—zero, by definition—ensuring permanent incapacitation, though critics countered that such outcomes merely prevented individual reoffense without broader causal impact on crime rates. Pierrepoint's execution of over 300 individuals, often calculated to induce instantaneous death via long-drop hanging, was cited by supporters as enhancing the penalty's credibility through humane efficiency, potentially amplifying its psychological deterrent weight under rational choice frameworks where perceived certainty and swiftness outweigh mere severity.^[22] Empirical assessments of capital punishment's deterrent efficacy remain contested, with historical UK data providing limited causal evidence. Analyses of British Army executions during World War I, for instance, yielded scant support for reduced desertions or mutinies attributable to the practice, highlighting challenges in isolating effects amid confounding variables like wartime morale and enforcement rigor.^[25] Postwar econometric studies, often employing panel data and regression discontinuity designs, have produced mixed results: some estimate each execution averts 3–18 homicides by increasing the expected cost of crime, while others find no marginal effect beyond lengthy incarceration.^[26] Institutions like mainstream criminology departments, which exhibit systemic left-leaning biases favoring rehabilitative over punitive measures, predominantly emphasize null findings, yet these overlook first-principles considerations such as asymmetric incentives in offender decision-making, where the finality of death may uniquely deter high-risk actors immune to lesser threats.^[27] In the UK context relevant to Pierrepoint's era, murder rates in England and Wales hovered around 0.5–1.0 per 100,000 population from 1900–1920, showing no pronounced decline correlating with execution volumes, which averaged 10–20 annually despite Pierrepoint's contributions.^[28] This stability fueled abolitionist arguments that capital punishment failed as a specific or general deterrent, a position later echoed by family member Albert Pierrepoint, who, after hundreds of executions, concluded in his memoirs that it achieved "nothing but revenge" and did not curb crime, as steady demand for his services implied persistent offending.^[28] Defenders, however, stress that low execution certainty—due to appeals, reprieves, and selective application—undermines potential effects, per Becker's crime model, where optimal deterrence requires high probability of severe punishment; Pierrepoint's role mitigated botched procedures (near-zero under his oversight), but systemic rarity limited broader impact. Ultimately, while incapacitative efficacy for the condemned is indisputable, general deterrence lacks consensus, with causal realism demanding rigorous controls for socioeconomic confounders absent in early 20th-century data.^[29]

Criticisms, Defenses, and Family Influence

Thomas Pierrepoint faced criticisms in his later career for perceived lapses in professional decorum and efficiency. In 1942, the governor of Wandsworth Prison reported that Pierrepoint's executions were conducted with excessive haste and abruptness, turning the process into an "unpleasant episode of drastic efficiency," as assistants had little time to position themselves before the trapdoor release.^[30] Similar concerns arose at Leeds jail between 1942 and 1944, where his speed was attributed to efforts to demonstrate competence at age 72, prompting a Prison Commission investigation.^[30] Additionally, he was twice reported to have smelled strongly of alcohol during duties, raising questions about his reliability.^[30] Earlier, in 1926, Pierrepoint drew rebuke for boasting about his execution record in correspondence, implying guaranteed payment even if reprieves occurred after arrival at the prison, which violated implicit codes against soliciting or touting business.^[31]^[8] Defenses of Pierrepoint emphasized his overall proficiency and the rarity of mishaps in a career spanning over 300 executions from 1906 to 1946. Some prison governors commended his methods as "expeditious and efficient," contrasting with isolated complaints and underscoring his role in standardizing quick, minimally distressing hangings during a period when botched executions were more common under prior hangmen.^[30] These evaluations aligned with the Pierrepoint family's reputation for technical precision, as evidenced by Thomas's successful handling of high-profile cases, including 13 of 16 U.S. military hangings at Shepton Mallet prison during World War II.^[32] The Pierrepoint family's multigenerational involvement in execution profoundly shaped Thomas's career and the profession's practices. Born into a lineage where his father James Billington served as England's chief executioner from 1884 to 1900, Thomas entered the role in 1906 at his brother Henry's urging, who had himself become an executioner in 1901 after assisting their uncle.^[1] This familial tradition, spanning three generations and over 800 executions collectively, provided Thomas with inherited knowledge of drop calculations and apparatus, enabling the family's dominance as preferred hangmen for British, Irish, and military authorities from the early 1900s to the 1950s.^[8] Thomas, in turn, mentored his nephew Albert Pierrepoint, who assisted in his first execution in December 1932 and later succeeded him, perpetuating refinements in technique that prioritized swift neck fracture over strangulation.^[1] The dynasty's influence extended to policy, as their consistent performance influenced prison officials' preferences, though it also amplified scrutiny on individual conduct within the secretive trade.^[8]

References

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Seddon was hanged by John Ellis and Thomas Pierrepoint at Pentonville Prison on 18 April 1912. Wikipedia.org. Arsenic: Frederick Henry Seddon. Year: 1911.
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