Age:
Sex: male
Crime: murder
Date Of Execution: 10 Mar 1884
Execution Place: Liverpool
Method: unknown
Executioner: unknown
Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20070624062456/http://www.fred.net/jefalvey/execute.h
1884
March 10th: Michael McLEAN (18)
Liverpool
McLean was one of a gang of Liverpool street corner hooligans who set upon two Spanish sailors as they made their way back to their ship at Liverpool docks on 5 January. One made it back unharmed, but when the other, Jose Jimenez, failed to return, a search party was set up. Police had already discovered the body and soon had the four youths in custody. Jimenez's companion was able to testify that McLean was the ringleader and the other three were released. McLean was hanged by Binns, who had arrived at the prison drunk. The Governor had taken the precaution of contacting Samuel Heath, who waited on stand-by. Despite Heath's presence, and Binn's drunken state, he still carried out the execution, botching it so badly that McLean took twenty minutes to die through strangulation. Following a complaint filed by the Governor, Binns was dismissed.
