Lynch mobs and public hangings -- On Lincoln's orders : Mankato's mass hanging -- The execution of Ann Bilansky -- The gallows reconsidered : executions versus life sentences -- The "midnight assassination law" -- The botched hanging of William Williams -- The abolition of capital punishment -- A travesty of justice : the Duluth lynchings
Summary
In Legacy of Violence, John D. Bessler takes us on a compelling journey through the history of lynchings and state-sanctioned executions that dramatically shaped Minnesotas past. Through personal accounts of those involved with the events, Bessler traces the history of both famous and lesser-known executions and lynchings in Minnesota, the states antideath penalty and anti-lynching movements, and the role of the media in the death penalty debate
