A gruesome history of capital punishment in Toronto

In 1798, John Sullivan, an illiterate Irish immigrant new to the town of York, was on a drinking spree with his friend Flannery, nicknamed "Latin Mike" for his habit of reciting quotations he had learned in church. During a spirited drinking bout, Flannery forged a note for three shillings and ninepence (less than a dollar) under the name "Fisk" and persuaded Sullivan to hand it in to the bank.

Successful, the pair spent the money on whisky at a local bar, but when they were found out Flannery fled town leaving his friend to take the fall. Sullivan was tried, convicted and hung from a makeshift rig on King Street opposite Toronto Street where a crowd of people in their best clothes had turned out to witness the spectacle. When he finally swung from the gallows — a poorly tied knot failed to kill him the first time — John Sullivan became the first recorded person to be executed in the town of York.

The history of execution in Toronto is a grisly one filled with tales of sickening murder, heinous and petty criminals.

Before the death penalty was officially repealed on July 14, 1976, more than 700 people had been executed for murder, theft, rape and other crimes in Canada. A number of hangings, 34 in total, took place at the Don Jail between 1908 and 1962.

Click here to read the full article

Source: blogTO, Feb. 3, 2012

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