The following case is more remarkable for resuscitation after execution than even the flagitious life of the condemned. Though some doubt may arise of her guilt regarding the crime of which she was convicted, none can be entertained of her being restored to existence after having hanged the usual time, and enjoying life more than thirty years afterwards.
This remarkable woman was the daughter of poor parents, who lived at Musselburgh, about five miles from Edinburgh, and who brought up their child in the practice of religious duties, having instructed her in such household business as was likely to suit her future situation in life. The village of Musselburgh is almost entirely inhabited by gardeners, fishermen, and persons employed in making salt. The husbands having prepared the several articles for sale, the wives carry them to Edinburgh, and procure a subsistence by crying them through the streets of that city. When Margaret Dixon had attained years of maturity, she was married to a fisherman, by whom she had several children; but, there being a want of seamen, her husband was impressed into the naval service; and, during his absence from Scotland, his wife had an illicit connexion with a man at Musselburgh, in consequence of which she became pregnant.
At this time it was the law in Scotland that a woman known to have been unchaste should sit in a distinguished place in the church, on three Sundays, to be publicly rebuked by the minister; and many poor infants have been destroyed because the mother dreaded this public exposure,* particularly as many Scotch ladies went to church to be witnesses of the frailty of a sister, who were never seen there on any other occasion.
The neighbours of Mrs. Dixon averred that she was with child; but this she constantly denied, though there was every appearance that might warrant the discrediting what she said. At length, however, she was delivered of a child; but it is uncertain whether it was born alive or not.
Be this as it may, she was taken into custody, and lodged in the gaol of Edinburgh. When her trial came on, several witnesses deposed that she had been frequently pregnant; others proved that there were signs of her having been delivered, and that a new-born infant had been found dead near the place of her residence.
The jury, giving credit to the evidence against her, brought in a verdict of guilty; in consequence of which she was doomed to suffer.
After her condemnation she behaved in the most penitent manner, confessed that she had been guilty of many sins, and even owned that she had departed from the line of duty to her husband; but she constantly and steadily denied that she had murdered her child, or even formed an idea of so horrid a crime. She owned that the fear of being exposed to the ridicule of her neighbours in the church had tempted her to deny that she was pregnant; and she said that, being suddenly seized with the pains of child-birth, she was unable to procure the assistance of her neighbours; and that a state of insensibility ensued, so that it was impossible she should know what became of the infant.
At the place of execution her behaviour was consistent with her former declaration. She avowed her total innocence of the crime of which she was convicted, but confessed the sincerest sorrow for all her other sins.
After execution her body was cut down and delivered to her friends, who put it into a coffin, and sent it in a cart to be buried at her native place; but, the weather being sultry, the persons who had the body in their care stopped to drink at a village called Pepper Mill, about two miles from Edinburgh. While they were refreshing themselves, one of them perceived the lid of the coffin move, and, uncovering it, the woman immediately sat up, and most of the spectators ran off, with every sign of trepidation.
It happened that a person who was then drinking in the public house had recollection enough to bleed her. In about an hour she was put to bed; and by the following morning she was so lar recovered as to be able to walk to her own house.
By the Scottish law, which is in part founded on that of the Romans, a person against whom the judgment of the Court has been executed can suffer no more in future, but is thenceforward totally exculpated; and it is likewise held that the marriage is dissolved by the execution of the convicted party; which indeed is consistent with the ideas that common sense would form on such an occasion.
Mrs. Dixon, then, having been convicted and executed as above mentioned, the king's advocate could prosecute her no farther; but he filed a bill in the High Court of Justiciary against the sheriff, for omitting to fulfil the law. The husband of this revived convict married her publicly a few days after she was hanged! and she constantly denied that she had been guilty of the alleged crime. She was living as late as the year 1753. This singular transaction took place in the year 1728.
* This proves, in a striking manner, the value of our Foundling Hospital in London, which has, doubtless, been the means of saving numbers of infants who would otherwise have been destroyed.
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