Cheating death "Half-hanged Maggie" (6 photos)

Is it possible to make things up, get a death sentence, resurrect and become a national symbol? And all this for quite short period of time. Quite. At least "Half-Hanged" Maggie handled it effortlessly.





Margaret Dixon was still very young and full of plans when her life ended on the gallows of Edinburgh's town square (Scotland). It was September 2, 1724. But when the body was placed in coffin for burial, she woke up, which surprised her compatriots a lot.



The girl was born near Edinburgh in 1702. Growing up, she got married and moved south of her native city. Went work in a hotel. It seems like life is getting better. And later a few months, a 23-year-old woman was abandoned by her husband.

Margaret entered into a close relationship with the owner establishments where she worked. And as expected, she got pregnant. For that period time to give birth out of wedlock was a terrible shame. You could even go to jail get in. So when the baby was born, Maggie wrapped him in sheet and threw it into the river.

It is clear that living in society, it is difficult to hide something from others. of people. No matter how Dixon concealed her position, he was noticed. And a neighbor informed the guards.

Maggie was taken into custody, and when a body was found on the shore child, she did not deny it. It was clear that the law had been broken. forbidding to hide pregnancy, and murders. The woman pressed on that I didn’t have time to call for help - they were too fast childbirth. And the baby was born dead. For sure install this a fact for medicine of that level was not possible. Surgeon, who did a superficial examination, believed that the newborn was breathing. Maggie was sentenced to death.





It is believed that the woman paid the executioner to tighten loop a little less tight. And stuck her fingers in there, eliminating asphyxia. The version is controversial, since it is very difficult to hang imperceptibly in this position. problematic. In addition, a woman after childbirth.



I must say that for the right to take the body happened almost battle. Rodna managed to recapture the corpse, which was claimed medical students who experienced an eternal shortage in the dead, the necessary for openings.

The family won, but the funeral did not take place: halfway home moans began to come from the box. Having recovered a little, Maggie got out and The rest of the way was done on foot.



The surgeon who examined the woman confirmed that she almost completely healthy. Because Dixon survived death and, consider born again, then the second court wrote off all her previous sins, annulled the marriage, and the people immediately made possible criminal national heroine. Affairs in the hotel, where the "Half-Hanged Maggie, as she was called, worked, went perfectly. The people poured in, to look at the miraculously resurrected woman.



Margaret remarried, had children, and lived to advanced years for that time, having left the mortal world when she was over 60. An amazing story was recorded and put on the plate of the Edinburgh pub Maggie Dickson, providing a woman, if not eternal, then a very long life is already a symbol.