Aaron Mahnke

The idea was that hanging was more humane.

It was quicker.

An efficient, merciful way to die.

But unfortunately, no matter how painless an execution method may be, even death itself has a way of going terribly awry.

Mary Martin was only 22 when she climbed the Boston gallows.

She was a servant girl who had become pregnant with her employer's child.

And for a poor, unmarried woman in 1647, well, that was basically a death sentence in itself.

And so desperate to put the whole thing behind her, Mary had killed the child on the very day it was born.

First, she tried to smother the infant, but when that failed, she resorted to dashing it on the floor.

And yet it was all for naught.

The tiny body was still found and Mary was sentenced to hang.

But here's the thing.

When the time came for Mary's big drop, it did not end up being that big at all.

That is, the executioner had made the rope too short.

And so rather than a clean snap, Mary just dangled there.

One witness said that after swinging for a while, she choked out a few words, asking what they intended to do next.

Of course, the answer was to try again.

And this second time, it stuck.

Not a great look for the Massachusetts justice system, but hey, at least one guy found the whole affair rather fitting.

Cotton Mather of the Salem Witch Trials fame.