Lewis Hutchinson

Lewis Hutchinson (* 1733 in Scotland , † March 16, 1773 in Spanish Town , Jamaica ) was a Scottish immigrant in Jamaica. He is considered to be the first recorded serial killer in Jamaica's history.

Life

Childhood and youth

Hutchinson, also known as The Mad Master and The Mad Doctor of Edinburgh Castle , was born in Scotland in 1733, where he probably also studied medicine .

Criminal career

In the 1760s, Hutchinson came to Jamaica to run the Edinburgh Castle estate . It is said that he legally acquired the house (now in ruins) but stole his herd of cattle from roaming neighboring cattle. That wasn't the only accusation made against Hutchinson.

Shortly after Hutchinson's arrival in Jamaica, travelers began disappearing, and suspicions arose that Hutchinson might be responsible. Edinburgh Castle was the only inhabited place in the several kilometers long surrounding area of Saint Ann's Bay . Many travelers stopped at the property, not knowing they were a target for Hutchinson's rifle . You were attacked by the Mad Doctor . Hutchinson murdered for sheer fun, which is also known as thrill killing , as he killed passers-by of every race and social class.

What is true about Hutchinson's murders is controversial. He is said to have shot lonely hikers and feasted on the blood of his victims and divided them. He, or according to other sources, his slaves , would then have thrown the remains into a linden-leaved marshmallow or a sinkhole for the animals to eat. The sinkhole became known as Hutchinson's Hole . He is also said to have invited guests to be entertained before killing them.

Capture

Hutchinson was arrested by Admiral Rodney

Hutchinson's reputation for debauchery made him famous and many shunned him for fear. Tales of his slaves' terrible treatment and the gruesome details of the murders made him legendary. That was the reason why he was not caught until he shot the English soldier John Callendar who was trying to arrest him. After Callendar's murder, he fled south to Old Harbor and boarded a ship. The Royal Navy , commanded by Admiral Rodney , arrested him before he could escape.

Trial and Execution

Shortly after his capture, he was charged and found guilty. On March 16, 1773, he was hanged in Spanish Town . The final number of his victims is still unknown today. However, when searching the property, 43 pocket watches and many items of clothing were found. The records of the trial are in the State Archives of Jamaica.

literature

• Clinton Vane de Brosse Black: Tales of Old Jamaica . 1st edition. Longman Caribbean, Jamaica 1966, ISBN 978-0-00-211814-9 (English).
• Clinton Vane de Brosse Black: The History of Jamaica . 1st edition. Longman Caribbean, Jamaica 1988, ISBN 978-0-582-03898-1 (English).
• George Wilson Bridges: The Annals of Jamaica . 1st edition. John Murray, London 1828, OCLC 4612281 (English, Archive.org ).

Web links

• Lewis Hutchinson: The Mad Master (English)
• Jamaican Serial Killers: Lewis Hutchinson, aka, “The Mad Master of Edinburgh Castle” (English)
• Report by George Wilson Bridges from 1828 (English)

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{A b} Juan Ignacio Blanco: Lewis Hutchinson. Murderpedia, accessed December 2, 2012 . 
2. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Rebecca Tortello: Lewis Hutchinson: The Mad Master. (No longer available online.) In: Pieces of the Past. Jamaica Gleaner, November 6, 2002, archived from the original September 5, 2012 ; accessed on December 2, 2012 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
3. ↑ ^{a b} Edinburgh Castle. Jamaica National Heritage Trust, 2011, accessed December 2, 2012 . 
4. ↑ ^{a b} Dennis Gilman: Jamaica's Count Dracula. (No longer available online.) Gather, October 23, 2009, formerly the original ; accessed on December 2, 2012 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.