How an execution could fail twice under Dutch authority

In 1872, a Chinese plantation worker named Lijk-Wan faced execution in Suriname for murder, but the execution failed twice due to technical errors. The first attempt saw the rope break, and the second attempt also failed when the knot slipped. Lijk-Wan's case highlights issues with the execution process, including the difficulty in finding a qualified executioner and the improper handling of the execution equipment. Ultimately, his death sentence was commuted to 20 years of hard labor, and he was released in 1881, later becoming a respected shopkeeper.