Infamous Last Words: Philip Danforth Armour, Sr. (1832–1901)

Infamous Last Words:

Philip Danforth Armour, Sr. (1832–1901) was an American meatpacking industrialist who founded the Chicago-based firm of Armour & Company. His company is known for its attempt to suppress Upton Sinclair’s muckraking novel The Jungle.* This novel describes the plight of Lithuanian immigrants working in the dangerous and unsanitary conditions of the Chicago meatpacking industry

Last Words: “If this is Heaven, why are there so many Lithuanians here?”

* see Earl Lee’s forward to The Jungle: The Uncensored Original Edition (2003)

Infamous Last Words: Philip Danforth Armour, Sr. (1832–1901)

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Infamous Last Words: George Appel (1886-1928)

Infamous Last Words:

George Appel (1886-1928) was convicted of first-degree murder for killing a police officer in New York City in 1928. He was sentenced to death in the electric chair.

Last Words: “All the ladies love baked apples.”

Infamous Last Words: George Appel (1886-1928)
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Infamous Last Words: St. Apollonia (d. 249 CE)

Infamous Last Words:

St. Apollonia (d. 249 CE) was a Christian saint, who was much regarded in the Early Church and whom “old age and the state of virginity rendered equally venereal, as she was seized and tortured by the pagans of Alexandria.”

According to The Lives of the Saints and the usual questionable sources, “At last they made a great fire in the manner of Nero, without the city, and threatened to cast her into the flames, if she did not utter certain impious words against Jesus. She begged a moment’s delay, as if she was considering their proposal. But, once she was free of her bondage and as soon as she found herself at liberty, then of her own accord she committed suicide by leaping into the flames.”

Last Words: “Take your hands off me, and give me some time to think it over.”

Some scholars have questioned this, as her teeth had already been knocked out. The repeated blows on her jaws had beaten out all her teeth, and some years later she was recognized by the Vatican as “the patron saint of dentistry.”

Infamous Last Words: St. Apollonia (d. 249 CE)
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Infamous Last Words: Albert Anselmi (1883–1929)

Infamous Last Words:

Albert Anselmi (1883–1929) was a Chicago mobster who became a hitman during the Prohibition era. He worked for Al Capone and was probably involved with the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.  Just before his death, he said:

 “Not me, Al, not me! Honest to God, it was his idea. Believe me, Al, I wouldn’t….”

Anselmi was beaten to death with a baseball bat, along with John Scalise and Joseph Giunta.

Infamous Last Words: Albert Anselmi (1883–1929)
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Infamous Last Words: Anaxarchus (380–320 BCE)

Infamous Last Words:

Anaxarchus (380–320 BCE) was a philosopher of ancient Greece, and a follower of the school of Democritus and a skeptic. He was also was a friend of Alexander the Great. Forced to lie in Cyprus (the Greek island) Anaxarchus was captured by his enemies, placed in a burlap sack, and beaten to death with the large iron phalluses used in the worship of the goddess Hera. Just before his death, he said:

 “Pound, Pound, Pound. Oh, come on. Harder you lazy cunts!”

Infamous Last Words: Anaxarchus (380–320 BCE)
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Infamous Last Words: Kingsley Amis (1922-1995)

Infamous Last Words:

Sir Kingsley Amis (1922-1995) was an English novelist and teacher. He wrote more than 20 novels, 6 volumes of poetry, and various other artistic stuff—along with works of social and literary criticism. He died of 73 injuries sustained in a fall on an escalator in London. Just before his death, Amis said:

 “Oh, come on!”

This was probably his briefest statement on any topic of significance (at least to him) in his long and industrious career.

Infamous Last Words: Kingsley Amis (1922-1995)

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Infamous Last Words: Fisher Ames (1758–1808)

Infamous Last Words:

Fisher Ames (1758–1808) was a congressman from Massachusetts. He was a Federalist and noted speech-maker. Ames, on his deathbed, said:

“I have peace of mind. It may arise from stupidity, but I think it is founded on a belief of the  Gospel.”

Nailed it.

Infamous Last Words: Fisher Ames (1758–1808)