Alexander Pearce

Born in the 1790, Alexander Pearce was a convict who escaped from prison for several times but was eventually captured and sent to his death by hanging for the murders that he committed. He was also known for cannibalizing his fellow escapees.

The Disturbing Story of Alexander Pearce

Pearce together with Alexander Dalton, John Mather, Robert Greenhill, Thomas Bodenham, Edward Brown, William Kennerly and Matthew Travers escaped from the Macquarie Harbour Penal Station. About 15 days after their escape, the group of escapee together with Alexander Pearce is starting to starve. They drew lots in order to know who would be killed to serve as a food. Thomas Bodenham was the unfortunate one to draw the shortest straw and Greenhill immediately hacked him with an axe.

After their feast Dalton, Kennerly and Brown left the group. Kennerly and Brown was able to reach the harbor but Dalton died due to exhaustion. On the other hand Greenhill and Travers are acting as the leader and it would only be a matter of time before they kill Pearce or Mather. Alexander Pearce had the brilliant idea to take the alliance of Greenhill and Travers that made Mather the obvious victim. While on their journey, Travers was bitten by a snake. After a few days that he is not showing any sign of recovery, the group decided to kill him.

One day, Pearce grabbed the axe to Greenhill and killed him. He then dined on his body. He later raided on a certain camp and stole their food. After sometime he came upon a sheep that apparently belong to an old friend. Alexander Pearce would eventually be caught and sent back to the prison.

While in prison, Alexander Pearce made a confession of cannibalizing his fellow escapees to a priest. However, the priest do not believe his account and thought that he might just covering up his fellow escapes and they are still out there in the woods.

Alexander Pearce escaped the second time, this time he was with Thomas Cox. After 10 days he was recaptured and placed into trial where he was proven guilty of murdering and cannibalizing Thomas Cox. At first they still do not believe the idea of cannibalism but when they found pieces of flesh on Pearce’s pocket that was believed to be of Thomas Cox all their doubts seemed to vanish. The court ordered him to be hanged on the crimes that he committed.

Before he was hanged, Alexander Pearce has a short parting word to those who are in attendance. He said that the flesh of man is delicious and claimed that it tastes better than the fish or even pork.