The National Register. — London, England, 1820-08-07 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF NESBETT. MAIDSTOT4I, Monday. July 31.—This wretched crimi nal mirrendertd his lite to day to the outraged laws of his country. From the complication of crimes of which lie was convicted, and from the probability that the murder of Mr. Parker and his housekeeper was not the first in stance in which lie had been Guilty of a violation of the laws, great curiosity prevailed to witness his execution, a the expectation that, if he had not previously made any confession, he would in his last monicuts be induced to reveal the particulars of his guilt. It is gratifying to know, that in the interval which elapsed between his condemnation and his execution a considerable change took place in his frame of mind and general deportment. On lesving the Court on Friday last, after receiving sentence, he evinced the seine levity, the same hardened ferocity of disposition, that had marked big conduct during his confinement before the trial. So Insensible was lie of his awful situation, that on being placed in the cart which was to convey him back from the court-house to the gaol, feeling himself annoyed by the gaze of the spectators, he exclaimed in a peevish and mirky tone of voice to the turnkey who had charge of the cart, " DI ive away like hell, and let's get out of this as quickly as possible!" But when replaced in his cell, and allowed an opportunity of reflecting quietly on his fate, be found It impossible to retain fiat indifference which be had hitherto assumed. He became restless and agitated, but still he evinced no symptoms of contrition. Indeed, • circumstance which the vigilance of his keepers detected, showed that at this very moment lie was medi tating on the means of adding ate other crime to the black catalogue of his former offelnces, by anticipating the sentence of the law. He had called fora pipe of to bacco, sad on a refusal, he repeated the request in so urgent • manner that the suspicions of his attendants were aroused. They accordingly began to animism the cell in the first place, and in one of the corners they dis covered the handle of the saucepan in which his victuals were initially brought to him. The tin tuhe forming the handle of the putt had been taken off, and was perforated near the lower end; and this instrument was immediately suspected to have been constructed by the prisoner as a rade, though certainly an ingenious, substitute for a pis tol. His person was instantly searched, when he thrust Into the hand of the turnkey a quantity of gunpowder, wrapped up in • paper, and a couple of marbles, which bad been imaided to supply the place of ballets. Various conjectures have been made as to the manner in which he was supplied with the powderand marbles; a very general suspicion attaches to his mother, who had seen him a short time previous to his trial. It is most probable, however, that the articles were conveyed to him by some p e rs on i n the Court, while lie stood iu the dock. 'Chose who have bad the best means of knowing the character of the par ties certainly favour the former supposition ; and if out ward appearances formed a just criterion of moral char acter, one would be justified in concluding that the mo ther was a person capable of such an act. She is a wo man of almost gigantic tallness; of a perfectly upright figure, though apparently more than 70 years of age: her features are sharp, haggard, and of a peculiarly un salable expression. Upon the whole, her appearance irresistibly forces on the mind the portrait which the author of Gag Mannering has drawn of that wild and al most supernatural being Meg Merilies. In consequence of this attempt to destroy himself.— Neshett was stripped of the dress which lie had hitherto worn, with the exception of shirt and stockings ; and on being conveyed on the same evening to the same con demned cell, lie was furnished with a prison-dress, and heavily ironed. During Friday night he was extremely agitated, and was unable to sleep. In that state lie con tinued during Saturday, and the greater part of Sunday. He joined in prayer with the Rev. Mr. Harker, the chap lain of the gaol, and professed to be sincere in his devo tions; butstill lie persisted in denying that he committed the murder for which he was to suffer. About six o'clock on Sunday evening his wife and children arrived front Woolwich to take leave of him. The interview was dis tressing beyond description, and on this occasion he evinced a greater degree of feeling than lie had previously shown. lie wept much on embracing them ; and when his wife implored him not to die with a falsehood on hie lips, he promised to I the whole colitis guilt before he died. Hie family consists of four daughters and two sons —the eldest about 18 years, and the youngest only 10 months old. After kis family bad taken leave of him, be made a full confession of his guilt. Some cf the particulars which he soestannieated are said to be very Important, and the whole of his Statements, for the przsent, kept strictly secret. Various rumours are, of course, in circulation respecting the nature of his confession, to which it would be equally improper to give publicity, whether they he 11l or well founded. After his mind had been disburdened of the load of guilt which had pressed so heavily on it, he became more composed, and joined in the exercises of devotion with more fixed attention, and apparently with a greaser degree of intelligence, than lie had hitherto evinced. Oct Sunday night he slept fur more than two hours and this morning he was more tranquil than usual. The Rev. Mr. Harker, whose buntline exertions in adminlsteting to him the consolation of religion, have all along been unremitted, attended him at six o'clock, and remained with him till eight. He returned again at nine o'clock, to assist him in preparing for the last awful trial of his fortitude. At a quarter past eleven the unhappy culprit was placed in a waggon, to be drawn to the place of execution, on Pennenden-heath, aboat a mile front iklaidstote gaol.— The executioner was placed by his side, and two officers with loaded carabines were also seated in the waggon, fronting the criminal. His dress was the same that he had worn during his trial, consisting of a blue coat, a yellow waistcoat, a white neckcloth, and top hoots.— Before he left the prison lie had requested the turnkey to give him a book : a prayer -book was accordingly offered Lim, but at his request it was exchanged for a Bible ; this Bible lie held in his hand when he appeared in :he wag on, and lie seemed to peru se it w i t h great d evot i on . His countenance was Noshed, and his manlier exiselliPly agitated. As the pi ison-gate unfolded to allow the vlag• gon to pass, he got the first view of the assembled erowc that wet, waiting outside, and he was so strongly affected by the sight that lie could not refrain from tears. On each side of the waggon was placed a file of pikemen ; the governor of the gaol, and a I sheriff's otficers, rode immediately bebirwl; the chaplain and tie sheriff deputy followed in canines. ~.~ _- THE NATIONAL REGISTER. In this order the procession moved slowly towards the heath, the criminal frequently turning up his eyes to Heaver', and ejaculating " 0 Lord, have mercy upon me! Christ, have mercy upon me!" About lOJ yards from the prison-gate his mother caught his eye in the crowd. He did not appear to be much moved at seeing her, but bent his bead towards one of the officers who sat before him, and said, " Mind, tell Mr. Bowen to do something for my family." The procession arrived at the place of execu tion about ten minutes before 12, and the waggon was drawn up along the side of the scaffold The chaplain then joined the criminal in prayer, and the stillest silence pervaded tl.e immense crowd, who stood uncovered while the servied was reading. The criminal, who had knelt det•in by Mr. Harkei's side, joined in the prayers with as mach fervour as his agitation would permit. His hands were clasped together and uplifted, and his eyes nitre sometimes directed downwards to the book in the chap lain's hand, as if lie did not understand what was read; occasionally they were turned up to heaven, but during the greater part of the time they wandered unconsciously over the crowd, without any definite direction. When the devotions were closed, and the criminal was about to be removed from the waggon, lie observed near him Mr. Hry, the b k master of Woolwich, and said he wished to speak to him. Mr. Hay came forward and said, "For God's sake, Nesbett, be sincere; consider what you are about, and tell the truth." He replied, " I have told the truth already, and nothing but the truth. My family knows nothing of my guilt, and I hope you will do something for them." Mr. Hay asked him it' lie had confessed his guilt ; and he replied, " I have confessed it to another person." He then mounted the stage with a firm step, and the executioner proceeded to put a cap over his eyes, and to adjust the rope round his neck. Having seen Nlr. Bowen, of Woolwich, near the scaffold, he called to him, and said, " Mr. Bowen, I hope you will have some regard to my family. Poor things! they arc innocent. None that belongs to me knows any thing of my doings." Mr. Bowen called to bins to confess his crime, on which he replied, " I have made all the confeg • *ion I had to make. That will be known after I ant gone. The people is convenient that has it. It is enough for one person to know." At five minutes after 12 o'clock the fatal signal was given. He did not seem to suffer more than one minute. The body, after hanging the usual Iliac, was cot down, and conveyed in a shell to Messrs. Day and ‘Vaison's, to be anatomized, pursuant to his sentence. Previously to his trial, Nesbett hail prepared the fol lowing declaration, in his own hand-writing, to be deli vered to Mr. Hay, the harmck-master at Woolwich, an intelligent and humane gentleman, who was anxious to have it ascertained that the family of the murderer were not implicated in his guilt:— " Maidstone, the 45th July, 182 Q " This is the truth, u I have God to melt in the next world, let me Be Gilty or Not, no one of my family, father or mother wife or Childem or any &Quoit of mine knowes whether I am Gilty or Not of the Crime that is laid to my Charge, that is the mourder of Mr. Parker and his House keepr or any other part of that Crime that is laid to my Charge, or any other Crime that is laid to me, as God has my soul in his Charge this Dty to try my Gilt that is the truth, and I hope no one will Cast it ap to my wife or Childer, for the Do not Do,ervit. I sine this to be truth "JAMES NESBET." Addressed for —Mr. nay !wick Muter Woolwich Kent." Endorsed in the hand-writing of Mr. Hay, but the diction of the prisoner : "As I have this Bible in my hand, and God to meet, I declare the contents of this paper are true. "JAMES NESBET. " Maidstone Gaol, 46th July, 1840." " Witness, STEPHEN PAGE, Turnkey. 1)oltre. '' . ..P . ' GUILDHALL Rossaa or Ma. JOHNSON'S FOUNDRT.—George Kirkland, a young man, on Friday underwent a final examination before Sir James Shaw, on a charge of hay mite stolen property to a considerable amount belonging to Messrs. Johnson and Co. brass.founders, New Street Square. Robert Bitrns,shopman to Mrs. Morrit, pawnbroker, in Lung Acre, stated, that some days ago the pi boner pledged a pair of bronze candlesticks at their shop.- -The witness remarked that they were very goad bronze, and asked where the prisoner lived. The prisoner replied that they were his own make and property, and that he lived at No. 5, in Brown low Street. The witness suspected that the prisoner's account of himself was not quite she truth, and he took the trouble pogo to Bromduty Street, hut !mind that no such person lived there. He subsequently, however, saw a man at that place, who was in the em ploy of Messrs. Johnson and Co. and by whom he was informed that the prisoner also was in tile employ of the firm. The witnesi desired the labourer to give intima twit to his employers of the articles the prisoner had been pledging. David I mill, head clerk to Messrs. Johnson and Co. stated, that in consequence of the intimation winch had been reetivcd from Mr. Burns, he looked over their stock, and missed property to the amount of nearly 4W. Being inform. d that the prisoner had lieeti pledging property of the description missed, he was taken into custody. They were infuruied that sfmie eai.dlestieks of heir ni mufacture had been seen at a sale shop in White cross Street. B. Fletcher, who !teepg a sale shop in Whiteeross street, produced two pair of bronze eandlosiick., which he had bought of the prisoner for 30s. A servant of Mr. Citatters, pawnbroker, produced a pair of bronze candlesticks, wiiich the prisober had pledg,d at their shop. The prisoner said, he bad been ruined by bad com pany. Sir James Shaw regretted the obligation which he was under of sending an tuiforitinate mall like the pri soner to the Old Bailey. but it was his impenous duty to send him to take his trial for the offence. Sir James said, the conduct of Burns, the shoimiau, was highly commendable. The prisoner was fully committed for trial. IM•11, •••1110.....-. 953 •-• , WARWICK ASSIZES, Mouth Eversisse. The Judges arrived here on Saturday, and immedi ately afterwards opened the commissicni of assize. Yes terday they attended divine service at St. Mary's church. The calendar of the prisoners in the county gaol to be tried at this assize contains the names of seventy-foot individuals ; but the crimes of which they are accused. with a few exceptions, are not of an aggravated nature. They are most of them petty robberies, but we are sorry to say that there are no less than five accused of forgeries. vt o of the) forgeries are upon the Bank of England , the othee three are upon the Sturminster and Dorchester batik, kept by Messrs. %Vary, Colbourn and Best. An itiiintilual is also charged with haying conspited, last February, to put into circulation several 51. notes o f the said bank, which he knew had been stolen front it There are also three cases for uttering forged notes, which the parties knew to be forged. But the promi nent feature of these assizes is the political cases, of which there are no less than eight to be tried. The first is an indictment against a person named Brandis, who was a member of the Birmingham Union • Society, for publishing an inflammatory Address to the Reformers. The second case is the King v. Edmonds. The de fendant is charged in this oasis with publishing a. sedi tious libel upon the magistrates of Birmingham. The third case is the King v. Lewis (the editor of the Coversiry Recorder), for a seditious libel published is • that work, which called upon the people to arm against the tyrant boroughniongels, the seat-buyets and sellers - in the House or Commons. _ . The fourth cause is the King v. Russell, a bookseller at Birmingham (who wcs tried 12 months ago for pub- . fishing Hone s Political Litany), for vending one of Carlisle's Republicans, which libelled the Kin 4. &c. The fifth is the cause of the Ki:ig v. George Hagg, a bookseller at Biriiiiiiehain, for publishing one of the numbers of the Republican. The sixth indictment is against Osborne, a bookseller at Birmingham, for publishing a number of the Black. . Book. The Bank of Ireland refuses to take guineas in lodgments or payments at the Bank. The reason is - obvious, the change being so low between this country and England ; guineas are thew lodged this day at 5,1 per cent., and drawn out to-morrow at par, by which an enormous profit is made by the persons holding them. To prevent a recurrence of this, the Bank has judged it prudent, for the present, to declthe taking auy more guineas. At Cheltenham Races twelve horses started for the Gloucestershire, Stakes of 25 guineas each, 100 guineas added, 56 subscribers. This proved a hard contested and most excellent race; but the pleasure imparted by it was much damped by an unfortu nate accident : as the horses were coming in, the persons appointed to prevent a rush of horsemen following the racers, raised the rope for that pur pose just as the last horse, (Mr. Edward's Fanny). was crossing, and the horse and rider were both thrown. The latter received so much injury that no hopes are entertained of his recovery. SMALL-POl.—During the last month of July the deaths by small-pox in the bills of mortality amounted to 57, of which the middle week was the most severe, the loss having then amounted to 24 in . T days ! The fatality has since abated. One of the pugilistic tribe was taken before a Magistrate at Norwich, last weak, charged with having sent a letter to a weaver with a challenge, to provoke him to fight. On being asked if he signed his name at the bottom of the letter, he replied in the negative, and said it was always his custom to —mate his stars. His Worship dismissed the complaint. On Thursday a requisition (signed by npwards of 100 persons) was presented to the Right Worshipful the Mayor of Worcester, (E. Isaac, Esq.) requesting him to convene a common.hall, for the purpose of voting an address of condolence and congratulation to her Majesty the Queen. The Mayor informed them that he could not, consistently with his sense of public duty, comply with their request. The requisitionists being thus disappointed, a meeting took place at the Rein Deer on. Monday, when an address was agreed to. A letter from Corsica, datedtl6th ult. states, that a fleet, supposed to be Algerines, consisting of five armed vessels, passed before that place, and appeared to shape their course for the Tuscan coast, and had captured three Tuscan vessels. BRIGHTON, A uo. I.—A gentleman of the name of Hyde, a passenger on blard the Elizabeth packet, just arrived in our roads front Dieppe, was, by a sudden gust of wind, blown overboard, whilst in the act of getting into a boat purposely sent from shore, as is customary at this place. Every' effort to save hint was ineffectual, from the violence of a strong south-westerly wind, which has been preva lent all day. Brighten is, at this moment, not very much frequented. An extraordinary phenomenon wee lately observed at Augsburg. At daybreak two luminous bodies appeared on each side of the sun. The sun itself was surrounded by a brilliant circle not entirely closed. In the evening, from 38 minutes after. six to within 17 minutes after.seven, the gronad. was . Covered with transparent dew ; and nftes :Input 4. thick fog arose