The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-08-20 00:00:00

EXECUTION AT DORCHESTER.

Thomas Ratcliffe was hung on Monday morning, at
eight o'clock, within the precincts of the Dorset runty
goal, at Dorchester. Calcraft, who arrived on Satur-
day night, was the executioner. Up to Stieday even-
ing it Was expected by many that a reprieve would he
granted. There were several mitigating circemastaniva
which led to this conviction, and these were dilly re-
preseeted to the Home Secretary. lint Mr. Justice
Willett, before whom the culprit aas tried at the recent
assz.r, held out no hope of mercy.
The condemned man had murdered a warder while
discharging his duties at the Portland convict prison,
an t the learned judge impressed upon the condemned
man that for the safety of the officials there engaged
it was essential that the sentence of death should be
duly carried out. The facts of the eivie are in a_nute
shell; to prove them a number of convicts were called,
the credibility of whose testimony was strongly ques-
tioned at the trial, and it was suggested that Ratcliffe
was the tool of a party of villains. Edward Love
Bly was the murdered man. On April 20 he
was put in sole cherge of a party of convicts,
numbering 17, and including Ratcliffe. They were
constructing a wall at the bctiticatione, and Ely was
warned by a convict named Crawley that Ratcliffe had
threatened to "firtish" him. The warder was armed
with a cutlass and said he would be on his guard, but
notwithstandiog the extra amount of caution which he
exercised, he afforded the culprit the opportunity of
executing his threat. In an unguarded moment he
was struck down by Ratcliffe with a shovel. The
warder drew his cutlass and would probably have
felled his assailant if the other convicts had not inter-
fered and secured Ratcliffe. The warder, bleeding
copiously from the back and the leg, was removed to
the hospital of the prison, where he lingered till June
15, suffering from pyremia, or loud poisoner,. caused
by the wound on the leg. A local solicitor (Mr. Lock
of Dorcheeter) took up the prig inters defence, and in.
trneted counsel gratuitously on his behalf.
Mr. Bennett at the trial set up a very ingenious de'
fence—that pyiemia Was caused by the warder being
placed in a bed next to that of a patient suffering
from necrosis, which was a contaia ~,, a di,ease. But
this defence was completely at variance with the
meeical testimony, amt unsupported by the medical
authorities cited on the (-evasion. It was shown clearly
that Ratcliffe hail threatened at first to kill an officer
named Preston, and that then, as this officer would
"not be out doors enough," he said that lily would
answer his purpose. But it WAR evident that he had
no particular ill-feeling against the warder lily, whose
duties at the pri.ou had extended over three days
only. It was contended that no mortal injury was
intended, but only such as would partially wound the
officer, for the prieoner wanted to leave the gang, and
the aesault wi-uld result in an order fi r hie removal.
Ratcliffe furl her declared that he was halbstarveil ;
hut this was t atirely disproved. The jury, without the
least he siltation, found the prisoner guilty.
The culprit was a tall, powerful man, only twenty-
six years of a.te, and bad a deteruiined expression of
countenance. lie had been sentenced to seven year.'
penal servitude. and had only served two years when
he declared himself "tired of life." He hod rep to
then committed no very heinous offence. A native of
Wigan. he lost in early life his mother and was sent to
a workhouse. For some trifling robbery he was then
sent to a reformatory school in Lancashire, and after
his sentence had expired he went to rem. On his
return to England he lived in Cornwall, where he was
honpitat ly treated by a tradesman, Whose Luuatloeoa he
returned by stealing hie meerschaum pipe, which he
disposed of for 61. For the latter theft he was sent ta
Portland._

strne,

During his confinement in the condemned cell the
culprit was watched day and night by two warders, but
from the first his condue, was throughout of a quiet and
respectful character, and he sowed perfectly sesignt d
to his fate. The Rev. R. L. Watson, the chaplain of
the triton, was unremitting in los attention to the
man's spiritual concern, and Ratcliffe showed at tini
that he was continced a his sin, mid on Monday
morning died truly penitent. B-fore hi execution
he prepared a written confession, in which he
gave a full history of his life, and said, "I
truly struck a poor I 'Hier at Portlanii, my friends,
as the Lord God known, lett I mover did it with
the leant thought of killing him. That is what I
say with my dying breath. You may tbink as you
like, my friends, but that is the truth." He slept
well during the night, and at half-past fire rote wi ha
cheerful spirit, and sang, "Nearer my God to Thee "
He also ask], "The sun does not shine he re this morn-
ing; it will shine the other side." He submitted
quietly and c dmly to the pinioning, and after the
ow was adjusted, lie joined audibly in the final
prayers. F r a few memento he snowed engaged in
deep devotion, and, nodding his head reverently. Paid
"Anon," as the prayers proceeded. Catiraft drew
the bolt at eight o'clock precisely, ard the culprit was
launched into eternity. He died without a struggle,
Calcraft observing that he was dead in a moment. At
nine o'clock his body was cut down.