The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-02-28 00:00:00

THE FATIMERS' ALLIANCE.

The annual meeting of the Farmers' Alliance was
held on Tuesday, at the Holborn Restaurant, London,
under the presidency of Mr. George Judd. There
were present Mr. Jas. Howard, M.P.; Sir George
Balfour, M.P. ; Captain Verney; Messrs. W. Impey
(Essex) ; Rae, President of the Scottish Alliance,
Reid, and Greig ; J. Smith (Ealing, Sussex) ; S.
Skinner (Maidstone); Jas. Youngman (Suffolk), and
others.

The chairman in moving the adoption of the re-
port, said the Alliance, during the last year, had not
been very active, because they found that Parliament
had been so occupied with the Franchise and the
Egyptian troubles. He did not object to agitation,
but it would have been useless and in bad taste
if it had been pressed during the past
year. An important conference in the crisis
in agriculture had been held during the year in
London, the result of which had been satisfactory.
was, however, one little episode at that confer-
ence. Mr. Henry George Was present and spoke.
Ho (the chairman) felt that he could not do otherwise
than give Mr. George a fair hearing, and he believed
that it was quite as well that they had heard him.
(Cheers.) The Agricultural Holdings Act having
proved insufficient and unsatisfactory, it was desirable
to put the demands of the alliance before Parliament
and the country in the shape of a new bill, and in
doing so it was important to act in unison with the
Scottish Alliance, if a common basis of agreement
could be found. (Hear, hear.) The committee of
the Alliance were strongly impressed with the danger
to the interests of agriculturists and traders which
had arisen from the introduction of the new
Railways Bills, and a Special CommiLtee had
been appointed to take such steps as might be
deemed necessary in order to oppose those mis-
chievous measures. (Cheers.) The position of
leaseholders at the present period of severe agri-
cultural depression was well known to be one cf
peculiar difficulty and distress. The bill which would
be introduced by their Scotch friends into Parliament
for the relief of leaseholders would be carefully
waiched and supported by the Alliance. At the
present time the most important work the Alliance
could do was to prepare for the coming General
Election, with a view to securing a better representa-
tion of farmers in the new Parliament. The com-
mittee would do all that lay in their power during the
coming year to promote that object; but they felt
that it was through the action and the influence of
branches and individual members in their respective
districts that most good might be done. The only
prospect of success for farmers' candidates, as a
general rule, appeared to rest in the selection of men
who would represent the interests of both farmers and
farm labourers, which were in most respects identical.
(Cheers.)
Mr. Albert Bath (West Kent), seconded the adop-
tion of the report.
Captain Verney said he was afraid that the land
tenure reform would not occupy the early atten-
tion of the next Parliament, because they would be
in such a muddle as to Egyptian affairs. He con-
cluded by moving a verbal amendment to the report.
Mr. Bear objected to the amendment, because the
next Parliament would be compelled to take up the
land question, and they were certain to have at least
a Crofters' Bill.
Mr. J. Smith said that the recent speech of Mr.
Trevelyan on the agricultural question was most
important, and he never remembered having heard
a Cabinet Minister speak out so plainly on the sub-
ject. That speech was the dawn of a new era.
(Cheers.)
Mr. Bolton suggested that Captain Verney should
move a resolution protesting against the disastrous
policy of the Government abroad and in the Colonies.
Thu agricultural interest should speak out on these
subjects, and let politicians understand that the
next Parliament must deal with home questions.
(Cheers.)
Captain Verney withdrew his amendment.
Sir George Balfour said they must take care to send
better representatives to Parliament to support the
agricultural interests.
Mr. Rae, his colleague, then addressed rthe 'meet-
ing. As a deputation from the Scottish Alliance they
advocated aggressive agitation.
The report was adopted.
On the motion of Captain Verney, seconded by Mr.
Bolton, it was resolved," That in view of the pressing
urgent reforms needed in the land laws, local govern-
ment, and land tenure, the Farmers' Alliance trusts
that these reforms will not be postponed or set aside
by the extension of warlike operations in the
Soudan."

mu
' There

Mr. James Youngman, of Wickham Market, Suf-
folk, read a paper on "Tithes as they Affect Agricul-
tural Interests." He concluded by moving: "That,
having due regard to vested and life interests,
all tithe-rent charges should be paid by land-
owners to the State, and be used for educational
purposes and for the relief of local burdens; that ex-
traordinary tithes should be equitably abolished, and
that a suspensory Act should be passed immediately
to prevent the execution of distress warrants for ex-
traordinary tithe."
Mr. J. Smith seconded the motion.

Mr. J. Howard, M.P., proposed, and Mr. T. B.
Woodward seconded as an amendment—" That, as
the Tithe Commutation Act was proposed in the
interest of religion, and one object being to dissociate
parson from parishioner in pecuniary matters, the
payment of tithe-rent charge by occupiers is in con..
travention of the spirit and intention of the Com-
mutation Act, and that the Primo Minister be urged
to bring in a bill to provide that tithe-rent charge,
both ordinary and extraordinary, be either paid direct
by the owner or the tenant, who may in future, under
an agreement, have to pay any tithe-rent charge, shall
have an indefeasible right to deduct the amount so
paid from the rent of their holdings next due."
Mr. Howard's amendment was carried by 18 to 14.

Punishment for Fraudulent Brokers.—Put 'em b
the stocks. Bonds and good securities to folippr.
Tom Moore and his uncle found lying on the road
between Dublin and Srdymount, a dead robber, who
had been shot just under the eye, and there was no
other mark than the small hole through wihith tite
bullet had entered. An old woman who was looting
down at the body, exclaimed. "It was a mercy it
didn't touch his eye."

THE BABBICOMBE TRAGEDY. -
THREE ATTEMPTS TO EXECUTE THE
CULPRIT.
PAINFUL SCENES ON THE SCAFFOLD.

On Monday morning a painful scene was witnessed
within Exeter Gaol, when an attempt was made to
hang John Lee, who was convicted before Mr. Justice
Manisty, at the Exeter Assizes, for the murder of
Miss Keyse, at Babbicombe, last November. Berry,
of Bradford, was the executioner chosen, and he
arrived on Saturday. The place of execution was a
new one. The last time representatives of the press
were admitted the criminal was executed from a tem-
porarily erected platform. Since then a female has
been hanged,and her execution took place within a room
at the prison, reporters being, on this occasion, ex-
cluded. The place of execution at which the attempt
was on Monday morning made to hang Lee was
intended to be a permanent one. The earth beneath
the floor of the coach-house in which the prisoners'
van is usually kept has been hollowed out, and one
portion of the floor is made in the form of double
doors which are retained in position by a central bolt,
a lever works the bolt, and on this being pulled the
doors are supposed to give way beneath the criminal's
feet, and his body drops into the lOft, hole beneath.
The floor is under cover, and there are doors to the
coach-house, so that it is difficult for anything
like damp to fall on the floor and cause the
wood to swell. The procession, headed by
the chief warder, and attended by the Under-
Sheriff, the governor, and chaplain of the gaol,
and the prison surgeon, reached the place of execu-
tion a few seconds before eight o'clock on Monday
morning. The condemned man walked firmly to the
drop without, evincing any emotion. The rope was
adjusted around his neck, and as the concluding sen-
tences of the service for the dead were read, the lever
was drawn. But, instead of the platform falling, it
remained stuck fast. A second tug by the executioner
at the lever produced no further result, and then the
warders standing on each side of the condemned man
each put a foot on the drop and endeavoured to assist
its fall. As this did not answer Lee was marched to
the back of the house, the cap still over his face and
the rope still around his neck, and as the criminal
stood in this position the falling doors forming
the drop were opened, and then returned to
their original position ready for a further attempt
to hang the condemned man. This attempt was duly
made, and the weignt of the feet of the warders added
to that of the criminal with the view of aiding the fall
of the drop. The effort was so great that the boards
sprang sufficiently to give quite an upward impetus to
Lee. Six minutes having been expended in these un-
successful efforts to execute the sentence, the pri-
soner's face was uncovered, the rope taken from his
neck, and he was marched back to the cells. It
seemed as if the edges of the doors which formed
the drop had swollen and had become jambed.
A little attention, however, seemed to put
things all right, and at ten minutes past eight the
condemned man was again put on the drop;
the concluding sentences of the service for the
dead were read for the third time, and the
lever again pulled by the executioner; but once more
the drop remained fixed and firm, and the additional
weight of the warders would not do more than just
shake the floor. The scene was really most painful.
The prisoner, who had remained standing, without
any assistance, whilst previous efforts were made to
secure the working of the drop, now showed some
indications of being affected by the terrible ordeal
through which he had been passing. Twelve minutes
had already been expended in futile efforts to hang
him. The lever had been pulled almost as many
times, and with each pull the platform had quivered,
so that on this number of occasions, at least, Lee must
have imagined that each moment was his last. At 13
minutes after the first attempt the white cap and the
rope were for the second time removed from
his head and neck, and he was again led out of the
place of execution to the prison. The condemned man
was by this time reduced to almost an extreme state.
His face was destitute of colour, his hands were blue
with the cold, and his eyes were half closed. up to
this time be had stood and moved without any assist-
ance, but now he had to be supported on the way back
to the prison, and had not sufficiemt strength to mount
the step to reach the passage to the interior of the
prison. He was accordingly helped in by the
warders. Other warders then set to work with a
hatchet to chop off the edges of the doors so that
they might not again catch in each other, but
might fall readily when the support of the
lever was removed. Some portion of the doors
was also sawn away. A quarter of an hour
was expended in these operations, and thirty-five
minutes after the time when he should have been
hung he was still alive. Meanwhile a conference had
taken place between the chief officials, and at twenty
minutes to nine o'clock the Under Sheriff informed
the reporters that after what had taken place he did
not think he should be justified in again allowing an
attempt to be made to hang the prisoner until there
had been an opportunity to communicate with the
Home Secretary, and to arrange for the drop being
made to work properly, supposing it was decided that
the sentence should be proceeded with. He took
the opportunity of saying that he did not think
there was any blame due to the executioner,
as he took every care to see that the appa-
ratus was in proper order on Saturday, and
then it worked. Outside the gaol there was a deal
of excitement. The only indication of what was going
on within the building was the erection of a flag pole
over the main entrance, and at eight o'clock a
warder stood alongside the pole with a black flag in
his hand ready to hoist it as soon as the drop fell.
The delay in hoisting this flag caused considerable
comment; and although at first the crowd was small,
yet the idea that there was something wrong speedily
spread, and when the reporters left the gaol they
found the whole of the roads approaching the prison
crowded by spectators.
Throughout the day most intense excitement pre-
vailed in Exeter and every part of Devonshire. In
the evening the Under-Sheriff telegraphed from
London that the Home Secretary had decided to
respite the prisoner, and to recommend that the
sentence be commuted to one of penal servitude.
Although but little sympathy was felt for Lee, and
there is but little disposition to believe his allegation
of innocence, yet there is general satisfaction at the
course taken by the Home Secretary, it being felt that
the ordeal through which the condemned man passed
was so exceptional and so severe that humanity
dictates considerations that would not other-
wise have been entertained. It now transpires that
the failure of the drop was not due to any action of
the damp weather, but to a mechanical defect of the
apparatus. When the platform was previously used
at an execution it was larger than at present, and the
lever had free play, but the reduction in size of the
platform has caused a bearing-down on one part of
the lever, and when the weight of the condemned
man was added this increased the pressure to so
great an extent as to effectually prevent the free
working of the bar connected with the bolt, the
drawing of which would have allowed the platform
to fall. When relieved of weight the platform fell
away freely.
The culprit had sent two letters, one to his parents
and the other to his sister, They are as follows :
" Her Majesty's Prison, Exeter.
"Dear Father and Mother,—A few lines hoping
this will find you much better after the first shock. I
hope you will bear up as well as you can. lam quite
happy, and well, and I am prepared for my home
above. You must trust in God, the same as I have.
You see how I have borne it up. I do not know
whenever I was happier than I am now, because I
know where lam going to. It is a pity you should
have stopped to hear the sentence passed. I beard
you crying behind. I hope you got home all right. I
know youfeel it more than I do, but you must not
think of things in this world. You must pray to God
to meet me in heaven. I will pray for you the little
time I have to live, and you must pray to God to help
you. Do not think lam unhappy. You do not know
how happy I am. You would be surprised to see me.
Do trust in God, and you will see the difference in
the worldly man and the spiritual man. Dear mother,
if you think you would like to see me before I die
you must write and tell the governor of the prison,
and tell him the day that you will come up, or else
you cannot see me. You can write to me at any time.
Give my love to Milly, and tell her I have trusted in
the Lord, and she must do the same, and meet me in
heaven. lam happier than I should be in this world.
We must all leave it some time. You can come and
see me, only let the governor know. I cannot think
of anything more to say at present, so I must sag
good-bye, and we must trust in God.—From your
affectionate son, _ _ _ J. H. LEE.

"The day is fixed for the 23rd of this month.
Goodbye."
"Her Majesty's Prison, Exeter.
"DEAR Sts,—Your letter to hand this morning.
Was received with much pleasure, and gave me great
comfort to see that you are still the same kind and
loving sister who is always willing to do anyone any
good. I have always noticed that you have not trusted
the world altogether. 1 think you said Miss Keyse
taught you to look above for help. I think she gave
us both very good counsel. She never went to bed
without praying for us, and I hope we shall all meet
in heaven We shall know the truth of this case. It
is, as you say, it is hard to be punished when one
knows that he did not do it; but I will trust in the
Lord and ask Him to give me strength to bear it all.
This world's punishment is nothing, after all, for
the better home above. Dear sister, I hope we
shall meet in heaven. We must trust in the
Lord, and ask His forgiveness for all our sins. Dear
sister, I should be very glad to see you and father
when you please to come. I was very pleased to hear
mother got home all right. It's a heavy blow for you
all. You must help mother and father through. Mr.
St. Aubyn worked very hard for me, but there is no
doubt that the truth will come out after I am dead.
It must be some very hardhearted person for to let
me die for nothing. All the witnesses will and must
appear before our Saviour for what they have said
against me, and to answer for my life. They little
think of it now, but the time will soon come for them,
stud I hope they will be prepared to meet our Saviour.
I thank God I am not blind so as not to know what
I have seen and what I have done. They have not told
sirwords of trukh—that is, the servants and that lovely
step-sister, who carries her character with her. Give
my love to mother and father and yourself. We
rule_ t twit in the Lord. He will help us through all
our troiuble. He has helped me so far, and He will
help me to the end. Have you heard from K. F. ot

seen them? You know who 1. mean. Good-bye, my
dear sister, for the present, from your affectionate
brother, who is dead to the world. J. H. LEE."
The following somewhat similar case is recorded
in Mr. Henniker Heaton's standard work on Aus-
tralia, under the head of "Execution, extraordinary
failure of," page gl :
"Joseph Samuel, who on September 12, 1803, was
tried and convicted at the Criminal Sessions for the
robbery of a desk containing money, the property of
Mary Breeee, at Sydney, was thrice suspended Sep-
tember 20, 1803. The cord first separated in the
middle, and the criminal fell prostrate; on the second
attempt the rope unrove at the fastening, and he
again came to the ground; and the third time being
launched off, the rope again snapped short. The
Provost Marshall (Mr. Smith), a man universally re-
spected, compassionating his protracted sufferings,
proceeded to Government House, and represented all
these extraordinary circumstances to the Governor,
who was pleased to reprieve Samuel.'