The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-09-03 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF BRITTEN THE WOOLVEIMN

MURDERER.

The mention of George Britten for the brutal murder
of his wife at Woolverton, near Frome, the revolting
particulars of which must be fresh in the recollection of
our readers, took pleas on Tnursday mereing in frost of
the county saol at Taunton. The day Axed upon for
carrying the serene@ parsed upon the wretched ISM
late effect was, cootrary to ordinary custom, kept a
profound secret, and the effect of this wee that the
crowd in front of the refold was very much smaller
then on any previous occasion, and at no time were
there more than three amend peters present. It,
however, became known in Taunton late on Wednesday
that on the following moraine tbe extrema penalty of
the law would be carried out, but there wee so time for
this information to be conveyed into the country dietriara
and the crowd was therefore composed almost ex elu-
sively of residents of Taunton. There were bet few
persons of respectable appearance wreak the majority
of the operators evidently belonging to the laboring
classes, and It was remarked that there was • more than
usual proportion of women and children. The sprier
grimed. surrounding the Shirdsall. and immediately
opposite to that wing of the gaol upon which the drop
had been reeled, afforded good vaster ground for the
spestron of the sickening scene. At seven *Nark there
were not • hundred persons erode the gaol, belt
between that hour and eight o'clock the crowd had
&gritted its fullest proportions, there being an
unoerteinty In the minds of most people as to the time
at which the execution would take plays. At one o'clock
In the morning the erection of the sallowi was
commenced, and the hammering of the workmen engaged
In its construction resounded through the stillness of the
night, and mast have protrited to the sell of the con-
demned roan. It was sompleted before daybreak, and
It. appalling form met the guts of the earliest arrivals.
The representatives of the press were not admired
within the walla of the gaol, at is the custom in meet
erintles, and the few portraits neerquently sew
municeted to tree were of the most larva rararsv.
We nodererad, however, that the chaplain of the gaol,
the Bee. F. Howse was early in attendance upon
the condemned end:dual, and that at eight o'clock he
attended Divine service at the dispel withr the gar
and partook of the Holy Sacrament, and afterward'
addressed some imprtedve words of warning to die
other prisoner, who were present at the service.
Front the chapel the mournful wooer= eel out in
the direction of the scaffold, the rev. chaplain preceding
it, readicg the burial service for the dead. On
arriving at the "press" room, which is situate imme-
diately hearth the drop, the coademoed criminal wee
pinioned by Calcraft, the executioner, which having
been completed the steps of the scaffold were aseauded.
The rev, chaplain, wearing • white sandier, still led Ur
way, and his appointor hushed the mob oracle into •
dead silence. Where • few minutes Previously
ribaldry and jesting bad been predominant, as anxious
annuals and quiet prevailed. Following the chaplain
came • turnkey, then the unhappy culprit, who walked
with • fitm and ready step, and immediately behind
him cams Wendt and another gaol ening. Almost
Intuitively Britten placed himself beneath the f•tal
beam, and the hangman proceeded to carry out 1115
offices with an amount of coolnem and egf-peresidea
that was truly astounding. Fantail from his packet •
white cap, be drew it over the bead of the esedeneed
mac ; then toodeoios the rope be pot the Doom
rutted the culprit's neck, and standing upon a stool
whir had been provided, he threw the end over the
beam, and tiro in • calm and deliberate manner
appeared for an instant to be calculating the amount of
"suck. Di= to be allowed. Is ea insert the repo
was again over the beam, and then tied in •
double knot. The prisoner, who 'fur this thee had
his hams, DO fez,. was preetteame, • tied IS though
In sepplicatioo, then turned towards the rapids and
can:keys aa if addresdng them—and we were eltorrirds
told that he thanked those officials for their kindness
and attention, and having shaken hands with them and
with the executioner they all withdrew • the bolt was
withdraw, George Britten DM launched Into eternity,
and the law which he had so grossly outraged was
: avenged. When the drop fell the heeds of the uabappy
man were still upraised, but immediately become
clenched as in the agorae of death, and the rest heaved
convulsively. Rh intferinp seemed unusually pro-
longed, and some few seseads elapsed before the arse
swung listlessly in the air. The prer was dressed in
• alit of black, and appeared to have • white seckershief
nicely adjusted, but It ie most probable that his seek
wee bare, and that what preseetsd the appearance of •
orris was • solar of his shirt-front which was
to view the opening of hie waitron
wee also in taloa, wore a shewinal
altchainaka and sesta, and had • tower is, the b
hole at his gosh