The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-05-02 00:00:00

19th
.CENTURY.

Edward Deacon. 26, a journeyman shoemaker, maimed
the extreme penalty of the law at Bristol gaol, on Monday
morning for the wilful murder of his wife Amelia, to
whom he was married seven years ago. He was her
second husband, and at the trial he declared that the first
husband only died • week before the murder. The culprit;
a native of Birmingham, was in the 50th Foot for a short
time, hut deserted. He left the deceased for five years,
only returning last Christmas. From that time up to the
murder he lived an intemperate life. On February eg,
alter stating his intention to strut on the tramp, he
borrowed • hatchet In a few minutes- screams were I
heard in the house, and his wife was found dying from five ,
deep hacks in the head. The murderer immediately
surrendered himself at the police-station, saying he struck
her iii self-defence, as she first attacked him with a kettle.
No kettle was, however, found in the room. He not only
I seemed to pay no attention to the chaplains ministrations,
but he was even somewhat inselentand the worthy
chaplain left him with feelings of coneiderable grief.
Captain Gardner, hearing of the circumstance, went to his
cell, and advised him to make his reace with God, as there
NY no hope whatever of his life being spared. He
answered, ' I don't care : you can hang nte now if you
like." The govenor remonstrated with him upon the great
impropriety of cherishing such • feeling, meowing him
that within a few days he would be a corpse. This obser-
vation had an instantaneous effect upon him. He turned
tole, and asked the govenor to be kind enough to fetch
the chaplain back. Captain Gardner did so, and the can-
damned man paid a ready attention to what he had to say.
From that time up to a day or two ago he manifested •
a more becoming spirit, listening to the chaplain's &thrice
with more humility, and seemed to be preparing for his
dreadful end. Up to Friday he declined to see any of his
friends, though one or two had made applications to visit
him. On that day he expressed a desire to see his step-
daughter, Ann Hallett, and an order having been obtained
for her from the Visiting Justices, she visited him on
Saturday afternoon. On seeing him she burst into tears,
and be seemed miniewhat affected. He taunted her with
having given strong evidence against him at his trial, and
said he might have got off but for the falsehoods she told.
She replied that she told nothing but the truth, to which
be answered that she might not have said what she did.
In the course of their conversation, he observed to her
that his time was drawing near, and that be bad but •
short period left for preparation. She immediately
remarked in a reproachful tone, "You did not give my
mother much time. She thereupon dried her tears, and
did not cry afterwards during the interview, which only
lasted ten minutes. He asked her if she remembered
what she had said the day before he killed her mother,
and on her appearing not to recollect it, he said she then
stated that she should turn him and her mother out of
the house. That rankled in his mind, and led him to
commit the crime. On Sunday a couple of members of
the Plymouth Brethren denomination applied for per-
mission to see and pray with him, but, not being provided
with the proper ors, they were refused.
Since his condemnation the health of the unhappy con-
vict was excellent. He slept well with the exception of
Saturday night, when he was a little restless, and his
appetite was good throughout Up to yesterday morning.
He was supplied daily with mutton chops or beefstakes
for dinner. For breakfast be bad bread and butter, and
coffee or tea: and for supper bread and butter and milk.
He was also al:owed four or live pipes of tobacco daily,
and he always seemed grateful fo the latter indulgence.
He had • small eruption on the left wrist, and showed
constant anxiety to get it cured. Kr. Gardiner the
surgeon of the gaol, treated him for it regularly up to
Saturday.
On Sunday morning the culprit attended divine service
in the prison chapel, and after that he was very stubborn
the whole of the day. He did not eat his supper with his
usual heartiness, hut he said nothing about it. At seven
o'clock in the evening he was locked in his cell with the
night warder, there being a patrol outside. Between
eight and nine o'clock he drank a pint of beer. At nine
o'clock he went to bed and was soon asleep, and did not
wake again till a quarter to four, when he turned over
and naked the time. The warder in charge told him, and
he went to sleep again and slept till six, when the warder
woke him. He then got up, and Mr. Broad, the chief
warder, gave him his own clothes to put on. He had
previously been wearing prison uniform, and it may interest
some to know that Hole was hanged in the prison clothes.
Having partly' dressed. Deacon knelt by his bedside and
offered up • silent prayer. Ho then washed himself with
scrupulous care. Mr. Broad asked him if be would have
any breakfast, and he said he could not eat any. The
110VerICOT then senthim a glass of wisky and water. Shorts
afterwards the chaplain entered the cell, and remained
praying with the unhappy man and exhorting him to
repentance till about halflast seven.
The governor, accompanied by hiarwood, entered the
condemned cell at about three minutes to eight, and he
found Deacon on his knees in prayer. He was looking
better in health than at any time since his incarceration.
The governor mid, "Now Deacon, we want you. The
time has come ;it is the last moment" He did not reply,
but rose up immediately, and walked towarde, the
executioneer whom he had not seen before. He told the
executioner. he had a sore wrist, and asked him not to
hurt him in the pinioning. While his arms were being
pinioned he trembled a little, but did not display any
great amount of emotion. Marwood unbuttoned his shirt
collar. After he had been pinioned, he said to the warder
in charge, Mr. McCall, "Mind to tell Anne to be • good
girl, and go to church, and not follow the step* her mother
did." Addressing the warders he said, "I wish you all
good-bye." The preliminary business was soon over, and
Immediately afterwards those waiting outside heard the
I voice of the chaplain commencing in solemn tone! the
burial service, "I am the resurrection and the life. A
moment later the ill-fated man emerged from the door of
the corridor, and immediately all heads were uncovered.
He seemed to stumble through, and looked very pale and
I anxious. Ile was accompanied by warders hut walked
steadily and firmly without their assistance. They walked
very slowly along the garden paths, and the calprit
felted Increasing dread at every step. All soon as the
scaffold eune to sight, be fixed his eyes upon it with a
look full of agony and terror, and he seemed to falter •
little. He amended the slope leading to the Scaffold with-
out help, and walked straight on the drop. lie looked up
at the beam over his head twice, and began to tremble
violently. la the centre of the drop was a chalk mark for
him to stand upon, but he had not gone on it, and the
executioner, having moved him to the rightspot, strapped
his legs round the knees. When the rope wee put round
his neck he shouted in • loud despairing voice "Lord have
mercy on me, • sinner," and as the white cap was being
drawn over his face he said in the same tone, ' Lord have
mercy on my souL" His whole frame was quivering with
terror, and it seemed as though he would not be able to
stand up many seconds. Harwood also got nervous from
some cause or other. His hands trembled a good deal, and
he did not seem to be able to get the noose in the placate
please him. The consequence was that he did not get
threh tie dresd business with his customary dhzisi etch.
All Ws time the condemned man's voice was but
his words were inaudible through the cap, as though
iiid for mercy. At length the executioner com-
pleted%maanlinieadare:ftbet; iban7:l:adt lirtlibeenebtlusualall4llkingdoevideiwedd;:euani the
. 51P7
und n
6ft Sin. without allowing for the tension of the ,fib
cousequence being that Deacon fell partly on his feet' flie:
was swayed by convulsive struggles, his tope, touclung
the crowed, his chest heaving and falling 111 though it
wouldburst. He seemed all though, he felt Itie toes on the
pound, and he raised himself slightly them. The
governorrt.the broad end 21 13,m waM totOe rota ana
Clt niCk so keep Disown's feet off the ground,
ni as Is convulsive movements were still terrible to
"Jim"- dtardVit bind of notes in the threat could also
be heard ' After be had become a little quieter
the governor &esti' allowed him swing, but no sooner
were his tees again am the ground than he rose ciE
them, wad ones issensed to spring upwards a little.
governor theraradosbed the rope out again wi
wand, and then it to the executioner,
_whothbeld
It in the tame position until all was still. PuDy three ,
minutes elapsed Were sZ:f life maid to be visible.
and II 10lig was two mimes the drop in such a
poeltioc as to he..the iwan's Test off the ground. The I
hung for the owl lime—en hour —when it mis
body down. As ~aa is ...rope was mead round the ,
neck the air from the DMA rushed out, producing • sound
exactly =iplo • lentdrilven. allonlemiLirro"%n,
the neck and said it wee
Telornes sad ill. Vraivat bit° thil MCA ....,torre'red
tio which the oon bad let fi perfect health an
bogie before.

sennon on the ambled of " Oar totem
inp immebed lad Sunday mooing, the Itectop
a/ remarked that it women imbibed more
pit and pot mare healthy bleed into their•
epistle would behetter. they mould Mon it Zutimi
War yds Uslat. mid world watl4 lieu Ws
pad aanaiii gel-Vaunter