The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-01-02 00:00:00

exculpatory statements were made by her, the mostirm
p irtant being that she had seen Procter placesome white
powder he her Imsband'etea-cup, andalsointhe medicine
whichwasaf terwardssenttohimby thedoctinr. Inconse-
quence of this Procter was also apprehended, and, with
the woman, comn.itted for rei al, but, under the advice of
the learned judge who triisi the ease ( Mr. Justice Byles)
the grand jury ignored the het :Leah -t Procter. The
evidence against the woman was entirely circumstan-
tial, but more conclusive was never heard, and the
jury found her guilty with a recommendation to mercy
--a recommendation which the learned judge refused
to receive--turd she was s ritenced to death.
'the cons ict had three effildre n, the eldest being
twelve veers of age, anti viimetest an infant; but
vire er saw ally inf these tinfertunate little ones, now
left orphans, at rer her conviction. Neither did she see
any of her other relatives until Saturday, when her
sisters and brother visited her. The interview lasted
about two hours and a half, and the prisoner became
several times much excited. She denied to her rela-
tives that she was the poisoner of her husband.
Although Ito effort was male to secure A mitigation
of her sentence, there is reason to believe that the pri-
soner cherished the hope that her life would be spared.
On Sunday night, however, her composure began to
give way, and she did not sleep after four o'clock on
Monday morning, but devoted her time to prayer.
The chaplain arrived at the Castle at about eight a.m.,
anel once more exhorted her to repentance and con-
lesson, now that she was about to lie ushered into the
eternal world. She still persisted, however, that she
had not committed the crime with which she was
charged.
The executioner was Aekerne, who is frequently
retained on these sad occasions in the northern and
midland counties. Shortly before the hour fixed for
the execution (nine a.m.) a procession, cianpriving the
Deputy Under-Sheriff of Lincolnshire (Mr. Burton),
the gnnol surgeon, the governor, the chaplain (who read
the Burial Service for the Dead), and the convict (who
was supported by twin warders), set out fer the
scaffold. A few representatives of the Press anal an
extra warder to ren ler assiettence in case of need
completeil the list of those preeent. Th- prisoner was
in a very depressed and fainting state when the pro-
cession set out, but she appeared tit gather more firm-
ness as she went on.
On her way to the place of execution she said to the
warners, "I hope my triediles are ended," and then
asked, " ellen we be much longer!" to which a warder
gave a negative reply. The service was brought to a
close at the foot of the drop, and the chaplain, terning
to the prisoner, asked her whether she still pereisted
in the declaration of her innocence—whether she had
anything tin do with the crime in thought, word or
lestl? In a firm voice she replied, "I have not, Sir."
Site was then accommodated with a chair, and the
chaplain addressed her as follows : " I have spent half
an hour with you this morning in endeavouring to im-
press upon you a proper sense if pier condition, for you
are sheet to pees front this world to another, and tin
stand before God, to whom the secrets of all t•carts are
known. I implore you snot to page Tway without con-
fessing all your sins—not only generally, but especially
this particular one for which you are about to suffer.
I had hoped you would have envie that confession, and
thus have enabled me, as a miuister id Christ, to
have pronounced the forgiveness of your sins, under
the promise that Christ came into the world to save
sinners. It has grieved ine very much to find that
you still persist in the declaration that you are not
accountable for your humbaitits death ; that you still
say you dil not administer the poison yourself, that
you did not see any other person administer it, and
that you are entirely free from the crime. Do you say
so now
The prisoner, still in a firm voice, said "Yes."
The Chaplain : "There is only one hope left-- that
you have endeavoured to confess your 811114 to Gel,
though you will not to your fellow creatures. All
I can now say is, that I leave you in the hands of Goil,
and may he have mercy on your soul. What a s
faction it would be to your children, to your friends, to
your relations, to know thatyou had passed from death
into life in the full persuasion that your sins were for-
given you, and that you would be admitted into the
blessed kingdom of God. I fear I can hold out no
further consolation to you. The matter rests between
yourself and the Almighty. Bad you made a declara-
tion if peer sins, I should have done what, as a
Minister of Christ, I am ennuilleil tin ilo—l should have
told you that 'your sins, thime many, are forgiven.'
I am sorry I cannot exercise that authority at the pre-
sent moment. I must leave you to God."
On finally parting with the governor and
chaplain she shook hands with them. The go-
vernor asked her whether she admitted the justice of
her sentence. She murmured something—one of the
warders thought it was an affirmative reply—but the
precise worth; could not be heard. A few seconds be-
fore she had exclaimed—the hope of life apparently
still clinging to her—" Oh ! >mu won't hang me !
Everything being, however, in readine-s, the execu-
tioner princeeded to complete his task, and the
cap was drawn over her face, and she then exclaimed,
" All my troubles are over." " Shame ! you're not
going to hang ins! surely my troubles are over." The
bells of the cathedral then tilled forth the hour of
nine, and that instant the belt wait iiirawn, when the
wretched woman, after sinnie convulsive strugeles,
ceased to exist. She appeaied to suffer a good deal
before her strong vital powers succumbed.
The execution was conducted in private, in accord-
ance with a recent act of parliament, but is knot of
curious perverts lingered near the gloomy castle gate
black with age, and a tit entrance to a prisi n. The
only token that anything unusual was taking place
within the prison was the hinistieg of a black flag on
one of the t 'went. This flag remained fititterieg for an
hour in the cold wintry air, and when the body of the
tionviet was cut down the flag was lowered also.
Nine years have elapsed since an execition lias taken
place in Lincoln. In 1859 two men. named Pickett and
Carey, were executed for the murder of a Mr. Steven-
sou, but since then until the present year Lincelnshire
has enjoyed a happy immunity from the crime of
murder.

THE ROMANCE OF ADVERTISING.
(From recent issues of The Times.)
From Edith.—Am at all. emit straight here. Hampers
not arrived."
"X. Y. 7.. is requested to write full particulars to another
address M town. Chill —L "
left the day before, and came back again the
day after you left. Shall be here till the beginning of next
w,ek, when you know where I shall hope to meet you."
I. L.—A letter awaits you at the address given in your
lett r of the 3rd inst., which I did not receive until the loth.
—Amy."
"N. C.—A letter was sent to Charing-cross as arranged,
hub was returned, being insuMeiently addressed. tVrite to
me miller cover to C. Novelle, Plough Inn, Rupert-street,
Haymarket."
"Zoological September the lf,t.h. In the monkevhouse
I did not see your first advertisement, will you Insert it

- again.' _
" X.-11 cannot re&procate your 'good bye.' My hopes
are your hopes. I shall put aside a New Taar's present for ,
you on the let. I spend Christmas where I did last year. .
God bless you.—Z."
" kly Stuck-up Child.—Let me see the dear, familiar hand
soon. Due in September."
" P. B.—The o—n party will be glad to know whenever a
private communication can he made. C. S. quite safe. The
L parts staunch, quite rkcure whenever you choose to otter
yourself."
" L X. L.—Something awaits you at the old place.—Brix-
ton, Dec. 29."
"F. (9--V'S L --1-, Sloane-streat would relieve much
perplexity, and be gratefully thanked, by repeating the call
made on the 22nd to hear what may be satisfactory."
)l. 0. N.—Consider my request as withdrawn, since I see
you cannot comply with it without hesitation. I wid hear
my solitude of heart if it will save you one pang of un-
easiness; no much do I love too."
" It Charlie, who left Liverpool on the 11th December, in-
stant, still elite to Its lather, all can be satisfactorily
arranged ''
." If you could understand how ' has reached use. Tour
loving words have di-pelled our sorrow, and given intense
joy instead. Confirm our happieess, I entreat you, by send-
ing, as a token, through the same channel as More, stew
words that I can recognise as coming from yon —M."
li. D. It to B. M.—l am perfectly distracted. I hear
nothing fries my friends. Let me know how you and my
child are getting on. I know, if I write, my letters will not
react! you My worldly prospects are much improved. Do
you want anything? Do write to me, and don't put me to
desperation by your silence. A letter will find me directed,"