The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1870-08-16 00:00:00

THE PORTLAND

MURDER.

EXECUTION OF

RATCLIF FE.

THIS DAY.

This (Monday) morning life was Wangled out of
Thomas Ratcliffe within the with of the Dorset County
Primo.
The ease of this unhappy man excited unusual
sympathy - first, on account of his own misguided life,
and second, from the circumstanoes under which the
murder for which lw was h.nged was committed.
The story of tie life lie literally that of tile ~1,1 w heel.
book tale—the by who stole a peony and finoshrd his
days on the callow., and is an awful waroitig *eldest
the beginnings of evil—indeed, of wrong-doing at any
time.
_ _ .

Ratcliffe was a native of Trace, near Wigan, in !And.
Aire When he was a baby, 18 months 4.1,1, and there
was another infant in the family of 4 months, his
mother died. Thew childred were sent to the Union.
house, and their father enl,ted in the Guards. In the
ordinary course, as the bnys grew up, they were put to
wore at a neighbouring ci hliery. Here Themes
Ratcliffe commenced his downward career. He stole
come money belonging to his m.4.er, and was gent faire
month to Liverpool pti.on. On the ezriration of his
sentence his old e moloyer again received him into his I
service: but, according to Rateliffe's account, he did not
treat him well, aid taking advmtage of an oppertunity
the boy agaM robbed him. For this be was sentenced
to • month in Liverpool prison, and five years in •
Reformatory. Shortly before this term had expired, he
wall sent out to Canada, and soon got work on a farm.
One day he was out with • waggon and team of horees,
whin he got into a public-house. and there was found
by en officer recruiting for the army of the Southern
Coufedracy. With him he drank sod drank, and when
he next came to himself his hor..es and waggon
were gone and he was a soldier. He loon deserted
the army, exchanging regimentals for ton' rano('
clothes with a negro on board ship. Thus he
became a seaman, and in that capacity went sevrral
voyages to Africa. the West Indies. and other parts.
Finally he aerie( dat Rodmin, in Cornwall. There he
was pomace., and without • friend. A kindbearted
tradesman took pity on him and gave him some victuals,
but, on leaving the Good alLnaritan's bowie, he stole a
peeknife, was caught, and, being convicted, was
again s, rit to pri on for a month. Of course, at that
tame nothing w., known of his previous life. After that
he committad a burglary, and wes sentenced to drat
months' hard labour. In prison this time li. beh,ved
very badly. setting all the officers at defiance. There
he made known to them his pre.i..us higtory. On
being lib, rated. he was purposelms and did not know
where to look for a meal. Some one took compsssion
on him, and fed bun; and then he was ungrateful
enough to hteal a p,pe. On his trial he was found guilty,
his previous convictions were proved, and he was
sentenced to penal servitude for seven years. First he
was taken to Millbauk and after a time removed
to Portland. There his life was hard,
and the men associated with him working in
tie quarries, made it still worse by their jeers
and taunts that he was "in" for so petty an
offence. "Tired of his life," as he says, on the 20th
of April last he attacked Edward Love Illy, the warder
in charge of his gang, with a shovel, inflicting a severe
wound on one of hie legs, using, at the same time,
dreadful menaces, and expressing his resolve to kill some
one. Convicts and warders interpcsed and his purpose
was not then accompli.hea. For nine dap, the W.rder
promised to recover, but after that unfavourable amp.
toms supervened, anal he died on the 15th of
May from blooripoisoning, in consequence, as the
(lectors, stated, of the wound. On the 28th July he
was tried for wilful murder, convieted, and sentenced
to death.
After his condemnation the wretched man showed
Angular comp sure, and from that time to the day of
Lis death his conduct has been particulerly good. lie
gleelly received the ministrations of the chaplain (the
Rev. B. L. Watson), and frequently asked officers
of the prison to road and pray with him. Letters
were received for him from • grandan ,ther anal his
brother, and lie wrote to them expres-ing complete
re.ignation, and Lis de..ire for their eterual welfare.
lie w.s pa/Hauler solicitous abont hie brother, John
Ratcliffe, who, it Poems, is working as a labourer near
Wigan, and wished to see him, but he was unable to