The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-01-11 00:00:00

EXECUTION AT LIVERPOOL.

The prisoner Richard Spencer, aged six', who was
convicted at the recent Liverpool Assizes of the
murder of his paramour, Elizabeth Wharton, was
executed on Wednesday morning at eight o'clock, in
the borough gaol, Kirkdale.
The circumstances of the murder are briefly as
follows : —The deceased woman, who was thirty-one
years of age, lived with the pneoner as his wife for
shout fifteen years, the pristmer's wife having left
him. For come time the prisoner kept a poulterer's
shop in Everton, but, being unfortunate in businees, he
went to live with the deceased n a private house in
Everton. On the night of the Stn of Aug. last the pri-
soner and deceased—both of them being sober at the
time—went to bed, and about seven o'clock on the
following morning the woman was aroused by what
ehe described as a sharp blow on the side of the head.
She said to the prisoner, "Richard, what have you
been d oing ? " and he replied, "I with us both to die
to,rether." The deceased woman then got up, and
putting some articles of clothing on, went to a neigh-
bour's house some distance off. The occupier of the
house immediately went to the piisoner's residence,
and she there found him lying in the bedroom, bleed-
ing from two wounds in the head. He expressed
a wish to gee the deceased, who went to him,
and he then said to her, "Kiss me, and forgive
me for what I have done." The deceased did
kiss him, and when again asked what he had been
doing, the prisoner produced a revolver, one of
the chambers of which he had fired at the head of the
deceased woman and the other two at himself. The
deceased and the prisoner were both taken to the Royal
Infirmary, where the former, after lingering for three
days, died from her injuries ; but the prisoner
ultimately recovered, and was then charged with
murder. At the trial various witnesses stated that the
prisoner was very fond of the deceased, and lived on
very good terms with her. The deceased in her dying
deposition denied that she had been unfaithful to the
prisoner, and stated also that he was subject to the
horrors" from drink, and sometimes slept with
knives under his pillow. The defence raised was, that
the prisoner's mind had become affected through losses
in business, and that he was attempting to commit
suicide when one of the bullets accidentally struck the
deceased ; lint the jury found him guilty of murder.
Shortly after the prisoner's conviction a petition to
the Home Secretary for the commutation of his sen-
tence was got up and extensively circulated in Ever-
ton and the neighbourhood, but no official action was
taken.
_ _ _ _ _

Calcraft arrived at Kirkdale Gaol on Tuesday,
and the execution took place the following morn-
ing. The prisoner was very penitent, but pro-
tested that he had not the slightest recollection of
the deed, He died instantaneously, without a struggle.
He had professed himself willing to die; but he
showed great terror of the scaffold. A few days I re-
vioue t 3 his execution his wife, whom he had deserted,
went to see him in prison, but he did not show any
emotion in her presence.
The execution was witne=sed only by a few prison
officials and reporters, and there were not 20 persons
outside the gaol at the hour of execution,

SC 110 DL.
(robe sung during the remainder of the holidays.)
VELMA torn spoorey, a dance, and a fool,
Howe'er we may grumble, there's no place like School.
The games and the larks that a fellow has there,
Through all the vacation are wanting elsewhere.
School, School, sweet, sweet S.thool !
Wherever I wander, there's no place like SchooL
In study and learning I take such delight--
Could always be at it from morning to night;
Though holiday talks to perform 'Us my rule,
For downright hard "swotting" there's no place like School
School, School, sweet, sweet School!
For downright bard "swotting" there's no place like
SchooL

SPUTTERINGS FROM "JUDY'S" PEN,

•
Mt! with Winning Ways.—Succesatul gambler'.
MRS MANOOPERER NV she possesses great nwources In
her dear daughters, only she has not yet been able to
husband them.

A HINT —Those young ladles who make up their fews do
not always find young men to make up their minds.

_
RiADAN," maid a mrtain nameless one to Jrur, the other
day. " you are talking simple rubbish." "Yes, sir." replied
the ever-crushing lady, "because I wish you to comprehend
me." . . .

TIIZATRICAL RIDrLE —Why la a 'lrk oak-horse like a load
play 7-13ecsine It won't run, and can't draw.

MR CURMCDOKOP declartqf that Christmas-time fa all Our

A BANK Director—The Goodwin Light.

Ina Order of the Beth—Hot and cold.
WHAT'S the difference between the top of the Monument
end a song for one voice ?—o.ie's so high, and the othera
solo. . .

—.—
WHAT is the use of going to see one'n bachelor friend who
hu lately "popped the question"? Whenever you call, he is
sure tu be engaged.

WHAT is tlre -difference between electricity and a foci ?
One in 'imply marvellous, the other is marveilionsly simple,
WAWA% —Can a dark woman be considered one of the
fair ex.
Tux Light of Other Days—The maidlght.

WHAT I. the difference between a tailor and • beer-
drinker I—One puta hie sad up, the other puts his ale down.
WHY IS it not good to beat children hard and often ?
Because you may beat oft and harden.
A SALT CELLAR—A Grocer.
A CELLAR Uuderground—A defunct tradesman.

WHY is a Are • dig' Opted character ?—Because It goes out
every night
A 'fermi Jolot—A sirloin cut from the Bangor rocks (oz).

Wily does a retired confectioner reeemble a faithless
lover f—ltecause he leaves his sereet'art to the care of another.
—Judy.

CUTTINGS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.
A little id treating • fan, but not being able to
remember the word, eete The "wonted a thhig to brush the
warmth off with"

The gaoler of St. Louie has issued an order excluding
from the gaol young ladles with tracts. Its says that some
of the prisoners have been receiving lose lettere as well ma
tracts.

S Anebody inquiring at the Springfield, 111., post-
office for a letter for Mike Howe, received the gruff answer
that there was no letter there for anybody's cow,

They've not Fronde down to a pretty fine point in
New York, says a Philadelphia paper A statistical student
says that in the first 25 minutes of a recent lecture he put lila
• hand in hi, pockets 21 times, and Sited SM cot-tail 3.5 times,
by actual count.
- -

If there is one thing we like more than another, it
is • simple, direct, intellgible statement of something we are
interested in. How, thee can we be sufficiently grateful to
Profeisor Agauls for informing no that "trilobites are not
any more closely related to the phyllopods than to any other
entomostrame, or to the laopod t"
A girl in Indianapolis, who hen 200,000 dollars,
advertises for sealed proposals for marriage. The post-
master has decided to charge her double prcce for her bar, as
it keepe one clerk half his time ffiling it up with pink-tinted
envelopes, and the whole office is scented with musk and
bergamot like • perfumer's shop.
The young African brought to thin country by Mr.
Stanley is said to have an eleenollt ear for music He spends
much of his time singing a tender song which calls up recol-
lections of his home. The reirain is—
Strilliklyays ambobodoyou
Matatatal allalegont lilibulu
Tralirlititi bullgullou mootoo.
- -

A Maasachueetta paper recently announced that
dog with two tells had been seen in the neighbourhood of
Taunton, in that State. An opposition local paper treated
the assertion with scorn and ridicule. The other paper in
its next issue reaffirms the truth of its allegation, but ex-
plained that one of the tails belonged to an ox, and was
carried in the mouth of the canine.

RECIPE TO MAKE A FASHIONABLE WONAN.—Take
99Iba. of flesh and bones—but chiefly bones—bore holes in the
ears. cut off the small toes, bend the back to conform to the
Grecian bend, as the taste inclines then add three yards of
linen, 100 yards of ruffles, 75 yards of edging, 10 yards of
dimity, one pair at silk or cotton hose, six yards of flannel,
embroidered one pair of Bahnoral boots, with heels three
inches high; four pounds of whalebone, in strips ; 260 yards
of steel wire, half a mile of tape, two pounds of cotton or
wire hemispheres, 50 yards of silk or other dregs goods, 100
yards of point lace, 400 yards of fringe and other trimmings,
twelve gross of buttons, one box of pearl powder, one saucer
oficarmine, one bushel of hair, trlcsled andlretted, one quart
of hairpins, one pound of braid: one lace handkerchief,
nine inches square, with patent holder, perfumed with the
attsx of roses and musk; and let PygmallOgi admire hi.
handiwork

A BEN EDICTION ON A STONY-HEARTED
MILLIONAIRE.
MAY every blessing that fond Fortune sheds,
With smiles benignant, o'er her favourites' heads,
May every grace that good aud great could make you,
Follow you stth—and never overtake you !—Judy.