The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-12-03 00:00:00

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THE
EXECUTION OF LEFROY,

THE FINAL SCENE.

Percy Lefroy Mapleton, or " Lefroy," as he has
been More generally named, was executed at Lewes
Gaol on Tuesday morning for the murder of Mr.
Isaac Gold on the Brighton Railway on the 27th
of June. The last sentence of the law was carried
out in the presence of the usual officials and
a few representatives of the Press. Precautions
had been taken to preserve order, and prevent
any undue assemblage in the immediate vicinity
of the prison, but these proved almost unnecessary, as
but few persons were to be seen round the prison
gates when the black flag was hoisted. The gaol is
situated on an eminence a short distance from the
town of Lewes, on the Brighton road, and commands
a fine view of the South Downs and the valley of the
Ouse as far as the harbour of Newhaven. As the
mist lifted on Tuesday morning this beautiful pano-
rama was unfolded to those whose melancholy errand
lay with one who would never see the sun rise again
in this mortal existence.

The convict Lefroy passed a comparatively quiet
night, and slept for several hours. In the morning
he appeared calm and resigned. He rose soon
after six o'clock and was shortly after visited by
the chaplain, who conversed and prayed with him
for some time. The condemned man partook of a
light breakfast. Mr. Bull, the under sheriff,
arrived at the gaol at a quarter past eight o'clock.
The representatives of the press, about a dozen
in number, were admitted to the gaol at half-
past eight o'clock. As the day advanced the
sun came out, lifting the chilly mists off the surround-
ing hills and valleys, and affording a magnificent view
of the peaceful Sussex Downs. The Wind fell, and
the day gave every promise of being a splendid one, so
that the convict saw the last of earth when in its most
solacing guise. No movement was made until a
quarter to nine, when the prison bell commenced
tolling. With its first sharp mournful sound, ringing
out clear and sharp, the last sad preparations were
begun.
The governor, Captain Crickett, deputy governor,
Mr. Farr, and the under sheriff, Mr. Bull, entered the
cell of the condemned man. Lefroy at the time was
engaged with the chaplain in prayer. The representa-
tives of the press were thereafter admitted through
the interior of the gaol yard to the north-east yard.
There they found Marwood waiting with the pinion-
ing straps in his hand. He saluted several of the
gentlemen as they entered, and subsequently ex-
plained the formation of the new scaffold. The struc-
ture in question is on a level with the ground, and a
pit had been dug underneath to allow for the nine
feet drop which Mar wood said he had arranged for.
A descent to the pit was afforded by a brick stairway
about twenty feet to the left of the scaffold. The
convict's grave was lying open awaiting his remains,
At five minutes to nine, Marwood entered the cell
and pinioned the prisoner. Lefroy made little or no
signs of showing any interest in the proceeding, ap-
pearing in a half dazed state. It took Marwood but a
couple of minutes to complete this portion of his task,
so that at precisely one minute to nine the mournful
procession emerged from the prison, the chaplain
reading the Butial Service for the dead in a loud,
although tremulous voice. The sad cortege was
preceded by the deputy-governor, followed by the
sheriff, two warders supporting the convict, Marwood,
the prison doctor, and two or three prison officials.
Lefroy was not dressed in convict's garb; his shirt
front was open, exposing his long thin neck and
narrow, hollow chest ; he had a bluish, livid look,
and it was evidently with the greatest difficulty
that he was able to nerve himself for the fearful
ordeal. He staggered rather than walked, although
his legs were unbound, and stared wildly from left
to right from beneath his drooping eyelids. Along the
narrow passage he walked, through the courtyards, on
his way to the scaffold. Marwood at times put forth
a hand to steady the convict.
Lefroy had the appearance of a prematurely worn
old man ; he took no seeming interest in the Burial
Service, and never once opened or even moved his lips
on the way to the drop, in response to the chaplain's
reading.
On reaching the scaffold the warders held Lefroy
whilst Marwood fastened a broad leathern strap
round the convict's legs; in an instant more he pulled
the white cap over the wretched man's face—the last
expression of Lefroy being ghastly in the extreme, and
looking as if he were paralysed—and finally he ad-
justed the rope. The chaplain then turned his
back to the scaffold, moving off a distance of about 20
feet to the right, whilst the governor, sheriffs, and
other officers ranged themselves in front, at about an
equal distance from the drop. The reverend gentle-
man continued reading the Church service, but with-
out waiting now for the responses which never came.
"Lord have mercy upon us?" "Christ have mercy
upon us 1" the chaplain cried in trembling tones:
the warders left the convict's side, and Mar-
wood alone remained supporting him by putting
his right hand upon Lefroy's shoulder. At the
last word of the service the executioner slipped from
the murderer's side, and before he had time to give
way, pulled the lever which launched Lefroy into
eternity. The body fell with a heavy thud, and was
echoed by a murmur from the small assembly. Death
seemed to be instantaneous. The chaplain was the
first to break the painful silence which ensued by
crying " Amen !" in a clear voice. The convict
never moved in the slightest degree, but hung like
a leaden weight at the end of the rope. The chief
prison officials then slowly dispersed, the body re-
maining suspended, and in charge of a few of the
warders.
Outside the gaol as the hour of execution approached
the crowd increased to perhaps a couple of hundred
people, and a slight shout went up when the black
flag was hoisted, but beyond this there was no
demonstration, and the crowd speedily dispersed.