The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-01-09 00:00:00

EXECUTION IN LONDON.

James Cranwell, aged 50, who was convicted at the
last sessions of the 'Central Criminal Court of the
murder of a woman named Emma Bellamy by beating
her on the head with a shoemaker's hammer and
cutting her throat, was executed on Monday morning
within the gaol of Newgate.
The prisoner, who was a widower, had met the de-
ceased casually in a public-house, about five weeks
before the fatal occurrence; and although it was
proved that he had previously been a sober, well con-
ducted man, the connection seemed to have led to a
career of drink and dissipation. The deceased was a
married woman, but separated from her husband, and
it was suggested at the trial that the prisoner com-
mitted the act out of a feeling of anger at discovering
that.the deceased was not a widow, as she had repre-
sented, and that he could not marry her.

The prisoner went to bed early on Sunday night,
but he slept very little, and got up and dressed himself
about six o'clock. Shortly afterwards he was visited
by the ordinary, the Rev. Mr. Lloyd Jones, the
sltrgeon, Dr. Gibson, and Mr. Sidney Smith, the
governor. To the ordinary he frequently expressed
his regret for the crime, and a hope that he should
be pardoned in another world.
Mr. Alderman and Sheriff Ellis, Mr. Sheriff Shaw,
and the under-sheriffs, arrived at the prison shortly
after half-past seven o'clock, and a little before eight,
Mr. Sydney Smith, the governor of Newgate, intro-
duced them to the cell of the prisoner. He was quite
calm and collected, although it was evident that it
required an effort on his part to subdue his excite-
ment. He thanked all the officials for the kindness
he had received from them, and submitted to the
operation of pinioning without saying a word, except
to request the executioner—Marwood, of Leicester—
not too pinion him too tightly. The prison bell at
this moment began to toll, and the officials proceeded
to the scaffold, the ordinary reading the burial service
in an impressive manner.

While the executioner was placing the cap over the
prisoner's face he asked him not to put it too much
over his mouth, and in a very few seconds all was
ready, and the drop fell. The rope appeared to be of
extra length, for after the platform had been dropped
nothing was visible but a portion of the rope, and the
body of the culprit was entirely hidden from view.
The prisoner was a tall, fine man and he appeared to
struggle for two or three minutes before life was
extinct.

At the moment of the execution a black flag was
hoisted at the entrance of the gaol, and the usual cer-
tificate was signed by the sheriffs, the governor, and
the surgeon of the prison, notifying that the sentence
of the law had been duly executed.
A coroner's inquest was held upon the body during
the day in conformity with the provisions of the Act
of Parliament.

Since the last execution at Newgate an entirely new
apparatus has been constructed for the execution of
criminals. Formerly a portion of the old scaffold had
been utilised for the purpose, and the culprit had to
walk up a ladder, and to mount several steps. This
was obviously inconvenient, especially in the case of a
prisoner who might faint, or who required assistance;
and the old scaffold has been done away with, and an
entirely new one, level with the ground, erected, the
floor being similar to a cellar flap, and when the drop
falls, the culprit is almost entirely hidden from view.