The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-04-04 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF A MURDERER.

The execution of William Woreley, who was con-
victed at the last assizes of the murder of William
Bradbury, at Luton, on the 17th October last, took
place at Bedford, on Tuesday morning, at eight o'clock.

The particulars of the crime for which the culprit suffered
the dread penalty of the law are shortly these. On Saturday
night, the 17th October last, the man bradimry was returning
from Luton with a bundle and basket containing some
clothes which he had purchased in that town, and when
passing Rand-green, on his way to his home at Lily, he was
knocked down by Woreley by a blow with a winch used to
wind up a grate, and Woreley afterwards administered
several more severe blows upon the back of the head, and
kicked the unfortunate man, and Welch (who was charged
with Woreley with the murder, but who was admitted as evi-
dence against Woreley, and acquitted of the capital charge
robbed him of his clothes and his money. The poor fellow
died in about an hour afterwards.

Several gentlemen hi Bedford and Luton exerted them-
selves to obtain a commutation of the sentence, and peti-
tioned the Home Secretary upon the grounds of the absence
of premeditation, aml because of the demoralising effecto of
an execution, which would be greater in Bedford on account
of the large educational establishment there, and, conse-
quently, the number of young persons in the town. They
also called the attention of the Home Seemtary to the bad
character of Welch, whose evidence they contended could
not be relied upon but a reply was received to the effect
that there was no reason for interfering with the due course
of the law.

Since Ms condemnation Woreley has conducted himself in
a manlier becoming one in such an awful position, and has
paid the greatest attention to the ministrations of the ex-
cellent and indefatigable chaplain, the Rev. S. Malmo-.
The unfortunate man was visited twice by his wife and
three brothers, and it Is almost needless to add that the in-
terviews were of a most distressing nature. After his rela-
tions had left him on Saturday they wrote to him telling
limo that there was no hope for him in this world, and Im-
ploring him to seek for God's mercy. On Saturday night the
governor informed him that all hope of his life being spared
WU at an end, but the wretched man was not at all moved
by thts announcement, but appeared to believe that he
wonld be reprieved.
The scaffold was erected upon the top of the entrance to
the county gaol, snit was drtoed with black. It was no con-
st, acted that only the head of the culprit could be seen.
. .

Woreley displayed wonderful coolness, submitted to be
pinioned with perfect docility, and walked to the scaffold
without assistance, lie knelt at the foot of the scaffold to
offer a brief prayer, shook hands with all around him, and
bowed to the crowd on mounting the steps. The dreadful
business was soon over, but the hundreds of men, women,
and children who had tramped twenty miles to see the
execution were partially disappointed, for the culprit's head
was scarcely seen above the drapery which surrounded the
scaffold, and when the bolt was withdrawn nothing but a
vibrating rope remained in sight to indicate the "great
moral lesson." The struggles of the convict lasted barely
half a minute. His body was cut down at nine o'clock and
buried inside the gaol.