The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-09-05 00:00:00

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idera y cheaper on. e Fren an on t ot one of the bles in the 'bop,
English side of the ChanneL According to Dlr. doctor to an upatairs room
Itr Edward Golds, a "

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DOUBLE EXECUTION AT LIVERPOOL.

On Monday momiag, Henry Flanagan aul Mary
Williams, who were sentenced to death for murder at
the recent Liverpool Assizes, were executed at Kirk-
dale Gaol. In the case of Williams strong efforts had
been made to obtain a reprieve, it being alleged on
her behalf that she was not aware that the
pistol which she fired at Manning was loaded, and
that she merely intended to frighten him, a
quarrel having taken place between Manning and her
sister. A reprieve, however, was refused. The case
of Flanagan was much more savage in character. He
was a shoemaker, and lived with his aunt. After a
drinking bout he first attempted to outrage, and after-
wards brutally murdered her, at the same time robbing
her of all her money.
. • " •

Both prisoners were Roman Catholics, and listened
to the Administrations of the gaol chaplain with consi-
derable interest. Upon the fatal morning they rose at
half pai ve, after having spent a sleepless night, and
at half-past six attended divine service in the chapel,
where the Communion was administered, the pri-
soners oonfessed, and received absolution, the woman
still asserting her innocence. Shortly before eight
o'clock the culprits were brought out from the
"reception room," and taken up to the scaffold, sup-
ported by warders and followed by the chaplain,
who recited the service. The man appeared dejected
and even stupefied, and with the exception of one last
despairing glance around, he took no notice of anything
and- did not speak. His arms were already pinioned,
and his legs were now secured by means of a strap,
and the white cap was drawn over his face. The
executioner then adjusted the noose and he stood wait-
ing his fate. The woman was treated in the same way,
a female warder being present by her side. During the
operation of preparation- which seemed to those look-
ing on to be terribly long, although actually only a few
moments were occupied—she recited various prayers and
the creed. She also protested her innocence, saying
it was her husband who fired the pistol. Before the
bolt was drawn she said "God pardon me for my
bygone sins," and at the last moment she shook hands
with the female warder, saying, "Good bye, God bless
you all." The drop was then let go, and the unhappy
couple fell about five feet. The jerk consequent upon
such a fall was apparently such as to produce instan-
taoetnis dislocation of the neck, fir the bodies of the
sufferers --of which, however, only the legs from the
knees downwards could be seen, owing to the con-
struction I,f the scaffold—seemed to become quiet after
a few slight convulsive movements. They remained
suspended for some time, and an inquest was subse-
quently held.
The last double execution at Kirkdale was in April,
1873, and in September of the same year four convicts
were hanged at the Maine place. The last occasion
upon which a woman was hanged was in 1843, when
Betty Eccles, whose crime created considerable excite-
ment. suffered the extreme sentence of the law.