The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-04-03 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF THE SHORNCLIFFE

MURDERER.

John Morgan, a young soldier, was executed on
Tuesday morning, at nine o'clock, at the County Gaol,
Maidstone, for the murder of a comrade at Shorncliffe
Camp under very extraordinary circumstances.
The offence for which the prisoner suffered was only
committed on the evening of the 6th of March, he was
committed for trial on the following Monday to the
assizes for the county, which commenced on that day,
and on the following Thursday after a long investiga-
tion the jury found him guilty of the offence. Theca,se
was a somewhat remarkable one. The prisoner and the
deceased, about his own age, did-not appear to have had
any quarrel, and no motive appeared to be assigned for
the commission of the terrible deed. It appeared,
however, that on the night in question the prisoner,
the deceased, and two drummer boys, were in one of
the huts at the camp, the only other person present
being another soldier, who was on his bed, but so
drunk that he had not the slightest cognisance of the
terrible act that was being committed before his
eyes. The prisoner then appeared to have gone to
a shelf where a razor was kept, and the evidence
went to show that he attacked the deceased from
behind, and inflicted no fewer than eleven fearful
wounds upon his neck and face. The unfortunate
man had sufficient strength to stagger into an adjoin-
ing hut, but as the windpipe was severed he was unable.
to speak. He, however, made signs for writing mate-
rials to be brought to him, and he had just sufficient
strength to write upon a piece of paper the words,
"John Morgan done this just now ; " and when the
prisoner came into the hut, he pointed at him in a
solemn manner and expired. This was really the
principal point against the prisoner, but this
paper, by the rules of evidence, was excluded
from the jury. It appeared, however, that
no one else was present, and the surgeon
expressed an opinion that it was physically impossible
for the deceased to have inflicted such injuries as he
had sustained with his own hand. There was this re-
markable piece of evidence in addition, that it being
Proved that the prisoner had sent the two boys out of
the but upon different pretences, one ot them hap-
pened, accidentally, to turn his head round as he
passed the window of the hut, and saw the prisoner in
the at of reaching down the razor from the shelf
where it was kept.

For some time after his conviction the prisoner per-
sisted in asserting that he was innocent, but within
the last few days it appears that he has admitted to
the Rev. Mr. Harrison, the chaplain of the prison,
that he committed the crime, and he also divulged
the motive, but only upon the condition that it should
never be made known. With some difficulty the
chaplain appears to have obtained the consent of the
prisoner that the motive for the crime should be
divulged to the Secretary of State, but he insisted
that on no condition it should be divulged to any other
person.

The prisoner, who was a healthy, strong young man,
did not appear to have realised his awful position un-
til within the last few days, but as the day for his exe-
cution approached, he seemed to feel his position, and
he several times expressed to the chaplain and others
about him his deep sorrow at having deprived a fellow
creature of life.

The prisoner was visited on Sunday by his father
for the last time. He has been an old soldier. The
prisoner requested him to give some photographs that
nacl been taken of him in the gaol to some of his com-
rades at the camp, and he was promised that this
should be done.

At a few minutes before nine o'clock on Tuesday
morning, Mr. Breman, the acting 'Under Sheriff, ar-
rived at the prison, and the prisoner was soon after-
wards pinioned. He exhibited extraordinary firmness
to the laßt. He was attended to the scaffold by the
Rev. Mr. Harrison and the schoolmaster of the prison,
and he did not utter a word while the rope was being
adjusted. When the drop fell he appeared to be dead
almost instantaneously.
_ _ _ _

The black flag was Twisted, and the usual formalities
were gone through, an d in the course of he day the
body was buried in the yard where the execution took
place.