The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-29 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF A WOMAN AT CHESTER,

DREADFUL SCENE UPON THE SCAFFOLD.

CHTER, MONDAY.
One of the most dreadful and sicESkening spectacles
which has ever been associated with a public exsoutioa
was yawned at Chester today, cm the =mien et the
execution of Alice Hewitt, for the murder at her meeker.
Our readers may remember that Hewitt (her mother bang
ill) induced • female acquaintance to poisons= the old
woman, and by this means an Mamma, upon her life was
effected in the Wesleyan Life Association far 251. Shortly
afterwards the mother died, sad the mosey was duly
paid to the representatives, nor was it discovered
until some time had elapsed that the messy had
bees obtained by fraud, and that Alice Hewitt had ado-
ally pawned her mother by the edaiiitretion et
arsenic in very large quantities. After her mmilinenaties
the criminal gave birth to an Megan= child. The wisdoer
this morning was bitterly cold, with a slight fall of =ow,
yet an excited mob of some 3,000 or 4,000 people were
gathered in front of the gaol. A so= as the criminal slapped
up= the platform a subdued murmur no through the
crowd, which was followed by • deathlike stases fora few
minutes, brakes rely by the piteous wailing of the anlpitt.
The cap and rope having been adjusted, she fell up= her
brae= sod prayed that her infant child might be epseed a
similar fate, and that her death might be • warning to
others. She then rose, and in the most piteous manner
begged the execaffiener to make haste with his dreadful work.
Calcraft that withdrew on one oar, and pulled
the bolt, but the drop would not fall. A
mood time the attempt was made, but with the same
result. All this time the doomed woman was heard
"Make haste !" and each time she heard the bolt
withdraws she gave an agonisiog shriek. Calmat weed
through his work with the coolness of • prsetial and,
lead the third time, with the aid of some of the poi
the drop fell with • dull heavy thud. The woman
fell with a violent jerk shout three or four feet, and the
prayer up= her lips was left untlaidied. She straggled
hard, and hat salterinp were aggravated by the incomplete
adjustment et the rope, as well as from her being • very
light and denier mama. Oalcraft Moat immediately
west in heat of the dying woman and strapped her legs
more tightly. A law a few mere struggles and
al was over. The wow was thinly sad poorly
attired.

SUPPOSED MURDER AND ATTEMPTED
SUICIDE AT ST. HELEN'S.

Great excitement was canned in St. Helen's, yes-
talky morning, by the report that • murder had been cone-
matted fa a short skeet lead* oat al Dakestreet, in that
town. The name of the dimmed is Mary Woods, aged
33, a single women end a cripple, who kept a small sekool
at her own home, the scene of the tragedy. The map-
eeed murderer is James Clith • Pau pallier, aged
35, a married nem, with five who resides near
the madmen of the deceased. About ohm o'clock yes-
terday morning, 'moral of the school children arrived at
the decreed's house, and there found that the front door
was fast. They knocked, but could not pin admittance..
The children's mei:ions were aroused, and they called
the siltation of a man named John Mandell to the
fact. He went round to the yard door, which he found
fast; bat he got over the yard wall and opened the
kitties door, which was unfastened. He went into the
kitchen, and at the bottom of the stainers leading op to the
bedrooms saw a men's shoes. He proceeded upstairs,
and, on opening • small back bedroom door, he new • I
hoeribie eight -On the bed. which was saturated with
blood, lay the man Callao*, undressed, and bleeding
from • gash in his throat. Bowden ran downstairs, and
called is polieemeriable Turner, who was peeling. Whim
Tarim teetered the room, Chrism., who was almost deed
from km of blood, waved his bend in the direction of
the ether side of the bed. Turner went round the bed,
liftsd up the bedclothes, sad there found the body al
the deemed Mary Woods. Her head was almost se-
vered from her body. Dr. Blundell was immediately
meet for, and he sad Dr. Rigg shortly afterwards arrived ;
het it was found that the usfortmate woman was quits
deed. her windpipe being severed, and several arteries.
The mesa Clithwee was found in • fearful date, kis
windpipe being also severed, and he was blending a
greet deal. The ceiling of the mom mad the walk were
riviwith blood, over and on the wall the heed of
bWedwere lager marks of blood. Dr. Ring premed the
edges d Clitheroe's wound together, when the men mid,
" We made it up to eat our throats, and we did it about
3 o'clock this mania,. fibs cat her threat, sad then I
out mine." A razor covered with blood was found
on the door, wrapped in a night-dress. It is believed
that Clitherse fine took the woman's life, and afterwards
attempted to take his own. Mere was ao blood on the
deceased's heads, as there must have been had she cut
her own throat. The bed-clothes were also greatly dis-
tubed, as if • struggle had take. place; and it would
have been almost impossible for her to have coveted
herself up in the way in which she was found, after re-
ceiving the wound which killed her. The facts of the Malt
house door being unfastened sod Chtheroe's shoes being
found at the foot of the staircase lead to the sappceition
that he entered the home without the deoeseed's knowledge,
sad it is supposed that, some quarrel having arisen between
them, be determined to take her life, and also attempted
to take his own. He is attended by two polioe-oftews,
bat will not be removed to the lock-ups until he is rift-
ohm* recovered. At 6 o'clock last evening he was in a
eery precarious state, and slight hope were entertained
at hie reepeary.—lfenceneer Guardian.