The Express.
London, England, 1862-01-04 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF 4 CONDEMNED POACHER AT

YORK.-(THl8 DAY.)

At noon to-day the convict James Waller suffered
the extreme parity of the law, at the place of executiou ad-
joining York tliatle.
It will be remembered that Waller was tried at the
late winter gaol delivery, for the murder, on the room-
ing of the sth of November, of William Smith, paw
keeper to T. Horrid, of liawkswerth Hall, near Weer by
shooting him in the body, and that after the murder he
concealed himself from the officers of justice for twelve days,
he being eveoLually discovered in a kern, covered with he
and straw to • considerable depth, in a half-starved
tine. This, coupled with other evidencesof guilt, made oat
a case—although based osi circumstantial evidence only—of
• very cogent character, and Waller was accordingly con-
victed of the charge which was preferred against him.
The " cosdemeed sermon," as it is called, was preached on
Suoday Isat by the prison chaplain, who horn the wear in
the 7th verse of the 2cid chapter of Genesis, " Thom tit
surely die," dwelt upon the certainty of death to all, es the
uncertainty of human life, on the necessity of ressabres
towards God, and on the doom which awaits the imported
sinner in another world. The Archbishop of York, on Thum-
. day last, preached in the chapel at the Castle, Waller being
preset. The text of his graft was taken from Romer
viii, 32, and ho addressed them as brethren. He observed
that he had long desired to come among them, partly
became their respected chaplain besought him so to do, but
more especially, that through the blessing of God on the
word be should speak, he might impart to them ease
spiritual instruction. He said be felt this lodged
to be • very solemn and interesting owasien, and that pro-
bably they should never Les each other again till they stood
before the judgment seat of Christ. He had come to
tell them of the "glad tidings of salvation ;" and after
directing attention to the rebellious nature of rams, who
has " sinned, and come short of the glory of God; his
Grace alluded to the fact that God had proved his
newill-
infoess that any should perish, bemuse he had awed not
His own son, but delivered him up for us all. God, how-
ever, could Dot be reconciled to them unless they were
reconciled to Him ; and the Archbishop urged the WI.
portance of prayer, and the forsaking of sin, if they
would obtain mercy, it being premised that if eves
the moat guilty would only ask they should receive;
seek they should find ; and knock it should be opened to
them. Hie grace subsequently had • conversation with
Waller in the condemned cell, on spiritual subjects He
seemed penitent, and said he had been a great sinner.
It appears that the malorit has exhibited • good deal of
distress of mind during the past week, and that his net
has been a good deal disturbed at nights hy frightful
dreams. He seems, however, to have still maiotsined that
he had not gone out with the intention to shoot the game-
keeper, and, on hearing that • petition had been got up in
his favour, he said he would rather receive • panto° from
Jesus Christ than from the Quern Two years have elapsed
since the last execution at York, and the prisoner who then
suffered was Chas. Normington, convicted of the barbarous
murder of Mr. It. Brolightoi, of Rounilhay, near Leeds.
Yesteeday, three of Waller's brothers, his wife, and three
chi,dree—ten. eight, and three years of age, had • parting
interview with him, in the condemned cell, and the sore,
especially with the wife, was of the moat agonising descrip-
tion. To enable the wife and children to comer York, the
High Sheriff of the county (Sir G. 0. Wombwell, Bart.)
kindly gave 51. That gentleman was with the culprit for
a short time in the afternoon, and Waller was also ore, on
Thursday evening, by the Rev. Joseph Iditton, ,the dery-
man of the parish of Hendee, in which the prisoner resided.
Thorns. Askron, of Maltby, sear Rotherham, wee the
ale cutioner.

CHURCH 0? ENGLAID READISIte A 0.40-
CIATION.—The Marquis el Westminster has annowsoal hit
inteatiou of placing in the heeds of trustees the munidoent
sum of 5,0001„ the interest of which shell be give to the
Scripture Readers' Prieedly Society for the purpose:lc.
veiling pensions of JIM. per annum for Scripture
when incapacitated for further duty by reason of old ego,
sickness, or infirmity. Lord &bury, brother of the noble
marines, ocatributed 5001. a few years ago towards the mine
object.
A RAILWAY Them IN PERIL. Ax Maize
net= CAME—As a train was passing along the railway
an the Ritchie side of the Baldock station one night lam
week, it came in coated with a beery coping stone forced
from an adjoining bridge and laid across the rails. Pann-
n one of the iron guards the engine reasoned*,
IcrA of
iment, or • serials accident would in all probabilitY
have ensued, particularly as that portion of the lase bps
an embankment of considerable height. Immediate In-
quiries were at once set on foot by the &stem Counties
Railway directors, but without WOMB& A boy named
Gentle has since beam convicted of throwing atoms at
train entering the Baldock station, on the 21st alt., and
sentenced to nine months' imprisonment.-- Hertford Men
cury.