The Express.
London, England, 1853-01-17 00:00:00

THE SHEFFIELD MURDER.

EXECUTION OF BARBOUR.
On Friday morning a communication war received
by the authorities at York Castle from the Rome-office,
intimating that the result of the further investigation into
the case of James Barbour, at Sheffield, on Wednesday,was
such as to preclude Lord Palmerston from advising any in-
terference on the part of the crown with the menace of
the law, which was, thereon, directed to be carried into
effect at the expiration of the respite for seven days, received
on the 7th inst. The fact that such instructions had been
received was communicated to Barbour, but the intimation
produced no visible effect ulna him. The letter was read
to him, but he said nothing, and maintained his wonted
eullesteese sad obduracy.
The condemned prisoner has never been left alone,
another convict and au officer of the prison remaining with
him. Daring a brief absence of the officer, Barbour sug-
gested to his fellow-prisoner • proposal to attempt an es-
cape, but of course such an attempt would have been per-
fectly futile, as the chimney and windows of the con-
demned cell an double-barred,and the massive atone walls
and iron doors of that dreary abode render the wart of its
inmates a physical impossibtlitv.
At about seven o'clock on ifitarday morning Barbour
was removed from the condemned cell to • room on the or
puke side of the Castle-yard, and adjoining to the scaf-
fold, in the firing of which workmen had then been em-
ployed for nearly three hours. When it was intimated to
him that he must be so removed be evinced a perfect readi-
ness, rather an anxiety than otherwise to leave the con-
demned cell, and to be taken nester to the scene of his final
and fatal doom.
The chaplain had an interview with the culprit at ten
o'clock, whoa he told the rev. gentleman that he felt very
much distressed on secoant of his parents. He said,
" They Mill feat my death very much." The eicaptais re-
plied. " Yes, no doubt they will; but ft would be a gust
satiefution 'to them provided they knew that you died
truly penitent, and had confessed your sins." Barbour
said, Wiltymt write to my parents?" The chaplain an-
swered in the affirmative, and Barbour then said, " Well,
then, sir, I am guilty ! and nobody had anything to do
with the murder but myself I" The condemned prisoner
tbea intimated that he felt very much relieved in his
mind, and expressed a wish w restive the sacrament, which
was administered to him by the chaplain, and from that
time forward up to the last moment he continued to pray.
After Barbour had received the uerement he was handed
Over to the officers whose duty it was to perform the opera-
tion of pinioning, whereupon all his fortitude left him : he
became moat dreadfully aervous and agitated, and this
great change in his demeanour increased more and more,
until at 12 o'clock he was conducted to the scaffold, when
he became perfectly terrified, being cull} able to ejaculate
in trembling accents the sentence, " Lord have mercy upon
me!" which be repeated many times. The sufferings of
the wretched creature seemed to be of brief duration.
During the execution the rain fell in torrents, and the
intonese roof of umbrellas under which the spectators were
sheltered, formed a carious sight. There were not more
than half the number of people present, compared with
those who witnessed the execution of Waddington.
The body of the culprit, as usual, remained suspended
until one o'clock, when it was tut down, and in the
after part of .the day interred in the burial ground of
the prison, adjoining the condemned ceU. Barbour will
be interred in the same grave which was dog for Wadding-
ton last weak.