The Express.
London, England, 1849-04-23 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF RUSH.

We published on Saturday intelligence received by
eleotric telegraph of the execution of the criminal Rush.
We now give the following further particulars:
The excitement which prevailed during the morning by
no means diminished towards the time appointed for the
execution. As the hour eppecedied when the criminal was
to meet his doom, and answer to offended justice for his
numerous crimes, a feeling of overpowering oppression—a
sense of awe and consternstion—pervaded • Large portion of
the crowd, as they Auld upon that terrible instrument on
which the convict Rush was destined to end his miserable
existence. The gallows was erected 'moo the Saxon Bridge
spanning the castle moat, and its dressy and cliental sprier-
ante acoorded wall with the purpose for which it was de
I signed. Over the entrance to the castle • large block Sag
floated, raising in the minds of all thoughtful pereons feel-
lags of deep emotion.
In coasequence of the influx of London thieves, the police-
men were placed as follows :—Fifteen were at the weighing
machine on the hill, fifteen on the Castle Meadow, opposite
the Shire-hall, two at each entrance on the Canis Meadow
sad two at each bank, to watch any suspicious parties.
these men IMO ordered to be coeoentrated at any given
point, if their servioss were required. About 60 constables of
the rural force were statioseekBo yards apart in the garden-
walk of the castle. . - -

ThMicig—t.he—pre—vious evening sad night there had limn
no alteration whatever in the pnesser's conduit, He went
to bed between nine and ten o'clock, and got up again at two
Valock, and when he mom he said, " Thank God for a good
sleep ;" but it was evident to those who were watching him
that he did not sleep, mid that his net had been greatly dis-
turbed. Between two and six o'clock I. the morning his
time was chiefly occupied in reading • r;W: book, in
which he made not.,, and underlined Pa
During the night he did not sumt his innocence, nor did
make the slightest disclosure. He had sent for the Bev. Mr.
Blake, a gentleman with whom he had quarrelled, and he
received his ministrations with those of the other clergymen,
but showed no sigm of contrition oa amount of the great
edam with whichhe was charged. In the morning be asked

for some hoe water to wash himself, and to have R
reekeloth and clean shirt; and he expressed a *lb that))e
should be buried in his shirt.
At eleven o'clock the weather became doer, and Amy
therm& had collected in front of the scaffold. They were
Deady all of the lower orders of the country people. Aber
proportion were females. At half-put eleven the number ed
en the hill greatly increased, and before twelve be
hR dl wawa ;resented a dense mar of human Wee,
efigthag as close ea possible upon the ground. At
efts! the representative, of the peer were admitted teA
tise Shire-hall, from whence they passed along the pedal;
walk and op the rope at the bridge,to the Castle-walk. p
this errand position they had en excellent view of the vale
mese of people, and of all that pored.
Between eleven and twelve o'clock the bell of St. peters'
Maneroft tolled the death knell of the aiming. As h.eairi
fees hie all to the receiving-room he walked with a Sae
ready step. In that teem he we, pinioned by the not.
timer (Camel), whom he requested not to do it too tight,.
A txoeeastea wee then formed to the scaffold, the Chaplet'
(Oa v. James Brown) being in front ; Mr. Pinsaa sag
the prisoner followed. The High Sheriff (Col. Munn ) eel
present, and also the Under-Sheriff (F. J. Blake, Seq.).u‘
the Deputy Under-Sheriff (A. Taylor, Eaq.)
Within two or three minutes after twelve Werth the
mournful 'seabeds proceeded from the interior atlae. code
to the spot en which the gibbet was erected. The drub
between the castle door and the gallows was about shay
yards. The chaplain, who headed the roarer read
es
a portion of the burial service.
faUna the procession left the castle gate to proceed to tlia
gibbet, Hugh presented a moat melancholy and dti
appearance. He was dressed in a plain suit of black west-
ing no neekhandkerchief. His shirt-collar was tamed deem
For about 20 yards he walked with a firm unwavering step,
but is a moment afterwards he raised hie pinioned hands to
hie face and trembled violently. lie then removed hie
hands tram his face, and turning up his eyes to Heaven
assumed the attitude of penitence and prayer. Oa read*
the foot of the gallows the rev. chaplain offend up
prayer • and while it was being read the condemned
to be 'deeply impressed with the awful character Nord
situation. Immediately on the close of the prayer lb
beckoned to Mr. Pinson, the governor of the castle, who wen
imniediatoly by his aide. The following brief omverestim
eared :
Rush—Mr. Pinson, I have a last request to make to yoL
It is that the bolt may be withdrawn while the ehaplabb
reading the benediction, " The grace of our Lord Jere
Chew, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Sol,
Ghat be with se all evermore."
The convict, aceompanied by the officials, end Colerail, the
common hangman, then wended the gallows,a clumsy aed
inconvenient structure, u badly armful. and SS unsightly
in appearance, as any one could conceive. It seemed to be
the work of a most unskilful designer. On to this platter
Rush ascended. He looked ghastly pale and dreadfully
emaciated. Either conscience or fear had evidently doss its
work. The hangman then placed the unhappy mem
rider the beam on which he was to hang, and affixed the
fatal rope around his neck. Rash said, " For God's lake
give me rope enough ! " and with his own heal
adjusted the cord ova his neck. The remind
chaplain proceeded with the prayers, and Caked
withdrew the bolt, the platform went down, and the
unhappy convict fell like a lump of lead, dialisg
the Whole gallows by his fall. He remained quiescent*
about two minutes, then there was a convulsive struggle say
all was over. From first to last his hands were daa
clasped together. His death was greeted with loud apple.,
by the immense crowd who had assembled to witness be
execution. At one o'clock he was ant down and owed
from the scaffold. The mar of people remained for mese
lithe on the hill; vast number keeping their plum uld
the murderer was taken down at one o'clock.
The visiting magistrates present during the amnia' M
the castle were the Rev. Edward Poole, William Bap.
Noshes. Esq., Joseph Scott, Eaq., and the Rev. T. J. SW.
&dd. The representatives of the press were much obliged
to the politeness of those gentlemen for affording then
every facility, consistent with the government regulsticcat
to witness the proceeding outside the walla; whilst it is dee
to them to say that the greatest care has been taken to pen
vent anything like intrusion of any parties open the mum
beyond the members of his own family.
It is stated that Mr. Pinson, the governor, during the
whole anxious period since the first committal of the prime
to his execution, showed great forbearance and intim.
The criminal gave much trouble, and always appeared
dissatisfied with whatever was done for him. Rush's Wm
via= was at times ao uabcooming that it was no:eon
to have a double guard upon him.
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAPLAIN OF
THE GAOL, _ _ _ _

On Saturday night the representatives of the Louden sad
Provincial press assembled at the Castle, Norwich, illy
levitation of Mr. Pins*, the governor of the gaol, to hear
statement relating to the culprit. Mr. Pinson said that be
had asked the chaplain to draw out the following mum*
which we give verbatim.
From the commencement of the imprisonment of Jess
Blomfield Rush he has assumed the character of iusa
cence and piety, and so eagerly asserted his enter**
to it, so over-acting his part, that he at once brought
suspicion on his sincerity. He took every rad%
opportunity of asserting his innocence, professing
tranquillity, and unhesitating confidence in brifes:
quittal, and his restoration to society. His minim*
language was. " That, thank God, he was quite ill.
nocent, and quite comfortable in body and mind—that heap
well, drank well, and slept well, and was quite happy." His
sleep, however, was observed by his attendants not to be es
quiet or composed se he represented. He was constant is his
attendance at chapel, and very soon after his committal be
requested the chaplain to administer the sacrament to his
privately. This, of course, was rilused. After his cm*
tion he requested that the Rev. W. W. Andrews and th
Rev. Charles Jaques Blake, theism' titers of the parish rhumba
he had frequented, might be permitted to visit Lim, is *a
pang with the chaplain. lie continued to assert hie is*
emus to the two last-named clergymen, but sob' nhe foul
I that he could impute on neither of those gentlemen. sad
that they believed In his guilt, he lost all confidence is
them. .He placed much reliance on his own denim
The chaplain, who bad determined to refuse to him the mos
silent, was apprehensive he would request to have it ad*
nistered on the day of execution ; be, however, made ss
such request, but about five minutes before he was led out
for execution, he said he hoped that it had bun the intent*
of Messrs. Bever and Andrews to receive the sacrament with
him.i sThe chaplain was early with him this (Saturday)
morning ; he seemed glad to join in his devotions, but what-
ever his guilt was assumed, and con'emion and repentance
were urged upon him, he said, that God knew his heart, that
the Almighty was his judge, and the chaplain bad prejudged
him. This concluded the written observations of the chap•
lain, and Mr. Pinson they expressed his readiness to afford
the fullest information in his power relative to the last na
ments of the murderer. We give the narrative in the govea
nor's own words:—
"Last night I went into Rush's cell, about 1 o'clock,
to speak with him. I had two doors to unlock close to
his bedside, and made a good deal of noise. Before I
approached him, he professed to he in a sound sleep ; be
had then been in bed nearly half an hour. I was perfectly
satisfied he was not asleep, no more than I am at this ma
ment. He pretended to rouse himself up, opened his eyes,
and conversed with me on indifferent subjects for s mints
or two, and then he pretended to fall asleep again. Be kept
his bed till 11 or 12 at night, when he awoke up, or pre
tended to do so, and said " what a beautiful sleep I have
had," at the same time I am perfectly satisfied from the
port of his attendants (two men sat up with him) that,
with
the exception of five or aix minutes, he had not slept at*
and that his eyes were constantly on his keepers, who um
however on the watch, and their eyes were constantly sus
the culprit. In consequence of Rush's dissimulation, sad
the fear that he might do something very extraordinnry,tho
turnkeys never took their eyes off him. About 12 or 1 o do*
breading from his bed and dressed himself, and commis*
a religious book, which he was very anitious.shonli
go into the hands of his family. He continued reading the
work, or apparently reading it—for it is impossible to say with
confidence what he did, so much did he dissemble—for user
three hours, and after that he went to bed again, but be
could not rest ; indeed, In spite of his attempts te spew
otherwise he was very restless. He got up again sb?ut se*
o'clock this (Saturday) morning, and applied for his break-
was
fast, and wished for some gruel, remarking coolly that
all he wanted. The chaplain went to him at half-past was
o'clock, and spent from an hour to an hour and a loaf wilk
him. In the course of the conversation with the ehapleul,
he repeatedly said he had endeavoured to do what was cant
he was, thank God, quits innocent. The v. chaplain *
&savoured, but all to no purpose, to bring ire
wretched. one.
to a due sense of his awful situation, but Rush continued.
in the same strain till his protestations of innocence us.
his assumption of integrity and good feeling
quite distressing. The chaplain prayed with his eli
nine o'clock, and then left nun with his attendants 1.111
ten o'clock, when he attended chapel, and a full tame
was performed, which lasted till twenty minutes before
twelve. The Rev. Mr. Brown read everything how
the church 'civics applicable to Rush's case, °1251....11.
seemed to listen respectfully to what was said, but did.*
betray any Particular emotion. After the chapel serum*
i over, I left him with the Rev. Mr. Brown and the Rev.
Andrews, for a few minutes, until I should went him.. Moo
I saw kiln again, the executioner began to pinion his also.
in the turnkey's room' end as soon as the executioner bolo
to do so, he remarked, in a careless tone, " Is tlied
in Pissho *Po'.
sem to do the duty—this ? " to whi I rep
affirmative. Rush's armsweeno sooner pinioned than be
began to shuffle about, and before it was quite finished Ito.
moved his arms, and said, " This don't go easy— In
tbot°.!
go easy," his object evidently being to loosen his erns.
going from the gaol door te the scaffold, he whispered to tal
and was particularly anxious to know what would
concluding words of the service, and requested that it wi.M
conclude with the words, " the grILCO Of OW Lad
Christ," and that the drop might then fall."
Mr. Pinson prom/did to explain to the report*,
for reasons which must be obvious to every one, it •
tM
;;;
not thought prudent to comply with the last stub of
culprit, and that the drop fell on a given signal, when ""
minister had finished another sentence. While the coo
cutioner adjusted the rope, the culprit moved his bead solo'
ral times, and said, "It don't go nicely—it don't go ootri
put it a little higher up. Take your doe; don't
hurry ;" and by the motions of his head grand
the executioner. The world immediately *forwards cyto:
upon Rush, who dissembled to the very Jut moment a s.
existence.ppetls
Among other statements made by the governor., it
gw
that Ruth wrote a letter to the Queen, but finding that
could not send it out of the prison without the knot":
of the governor, he destroyed it. The prisoner has 11d2!...
behind him any letters of consequence, and none of IMP
approach to anything like a confession of his guilt.
Sines the incarceration of the prisoner the most ridicaun:
letters have been received by the Governor 0 Norono

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