The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-15 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL SCENE ON THE SCAFFOLD.

- —•
The culprit, John Wiggins, aged 32, who was
convicted at the last session of the Central Criminal Court
for the murder of a young woman named Agnes Oates with
whom he had cohabited, and who passed as his wife, wag
executed this morning at 8 o'clock in front of the gaol of
Newgate.

The facts will be fresh in the recollection of the public.
The deceased was found lying dead in her bedroom with
her throat cut in a most fearful manner, and the prisoner
was discovered in the street with his throat also cut.
Re asserted that the deceased woman had first cut his
throat and then destroyed her own life. He persisted in
this story down to the last moments of his existence, but
the evidence to show th►t the deceased could not hays
inflicted the deadly injury upon herself was so strong,
coupled with other facts, such as the position in which the
body was found, the rigidity of the limbs, &c., as to leave
no doubt in the minds of the jury of the prisoner's guilt.
The jury, however, accompanied their verdict by a recom-
mendation to mercy on the ground that the act was not pre-
meditated. Ever since his conviction the culprit has
continued to assert his innocence of the crime; and
although the Ordinary of the prison, the Rev. Hr. Jones,
has been unremitting in his endeavours to induce
the culprit to consider his awful position and to
make what atonement he could to society, he has all along
declared in the moat earnest manner that he did not corn.
mit the murder, and th►t he should die innocent. He at
the same time admitted that be had been guilty of many
sins, but was entirely innocent of the crime for which he
was to suffer.

He was visited several times by his father and mother,
both of whom were very aged people, and he saw them for
the last time on Saturday last. Upon this occasion the
father exhorted the prisoner to die like a man and •
Christian, and he kneeled down and uttered a short extem-
pore prayer in a most fervent manner. The cal.
prit was evidently • most violent and determined
man. Upon several occasions he would pace up
and down his cell in the most excited manner, as
though he could not contain himself, and the ordinary
would take him at last by the arm, and walk with him, and
endeavour to soothe him. He was continually declaring
his innocence of the crime, and that he should die inno.
cent, his expression invariably being, " She done it her.
self ; I never laid • finger on her."
The sheriffs, Alderman Stone and Mr. M'Arthur, accom.
parried by their under-sheriffs, Messrs. Davidson and
Roche, arrived at the prison shortly before 8
o'clock. They were received by Mr. Jonas, the
governor, Mr. Humphrey., the principal warder, and some
of the other officials. The culprit, it appeared,
hail slept soundly, and he was engaged in
prayer with the Ordinary, who at this, almost
the last momeat, urged upon the wretched man
the necessity of confessing his crime, but he again declared
his entire innocence. He was then led by two turnkeys
from his cell to the room where the ceremony of pinioning
was to be performed, and where Caicraft and his assistants
were already in attendance. The culprit walked along in
the most cool and unconcerned manner. The Rev. Mr.
Jones offered up a short prayer, and the culprit was
then pinioned. When this had been done the
prisoner said he should like to be allowed to say a few
words to the people from the scaffold. Mr. Jonas told
him that this could not be permitted, and that, besides, if
he attempted to address the crowd, he could not be heard,
and if be wished to say anything he had better do it Om,
as representatives of the press were present, and what he
said would be made public. The culprit then, in a
firm and collected manner and in a loud tone of voice,
said, " I am entirely innocent of the crime I am to die for,
and I suffer the law innocently. I can assure you on my
dying oath that I never done it, and I shall die with a
clear conscience. I go with a clear heart to my Maker.
It was she who cut her own throat. lam innocent—by
my dying words I am innocent." He was asked if be
wished to say anything more, and he replied, " No, I have
only to say that I am innocent."
The usual mournful procession then took place to the
scaffold, and as there appeared to be an impression pre-
vailing in the minds of the prison official/ that the culprit
might attempt some act of violence on the drop, a
number of warders were in attendance in cue
their assistance should be required. It was well as
it turned out that there precautions were taken.
The prisoner would not place himself on the spot under
the beam as he was requested by Caloraft, but retreated
behind it, and while the executioner was in the act of
adjusting the rope round his neck, contrived to seize a
portion of it with both hands, notwithstanding that he was
pinioned. He then began to shriek out with frantic energy,
"I am innocent—by my dying oath I am innocent—l
never did it—l am innocent, innocent, innocent." During
this time a violent struggle was going on, as the warder.
were obliged to use all their strength to release the rope
from his grasp, and while this was going on the
culprit screamed out " Don't hang me—don't hang
me—chop my head off—chop my head off—l am innocent."
At last the rope was forced out of the grasp of the wretched
man, and the end of it was attached to the top beam, but
the warders were compelled to hold the culprit upon the
scaffold, while Calcraft went underneath to disengage the
apparatus. This was done in a very short period, and when
the drop fell the culprit was still screaming " I am Mao-
cent," and the drop fell, as the syllable " in " was passing
from his lips. Hs appeared to be dead almost imme-
diately,st least not the slightest convulsive effort was appa-
rent. This may, probably, be accounted for by the state of
exhaustion he was in, owing to his previous violent exer-
tions.

The crowd seemed quite paralysed by the scene
that was taking place upon the scaffold. When
the culprit first made his appearance on the scaf-
fold, there was the general buzz and bum in the
crowd usual upon such occasions ; but when the prisoner
began to speak, there was a deathlike stillness. No notice
appeared to be taken until the prisoner had repeatedly de-
dared that be was innocent, and then there was a slight
attempt at groaning, with a few hisses, but this was very
partial ; and when the drop fell, the crowd again relapsed
into silence.

The persona assembled—a much smaller number than
usual—were remarkably orderly, and it was observed that
there were vet 7 few women among them.
The body, after banging an hour, was cut down, and
will be buried this evening within the gaol.

EXECUTION AT HORSEMONGER-LA/cE.

(THIS DAY.)

The Frenchman, Louis Bordier, aged 32, WM
also executed this morning, the usual hour of 9 o'clock
being changed to 10 on account of Ca craft, the execu-
tioner, being engaged at Newgate to perform his ead
office upon the culprit John Wiggins, for the Limehouse
murder.

The prisoner Bordier, it will be recollected, was con•
victed of the murder of • young woman named
Mary Anne Snow, with whom he had cohabited
for thirteen years, and by whom be had three
children. He committed the act while his unhappy via•
tim was in bed asleep, and although the defence of insa-
nity was set up for him at his trial, there appears
to be too much ground for believing that the
dreadful deed was dictated by jealousy, the deceased
woman having expressed her intention to separate herself
from the prisoner, and to be married to another
man. The prisoner appeared to have repeatedly stated that
he could not part from the deceased, and be, no doubt,
resolved to kill her rather than that she should form a
connexion with any other man. From other statements
made by the prisoner, it seems also to be pretty clear
that his original intention was to have not only killed the
deceased, but also his three children. This dreadful
deed was only prevented by the heart of the prisoner
failing him after he had killed the unhappy woman.
The culprit seems to have been perfectly resigned ever
since he bas been in custody to the fate which he consi-
dered inevitable. He was visited last week by his chil-
dren, the youngest of whom is only nineteen months old.
He exhibited great agony and distress of mind at the sight
of hiafamily, and it was a considerable time before he
regained his composure. He has also been visited
by one of his fellow-workmen, named Pastel, to whom
he seemed very much attached. The Rev. Mr.
Faure, ■ Roman catholic 'priest, has administered
religious consolation to the culprit since he has
been wider sentence. The latter was rather a fine looking
young man, nearly six feet high, and his conduct since
he has been in custody is described by the officials of the
prison as having been remarkably good.
On several occasions he has expressed his deep regret

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