The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-08 00:00:00

THE EXECUTION AT STAFFORD.

The following are the details of the terrible
scene at the execution at Stafford yesterday morning :
At S o'clock the procession had reached the scaffold.
With mon than customary deliberation the executioner
(Smith of Dudley) placed the noose over the head of the
pinioned man, and drew over his face the white cap.
Whilst the clergyman was still reading the service the
hangman lowered the drop with a jerk. There was imere.
diately *cry of "The man is down—the rope has broken."
This proved to be true. Collier fell to the ground,
and the end of the halter, liberated suddenly, swung
back upon his shoulders like a whip. For an
instant there was dismay both upon and inside the scaffold
erection. The executioner was for a moment incapable.
Hs ran down the steps and beneath the platform, and
found Collier upon his feet, leaning against the side of
the hoarding, the cap still over his face, and the rope
mad his neck. He seemed to be nnoonecious, and the
executioner turned back again, not knowing what to do.
The assistant warden, however, seemed instantly to un-
derstand what had happened. Whilst one ran into the
prison to procure a new halter, the other directed Smith
to take the broken rope from off the culprit's neck. The ex-
ecutioner bad now regained hisself-possession. He quickly
removed the repefrom Collier's neck, set him upriOt, and
drew the cap from his face. The poor fellow,
partially recovered, was reputing barely audibly
' the reeponees to the prayers which the clergyman, quickly
following the executioner from the scaffold /nor, had
begun again to read aloud in the ears of the seemingly
penitent man. Collier was exceedingly pale, and the
tightened rope bad left a red streak round a portion of his
neck. lie, however, seemed concerned with nothing but
the utterance of his prayers, which be appeared to be
mere anxious to repeat than he was before he ascended
the scaffold. While this was going on below, another
rope was placed under the beam. The
the condemned, the clergyman, and t/
signal for an outburst ed is nation.
out "Simms I" and booted. The dro/
execution was this time accomi
The accident had arisen from the d

reps.
Collier mamma his mime. as will ,
joined extract from the prism. records
William Collier has stated, respeoti
lse left hence about 3 a.m. on the
with the doeble-harrelled gas, both

before haTo;iiiniiiitisha two

He loaded spin, but did not put
in mutate wkk Smith about fifty n.
body WS/ found. He and Smith mellow
sod on Smith turning round Collier fired
Igen ia the tack ef the bend, just 5.-
an en be bad fired, Smith turned

ran Sid r its *ma ran away
fen ever a mall beapof soil. Re got
geed ski* Goa. Be tLid sot kill
ablealg.he*iiverted for lite, he do'
so he asia Smith with the butt .
Tim he struck hiss with the barrel
stiorionals.pst is the anis. H. #'

t{

rbich be appeared to be
1 ;
was before he ucended
going on below, another .
The re-appearance of
ind the officials, was the
tien. The people called
e drop again fell, and the
eomplished in earnest.
defective splicing of the
will be seen front the sub- •
*Ms : J
posting the murder, that 2
the day of the murder • r ,
*di barrels leaded, and
rabbits with one barrel.
•
a wad down. He came •
'ty yards from where the 0 I
exchanged a word or two,
her fired at him, hittirg •
ust se was supposed. Am
lel and rid, 'Desk I lark ,
ay about forty yards}4i, and .
i
e got up, and then Collier 41„
kill hint ; but thinking be'.
determined to finish him,
t of the gun, which broke. '4
rule, and thus barrels he
• theirwea bone. I.
t
i ,
1