The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-09-20 00:00:00

EXECUTIO.V OF PATRICK WELCIL

The firmness which this unhappy man manifested during his
trial he preserved to the termination of his wretched career. Not.
withstanding he protested his Innocence at his trial, he hal nb sooner
left the (Mint and returned to his cell than he acknowledged 'the
crime of which a Jury of his country had found him guilty, on evi.
hence which, though strong proof, was still only circumstantial,
and in the course of which even the medical evidence had erred
most materially, in supposing that the wound which caused the
dealt of his wife was inflicted by a hatchet, whereas it appears from
his own statement that her death was in reality caused by repeated
blows of a scrubbing.brush.
It cannot boa question that in all cases where the proof of mur-
der rests entirely on circntnatantial evidence, the testimony of the
medical witnesses who have seen the body is that part of it which
will most strongly influence the verdict of the Jary. And the pre.
sent case ,in particular furnishes an example, in which it may be
presumed that that verdict was fouoded, in a considerable degree,
on the medical testimony. That testimony was in substance, that
the death of the woman was caused by an • incised wound" on the
back of the head, which it was alleged could only have been pro-
' duegd by a sharp instrument, such as a hatchet. • The 'madder
himself said all along that the wounds in question were produced
be a fall down stairs upon some tiles; and it is clear that the
tiles were at least as likely to give all the appearances of an in.
cited wound as the scrubbing-brush. We mention thin merely to
suggest the necessity for extreme caution in the delivery of posiuve
medical opinion..
A very few minutes before eight o'clock the culprit was brought
from his cell to the Sheriffs' room. His irons had been already
struck off, and though his appearance was sufficiently wretched,
he walked in apparently quite unconcerned by his approaching
fate. He manifested no recklessness or levity; his demeanour
was entirely that of calm resignation, of one who was conscious
that the time of his departure was come, and who had been en-
abled to surmount its terrors. He was uccompanied by the Rev.
iHr. Devereux, a Catholic priest, who had attended him through
the night. To a question from Mr. Sheriff Brown, whether he
bad any thing to communicate, he replied that he had nothing to
say. He then, while the officer was pinioning his arms, turned
suddenly round, anti wits proceedieg with great earnestness to
give some directions as to the disposal of his clothes, when Mr.
sheriff Brown intimated the propriety of his withdrawing his.
thoughts at such a time from all earthly matters, and he In-
stantly resumed his former quiet position. 11-lierr every thing
was ready, and he was about being led out, he intimated a wink
to pray, and he knelt down with his face to the wall, and for a
few seconds seemed to be absorbed in mental supplication to the
throne of mercy. He then rose, and in answer to a question from
Mr. Sheriff Brown, said, " I am ready in the name of God."
These were his last words; he was then led to the scaffold, and
in a few seconds he was one of pie countless millions who are
act more.

Although the circumstances connected with the crime of Welch
were not such as to lead to the expectation that the crowd to witness
his execution would be greater than on other oczasions, every pos..
sible precati,ion against danger from excessive pressure had been
adopted. Barriers of great strength were erected in different situa-
tions, and the attendance of constables and police-officers was very
numerous. The two City Marshals, and several of the under mar-
shals, stationed themselves within the inner barrier, and materially
contributed,,* their presence and exertions, to the good order ne-
eessatyUpon so solemn an occasion.
At six o'clock a considerable number of persons had placed
themselves without the Inner barrier; by seven it was quite full;
and before eightel'elock the space between the second as well se
the third .barrier was completely filled by persons of every descrip-
tion and of both sexes. Indeed, the number of women present con.
siderably predominated over that of the greater part of the crowd,
and exceeded anYthing'reienily witnessed at the Old Bailey.

At five minutes Inuit eight o'clock Welch appeared on the scaf-
fold. He walked to the centre with a firm and unshaken step.
The colour left his facet and turning round in the direction of
Oil.spor-street, be looked for a few seconds upon the crowd, as if
he expected to recognise some person. lle then calmly resigned
himself to the executioner, who, having performed the 'duties of his
office, the 'drop fell, and, after a few convulsive beatings of the
chest, the wretched man dosed his mortal existence.

After the body had hung for about fifteen minutes. the execj.
tioner and his assistant removed a part of the chains from around
the scaffold, and after untying the wrists of the deceased, an old
woman, nearly seventy years of age, attended by a youth. stepped
on the scaffold ; the executioner placed his arm round her neck.
and proceeded to rub it with the hand ot the malefactor . • he con-
tinued to do this until the poor old lady had nearly fainted away,
when he desisted, 'but, after the lapse of a short time. renewed hts
exertions with the other hand. When he had finished, the woman
put on her bonnet and shawl, and coolly walked off the scaffold.
This proceeding took place in consequence of the superstitious idea
of effecting a cure of a wen which the old woman had on one side
of her neck. How far the imagination may effect a cure we will
not venture to say, bat such an exhibition in the nineteenth can.
tury, certainly is not very creditable to those whose duty it is to see
the last sentence of the law executed with dece' cy and decorum.
During the last four years and upwards there has occurred. be-
sides the present, hitt one instance of execution for murder in Lon-
don and Middlesex, which was the case of Johnson, who killed a
man with a oldie at Enfield ; and it is. rather remarkable that he
was also tried before Mr. Baron Graham.

There Is a diltinction made at Newgate in the religious farms
observed towards those who are appointed to suffer death for mur-
der, and those for other crimes: For the murderers no condemned
sermon is preached, nor is the ffinaral service read ; neither does
the bell toll.