The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-12-27 00:00:00

EXECUTION.

[From the theatireploa
On Saturday last the convict Savage underwent the awful wes-
tern*, oldie law on the Cow Common, upon the that by the side of
the riser, near the Corporation al ills, in the presence of a vast con.
course of spectators. attracted thither by the novelty of the scene,
Our hardly scenes of this kind are not frequent in Huntingdon) as
well as by the enormity of the crime far which the poor wretch was
about to suffer. ;Once the condemnation of Savage, his deportment
been becoming his situation ; his contrition was deep, and he
appeared to be sincere. Nue did he permit the great interval which
laned between his condemnation and the order for bis execution, to
uny Into up with hopes of escape. lie did not seem to expect that
the decision of the Judges could be favourable to him. A short
time previous to his execution, he made a full confession of the
crime fin whirls he was about to suilr to the Rev. Brown, the
chaplain to the prison, as well an of the other enormities in which
he had been concerned. This lie partially repeated to others; hut
as another individual is about to he put to his trial fur the sonic of.
fice, it would lie nianitestly unjust further to allude to them in
this place, otherwise than by saying that he denied the accuracy of
l'ooke's (the accomplice) evidence; and declared that it was the
match which Cooke held that hadkred the premises ; the bunch which
he himself applied to the thatch having gone out ; however he ex-
pressed his hearty forgiveness of him, and of all others. A few
minutes before II o'clock the mournful procession left the county
gaol; the ;widener, his irons being knocked off, was placed in a
cart with his coffin, on which, being in akonling posturc,he rested
his arms, at the Mime time concealing his face. On entering the
common he raised his had and Indeed around him, apparently in
search of the fatal tree, but which being concealed by the interven-
ing hills lie again dromml Ins fare in lux arms. At the momentary
view we then had of his countenance, it seemed tranquil and steady;
his cheek wait florid; and although it could not be said that his ap-
pearance was hardened, yet he seemed not so much affected by the
awfulness of his cendition n. ninny of the surrounding spectatorn.
Hewes attended upon the scaffold by the Rev: Chaplain, whose con-
solatory exertions were rontininal to the last moment. After the
rope was adjusted round the neck of the wretched culprit, the un-
happy man addressed the people. Ile. confessed the justice of the
sentence, and exhorted them to abstain frequenting ale-houses, and
to attend to some place tit worship at least since on a Sunday, few it
WAX hail company and the profanation of the Sabbath that led hint
to a laid course of life ; but it was using to the Mill Here the
Heider Sheriff gave the haul signal, and the unfinished sentence
was abruptly termitmad with the lite of the wretched victim to un-
governable passions. Ile appeared to suffer much Ii his transit
trout this world to eternity ; for sonic time his body writhed in
drenlftil contortion; and full ten minutes elapsed, ere life appeared
to he entirely extinct. Tile dreadful crime (arson) fur which Savage
suffivetl, precluded the exercise of much sympathy in his behalf;
and although his professional advisers deemed it right to tarry his
case behave the Judget, yet no desire was expressed by the public
to pnscure that mitigation of punishment which in all probability
would have been extended to a less heinous offender, in ccinsequence
of' the delay.