The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-24 00:00:00

THE ARMT.

The ht division of the Sith Regiment of Foot marched front
Windsor yesterday, and the 2d division will proceed tidy, for
Portsmouth. where they will arrive on Friday and Saturday MILL
The In division of the 76th Regiment of Infantry arrived at
Windsor on Saturday last, from Gosport ; and the 2d division ar-
rived yesterday. - - - - _

Corms, Fin. 22.—There were embarked yesterday, from Al.
bany 'knacks, four officers, forty-three men, seven women, and
seven children, on board the ship Thames, and sailed this morn.
ins for Cey ktn. The Rase cutter. Cape. Johnston., brought in this
morning lin tubs of contraband liquor.

EXECUTION.

Yesterday Clarks Johnson, the unhappy midi who wee found
guilty on Friday last of the wilful murder of lenses Richardson,
by cutting him with a scythe., was executed, in pursuance of his
sentence, in front of Newgate. The wretched criminal has led •
wife and three children, the youngest of whom is only a few weeks
old. They took leave of him on Sunday morning s this interview
was most distressing: he seemed very much distressed and dis-
pleased that they did not employ a Counsellor " for (mid he) if
you had, I was sure to be acquitted." This fallacious idea was set
aside by the attendants, who pointed out the enormity of his of-
fence, and its unprovoked brutality. At parting, be gave his wife
a shilling, observing, " Ret!y, it's all I have.'
The conselations of religion were administered to ha yeamday
morning in his cell by the Rev. Mr. Ruell, who Aldred for the
Rev. Mr. Cotton, all that was unable from indisposition
to perform the duty of
TM Sheriffs arrived &little sight o'clock, and Gotha boa
precisely the culprit was brought from his al, eseempieleill by
the Rev. Mr. Ruell and Mr. Baker. He was sat boss& Ids has'
having been taken off the preceding night. Ms tou
of the rooms of the gaol, where his arms wens
which (meion be said that he died happy. Thstsersi
nt sep pea-
nation being concluded, the unhappy men wee condwasi as the
fatal platform. He walked with a firm step, said did not say
anything. On arriving at the scaffold, the executives. ied=lesbe
rope in a mach shorter space of time than has bats
usual, according to a new mode introduced by Ildr. Moe=
in order to shorten the sufferings and suspense of dome
criminals who are condemned to undergo the last operation of the
law.

The cep wat placed over his eyes, and the Rev. hlr. Ruell COll-
- ued to read prayer*, when, the signal being gives, the deep fell,
and the unfortunate malefactor was launched into eternity. Be
died wit:iciet a struggle. A respite was expected during the night,
and all hope of its arriving was not abandoned until a very late hour:
bet the case was one which did not appear to his Majesty's Council
to admit of the exercise of mercy. The culprit frequently declared
after his trial., that he had no intention of killing the man. His
fate presents another example of the lamentable effects raise from
ignorance and passion, of which he was the victim. He could not
read, and his mental faculties scarcely raised him above the level
of the brute creation. lie was dressed in a bite jacket, corduroy
breeches, and worsted stockings. After hanging the usual
time, his body was cut down, tobe delivered to the surgeons for dis-
section. The concourse of spectators was very great.
At the last execution before the Old Bailey, 111 r. Sheriff Laurie
objected to the practice of adjusting the rope to the proper length
atter it was fixed on the malefactor's neck, as the operation occupied
much time, and greatly harassed the minds of those about to suffer.
The Worthy Sheriff subsequently recommended to his brother She.
riff (Mr. Whittaker), and the Aldermen of the Gaol Committee, •
plan which has met their cntire concurrence, and it was adopted in
the execution of the unhappy criminal who suffered the last aen-
tenet of the L'tw yesterday morning. From the beast is suspended
*hen of huups of circular lioks, which are covered with leather.
to prevent any clanking noise. This chain is wady two feet in
length. The rope is fixed to a book, and by it attached instantly
to any of the links of the chain, as the height of the culprit may re-
quire. The Sheriff has complained of the custom of placing the
halter in the hands of the malefactor after his arms were pinioned,
that it might he said he carried his hither to the scaffold ; and re-
commended that it should be abolished, with other useless customs,
which had their origin in a barbarous feeling. As the heights of
the culprits are known, the rope will be adjusted by the hook on the
chain to the requisite length, and all will be !wady before the cul.
ant is brought from the condemned cell. Little time will be taken
up in the adjustment of the apparatus, and the feelings of the spec-
imen will be less frequently distressed by witnessing the prolonged
ap,oniesof the sufferers, from the tnismanagement of the executioner.
As the Sheriff has ordered the irons in future to be taken off
over-eight, the a. ful ceremony will be performed in one-third of
the time heretofore occupied; and in the last moments of the male-
factors, their minds will not be distracted, or their prayers he dile-
turbcd by the parade of useless preparation, which only prolonged
the time of suffering, and had no other effect on the spectators,
than to sink their abhorrence of the crime inn commiseration fee
the sufferings of the criminaL

The Middlesex Grand Jury have ignored the bill against
Captain Butler, for an alleged attempt to defraud a coach-
maker by a forged tool. bill.
The labourers who were employed lately in constructing
a road in the environs of Lesnowola, in Poland, dug out a
statue of collosal size, representing Casimir the Great,
King of Poland. It has been placed in the court belonging
to the new edifice of the Society of the Friends of the
Sciences at iVartatw.

Two beasts (twins), a bullock and s heifer, of the short-
horned breed, both white, fed by Mr. Smith, of l)ishley,
Leictstershire, were brought to Smithfield market for sale
yesterday, and the best judges present considered them
the handsomest and completest beasts ever seen either here
or at the annual shows. They were both sold.
_ _

Doyen, Fes. 22.—A (:cr.cra- 1 Sessions of the Peace and
Gaol Delivery were held for this town and its liberties on Friday,
the !'itth inst. before Joseph Webb Pilcher, Nag. Mayor; Wm.
Kenrick, Esq. Recorder; and a full bench of Magistrates. At
these Sessions the Grand Jury returned a true bill against Lieut.
Graham, of the Royal Navy, for challenging the Earl of Garbo- I
rough. Also against 11'illiani Pinner, one of the seamen of the
blockade service, for an assault on Lord Ilarborough, out of which
the above originated. Also against Thomas Irestgilard, another
unman, of the blockade service, for an assault on Robert Sitters.
The whole of the above indictments have, or will be removed by
ty,tiorat i to the Assizes at Maidstone.

THE GAME LAWS.—On Sattlrfllly lut, a creditable
householder, of the parish of Nutshaling, near Southampton, of
the same of Clarke, was summoned before the Magistrates of
Itinrsey, and fined IL for the crime of setting a gin in his own
rinien, to protect Ala vegetables from the depredations of rabbits,
hart. or other vermin. It appears, then, that a man may set a
spring gun or traps In his own grounds to catch a thief who shall
violate the laws of property, but, by the flame laws, to set a gin
to catch animals which daily destroy his property is an offence.—
Bays/Wit Tekgra ph.