The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-02-23 00:00:00

EXECUTION.

Yesterday morning, at an early hour, the Old Bailey was thronged
more than on similar awful occasions by the populace, to witness
the execution of Carnegie,: Wood, Hrary Durham, and Edward
Harris, nicknamed, among his associates In crime, and, by the
officers of police, " Kiddy Harris."
As the delinquencies of these unhappy men have, in divers
shapes, been communicated to the public, it will be unnecessary
to repeat them ; suffice it to say, that Wood, whose age is 29,
was capitally convicted, in the January Sessions, of violating the
person of a female, named Ann Eyre, in a field near Holloway,
which was attended with unusual violence; Henry Durham, who
had only attained his 18th year, was convicted of a burglary in the
house of Mr. Fraser, in Norfolk.streei, Strand; and Edward llarris,
for a desperate attempt to murder a female, servant to a Mr. Hale,
of Spitatfields, attended with circumstances almost unparalleled in
the annals of crime.

Since the conviction of this unfortunate man, which was in the
October Sessions, the greatest pains have been taken by the Secre-
tary of State, the Recorder, and many other humane individuals,
to ascertain, if possible, if there were any circumstances apper-
taining to his case that might soften the crime, and obtain for
him a nthigation of his sentence, but their labours proved unsuc-
cessful, and what they traced out only went to strengthen the
evidence given against him on the trial, which in itself was most
conclusive. . _ _

WIWI the order for execution reached Newgate, and the purport
of it was communicated to the unhappy men who were to suffer,
Harris's reason forsook him altogether, and he poured forth
the most malignant invectives possible against those whom he
termed his "murderers," and persisted in his innocence.
Monday afternoon, bout tom o'clock, the friends and relatives
of the culprits were admitted to take their final leave of them. The
interviews were unusually heartrending. The friends of Harris
exhorted him to attend to the comfort afforded him by the Rev.
Mr. Cotton, and to make hls peace with God. lie solemnly per.
sistcd in asseverating his innocence of the crime for which be was
about to suffer • he declared he was a murdered man, and that
his death would fall oa the heads of those who had doomed
him to die. Durliam and Wood were particularly attentive to
their devotional exercises, but the latter protested his innocence,
and only on Monday he declared that the man who drove the cart
was the man who committed the crime. Durham admitted the
justice of his sentence.
A few minutes before eight o'clock, Mr. Sheriff Brown, at-
tended by his deputy, arrived at Newgate, and shortly after pro.
ceeded to the room where the last awful preparations arc made.
In a few moments Durham was first introduced, leaning on the
arm of mho Rev. Mr. Cotton. He immediately walked towards
Mr. Sheriff Brown, and shaking him by the hatd, said, " lilt.
Sheriff Brown, 1 thank you most kindly for the very molly
atimaism I have received." The Sheriff kindly advised him to
atisttmet his attention from all earthly things, and lookto Heaven foe
salvation.
The preparations of tying the hands and pinioning being per.
formed, he again addressed the Sheriff, and said, " I have no hope
out in my Saviour. I do not fear dying, but I feel the disgrace
that I have brought upon my family and friends—and, oh, my
pocmdear mother it will break hoe heart, and cause her death—
(Here his feelings overcame him, and he burst into a flood of
, tears.) He was then banded to a seat, where he remained while
the preparatior.s of his fellow-sufferers were going on.
Wood was next brought in, leaning on the arm of one of the
gaolers. Mr. Sheriff Brown also addressed him most feelingly,
and begged hint to put his trust in God. All we heard hint say
was, "I am innocent of this crime." He was then seated by the
side of Durham. He has throughout declared his innocence of the
crime imputed to him, and has repeatedly stated that it was the
man who was in the cart with him who committed violence on the
person of the young woman, Mary Eyre. Wood was dressed
somewhat shabbily, in a brown close coat, and appeared to be of •
very different grade from his fellow-sufferer Durham. He was ten
days younger than Durham.
Harris was now brought in between two of the officers of the
gaol, and others attending. Here, indeed, was • scene awful In
the extreme. The moment he put his foot on the step of the room,
he said—" I am murdered," and continued exclaiming—" I'm
murdered—l'm murdered—l'm murdered," until lie reached the
further part of the room. Ile then addressed Mr. Sheriff Brown I
looking wildly, and talking very fast, "Oh, Mr. Sheriff Brown
Is not this too bad ?—1 am innocent—l know nothing of it at a 11...
Is not this • disgrace to the country ?-1 ant innocent, so help me
God I" The Sheriff in vain begged him to think of his situation,
and, for the few moments he had to live, to look to Jesus Christ
for help. During this time his hands were tied. When the Alms
came up to him for that purpose, lie said, " You will do as you
like with me—l suppose you will do it 1" When the officer was
in the act of tying the cord round his wrists, he said, " You need
not hurt me more than is necessary." Then turning his face to-
wards the persons present connected with the press, and looking
most steadfastly at two or three that were nearest to him, he said,
" Oh, Gentlemen, I am innocent, I am murdered ; I am, so help
me God 1--as lam a dying man. I know I have been a wicked
man, and a fighting man, and all that, bat of this! em innocent.
Is not this a shame, to keep a man five months in gaol, and then
to bring him out and bang him ?" He then dropped on his knees
before Mr. Sheriff Brown and others, who were around him, and
lifting up his bands, and looking upwards, once more said, " Of
this'll am toeseant: end may i endure everlasting toroseuts if
what I am saying is not true !" again appealing to the Al-
mighty. All being ready, he was lifted up, and turning sharply
round, in a naturally quick tone said, " But where arc my fellow_
sufferers ?" They had began to move in solemn procession, pre-
ceded by the officers and Sheriff: he was placed third, and, seeing
them, he said, " Oh, here they are." Approaching the door of the
room he turned round again, and said," Where's the boatswain ?
(an officer of the wa-d, we presume, wherein he had been confined,)
Oh, hest he is ; come, old boy, lees shake bands, (they did
God bless you !"
All being thus arranged, with slow pace they moved through the
long and dreary passages leading to the fatal platform. The mo-
ment Harris set has foot in the first passage, he cried out, " Mur-
der, murder, murder, murder!" until the recesses of the dismal
abode re-echoed--so much so, that the voice of the Rev. Divine
could not for some time be heard while reading the burial service.
When the bell first tolled he was a little more calm. Having ar-
rived at the lobby, from which they ascend to the fatal tree, Our.
ham was led out first, and the cord placed round his neck ; there
appeared to be universal commiseration fur hint. IVood was next
led out, and at the gate seeing Mr. Harris, one of the turnkeys, he
turned to hint, ano calmly said, " Let us shake hands, Mr. Har-
ris ;" and in the ect of doing so said, " I am innocent of this, so
help me God i"
During the time the executioner was performing his duty with
Durham and Wood, Harris kept talking to those around, and pro.
testing his innocence,. declaring it was a plan, betlause he had been
before transported, and that it was the doing orsonie wicked
wretch, and spoke el the woman •ho was a warns against him.
The time being arrived for his ascending the steps, the-moment be
went out upon the drop be recommenced his exclamations of
" Murder, murder ! I am murdered ! I ant Muttered'!" until the
cap was drawn over his eyes ; and in a few seconds the drop fell,
and dosed this world for ever to them, at eighteen minutes past
oight o'clock.
With the exception of extraordinary occasions, there has never
been a grater concourse of people present. Harris's conduct oa
the scaffold produced a strong feeling, and some expressed their
disapprobation. There was a dense fag during the whole of the
time, adding much to the gloom of the sane.
•

A yacht of 110 tons burtben. is now building at Hut-
icy, for Sir Godfrey Webster, Bart.

LIIIERPOOL, MONDAY Eva:mos.

Wind S.—High water 2 minutes put 1 o'clock.
Arrived the Sir Howard Douglas, from St. John's,
New Brunswick ; Bennett, from St. Domingo; Trusty,
from Halifax ; Magdalene, from St. John's, New Bruns-
wick ; Betsey and Mary, from St. Michael's ; James
Hamilton, from Londonderry ; John and William, front
Cork ; Ann, from Limerick ; Fisher, from Limerick ;
Mary, from Dundee ; Bounty Castle, from Dundalk ;
11 Edinburgh, Fame, and Henry Bell, from Glasgow ;
Europe, from Alexandria and Milford (Egypt) ; Ephe-
ginia, from ditto ; Mary, from Whiteliaven ; Liverpool,
from Glasgow ; Shamrock, from Belfast ; and Camelion,.
from Waterford.
Last night arrived the John, from Dallis,