The National Register.
London, England, 1820-08-06 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF NESBETT.

MAIDSTONE, Monday. July 31.—This wretched crimi-
nal surrendered his life to day to the outraged laws of his
country. From the complication of crimes of which he
was convicted, and from the probability that the murder
of Mr. Parker and his housekeeper was not the first in-
stance in which lie had been guilty of a violation of the
laws, great curiosity prevailed to witness his mention,
in the expectation that, if he had not previously made
any confession, lie would in his last moments be induced
to reveal the particulars of his guilt.
It is gratifying to know, that in the interval which
elapsed between his condemnation and his excretion a
considerable change took place in his frame of mind and
general deportment. On leaving the Court on Friday last,
after receiving sentence, lie evinced the wise levity, the
same hardened ferocity of disposition, that had marked
his conduct during his confinement before the trial. So.
insensible was he of his awful saltation, that on being
placed in the cart which was to convey him back from
the court-house co the gaol, feeling himself annoyed by
the gase of the spectators, he exclaimed in a peevish and
mirky tone of voice to the turnkey who had charge of
the cart, " Drive away like hell, and let's get out of this
as quickly as possible t" But when replaced in his cell,
and allowed an opportunity of reflecting quietly on his
fate, lie found it impossible to retain that indifference
which lie had hitherto assumed. lie became restless and
agitated, hut still he evinced no symptoms of contrition.
Indeed, a circumstance which the vigilance of his keepers
detected, showed that at this very moment he was medi-
tating on the means of adding one other crime to the
black catalogue of his former offences, by anticipating
the sentence of the law. He had called for a pipe of to-
bacco, and on a refusal, he repeated the request in so
urgent a manner that the suspicions of his attendaats
were aroused. They accurdingly began to examine the
cell in the first place, and in one of the corners they dis-
covered the handle of the saucepan in which his victuals
were usually brought to him. The tin tube foriniiig the
handle of the pan lead been taken off, and was perforated
near the lower end; ■nd this instrument was immediately
suspected to have been constructed by the prisoner as a
rude, though certainly an ingenious, substitute for a pis-
tol. His person was instantly searched, when be thrust
into the hand of the turnkey a quantity of gunpowder,
wrapped up in a paper, and a couple of marbles, which
Had been intended to supply the place of bullets. Various '
conjectures have been wade as to the manner in which lie
was supplied with the powderand marbles; a very general
suspicion attaches to his mother, who had seen him a short
time previous in his trial. It is most probable, however,
that the articles were conveyed to him by some person in
the Court, while lie stood in the dock. Those who have
bad the beat means of knowing the character of the par-
ties certainly favour the former supposition; and if out-
ward appearances formed a just criterion of moral char-
acter, one would be justified in concluding that the mo-
ther was a person capable of such au act. She is • wo-
man of almost gigantic tallness; of a perfectly upright
figure, though apparently more than 70 years of age :
her features are sharp, haggard, and of a peculiarly m-
endable expression. Upon the whole, her appearance
Irresistibly forces on the mind the portrait which the
author of Goy Monne:ing has drawn of that wild and al-
most supernatural being Meg Merilies.
In consequence of this attempt to destroy himaelf.—
Nesbett was stripped of the dress which he had hitherto
worn, with the exception of shirt and stockings; and on
being conveyed on the same evening to the same eon-
demised cell, he was furnished with a prison-dress, and
heavily ironed. During Friday night lie was extremely
agitated, mid was unable to sleep. In that state lie con-
y d during Saturday, and the greater part of Sunday.
He joined in prayer with the Rev. Mr. Harker, the chap-
lain of the gaol, and professed to be sincere in his devo.
tious ; but still Ise persisted in denying that lie committed
the murder for which lie was to stiffer. About six o'clock
on Sunday evening his wife and childran arrived from
Woolwich to take leave of him. The interview was dis-
tressing beyond descrip►ion, and on this occasion he
evinced a greater degree of feeling than he had previously
shown. Ile wept much on embracing them; and when
his wife implored bins net to die wills a falsehood on his
lips, he promised to l the whole of his guilt before he
died. His family consists of feu daughters and two sons
—the eldest about 13 years,. and the youngest only lb
months old.

- - - Alter his family had taken leave of I • ,he made a full
confession of his guilt. Some cf the particulars which he
communicated are said to be very important, and time
whole of his statements, for the present, kept strictly
secret. Various rumours are, of course, in clot illation
respecting the nature of his confession, to which it would
be equally improper to give publicity, whether they be
ill or well founded.
After his mind had been diaburnened of the load of
guilt which had p d AO heavily on it, he became more
coinposed, and joined in the exercises of devotion with
inure fixed attention, and apparently with a greater
degree id-intelligence, than lie had hitherto evinced. Ou
Sunday night he slept fur more than two hours; and this
morning lie was more tranquil than usuaL The Rev. Mr
Harker, whose humane exertions in administering to 16111
the consolation of religion. have all along been unreinitted,
attended hilll at six o'clock, and reininued with him till
eight. He returned again at nine o'clock, to assist him
in preparing fur the 'alit awful trim, of his fortitude.
At a quarter past eleven the unhappy culprit was placed
Li a waggon, to be drawn to the place of execution, on
Pennenden-heath, anent a nolic from Maidstone gaol.—
The executioner was placed by 103. side. and two officers
with loaded cat-shines were also seated in the waggon,
fronting the criminal. His dress was the same that be
bad worn during his trial, consisting of a blue coat, a
yellow waistcoat, a whiMdo neckcloth, and top boots.—
Before he left the prison he had requested the turnkey to
give him a book: a prayer-book was accui Jingly offered
him, but at his request it was exchanged for a Bible I this
Bible lie hold in his hand when he appaared in the wag-
gon, and lie seemed to peruse it with great devotion.
His countenance was flushed, end his innumer tYitelllPly
agitated. As the prison-gate unfolded to allow the wag-
gon to pass, he got the first view of the assembled crowd,
that were waiting outside, and lie was so strongly affected
by the tight that he could not refrain from tears. On
each side of the waggon was placed a file of pikemen
the governor of the gaol, and several sheriff's officers,
rode linmemlately behind; the chaplain and the
depaty followed In carriages.
Inna

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

"JAMES NESBET.

Volta.
-0-
GUILDHALL

110111BRY Of MR. JOHNSON'S Fouwoai.—George
Kirkland, a young man, on Friday underwent a final
examivation before Sir James Shaw, on a charge of hay.
lug stolen property to a considerable amount belonging
to Messrs. Johnson and Co. brass-founders, New Street
Square.
Robert Burns, shopman to Mrs. Morrit, pawnbroker,
in Long Acre, stared, that some days ago the prisoner
pledged a pair of bronze candlesticks at their shop.-
-The witness remarked that they were very good
bronze, and asked where the prisoner lived. The
prisoner replied that they were his own make and
property, and that he- lived at No. 5, in Brown-
low Street. The witness suspected that the prisoner's
account of himself was not quite the truth, and he
took the trouble lingo to Browulow Street, but fontid
that no such person lived there. Re subsequently,
however, saw a man at that place, who was in the em-
ploy of Messrs. Johnson and Co. and by whom he was
info/wed that the prisoner also was in the employ of the
firm. The witness desired the labourer to give intima-
tion to his employers of the articles the prisone: had
been pledging.
David Irwin, head clerk to Messrs. Johnson and Co.
stated, that in consequence of the intimation wnich had
been received from Mr. Burns, be looked me; their
stuck, and missed property to the amount of nearly 4J,11.
Being initialled that the prisoner had been pledging
property of the description missed, he was taken into
custody. They were informed that some caudlesiieks of
heir in iiinfacture had been seen at a sale shop in %V hite-
cross Street.

B. Fletcher, who keeps a sale shop in I\'hitecross•
sheet, produced two pair of brwize candlesticks, which
he had bought of the prisoner for 30s.
A servant of M. Chaffers, pawnbroker, produced a
pair of bronze candlesticks, which the prisoner had
pledg d at their shop.
The prisoner said, lie had been ruined by bad
palsy.corn-
Sir James Shaw regretted the obligation which he
was under of sending an unfortunate inati like tl•e
otier to the Old Biiley, but it was his imperious duty
to send him to take his trial for the offence. Sir James
said, the conduat of Bunw, the shopassati. was highly
commendable.
The punier was fully committed for trial.

In this order the procession moved slowly towards the I WARWICK ASSIZES, Monday Evening..
heath, the criminal frequently turning up his eyes to
Heaven, and ejaculating'' 0 Lord, have mercy spun me! The Judges arrived here on Saturday, anti immedi-
Christ, have mercy upon me !" About 10 n yards frosts the ately afterwards opened the commission of assize. Yes-
prison-gate his mother caught his eye in the crowd. He terday they attended divine service at St. Mary's church
did not appear to he ranch moved at seeing her, but bent The calendar of the prisoners its the county gaol to be
his head towards one of the officers who sat before him, tried at this assize contains the names of seventywfout
and said, " Mind, tell Mr. Bowen to do something for my individuals ; but the crimes of which they are accused,
family." The procession arrived at the place of execu- with a few exceptions, are HOS of au aggravated Daum.
Lion about ten minutes before 12, and the waggon was
They are most of them petty robberies, but we are sorry
drawn tip along the side of the scaffold. The chaplaiu
to say that there are uo less than five accused of forgeries.
then joined the criminal in prayer, and the "Mien silence .
Iwo of the forgeries are upon the Bank of England ,
pervaded the immense crowd, who stood uncovered while
the service was reading. The criminal, who had knelt the othee three are npon the Sturininstcr and Dorchester
hank, kept by Messrs. Warty,. Colbourn and Best. Ans.
down by Mr. 'UAW, site, joined its the prayers with as
mach fervour as his agitation would permit. His hands individual is also charged with having conspited, last
were clasped together and imitated, and his eyes were ' February, to put into circulation several 51. notes of the
sometimes directed downwards to the book iu the chap. said bank, which he knew had been stolen from it
lain's hand, as if he did not understand what was read; There are also three cases for uttering forged notes,
oacasionally they were turned up to heaven, but during which the parties knew to be forged. But the prowl-
the greater part of the time they wandered unceasciouslY vent feature of these assize' is the political cases„ of.
over the crowd. without any definite direction. which there are no :OS than eight to be tried.
When the devotions were closed, and the criminal was The first is an indictment against a person named
about to be removed from the waggon, lie observed near Brandis, who was a member of the Birmingham Union
him Mr. Hay, the barrack-master of Woolwich, and said Society, for publishing an inflammatory address. to the
be wished to speak to him. Mr. Hey came forward and Reformers.
said, "For God's sake, Nesbett, be siucere; consider The second case is the King v. Edmonds. The din. -
what you are about, and tell the truth." lie replied, " I fondant is charged in this case with publishing a sedi-
have told the truth already, and nothing but the truths' sinus libel upon. the magistrates of Birmingham.
My family knows nothing of my guilt, and I hope v
do something for them." Mr. Hay asked him if lie bad the mg v.Lewis(theeditor 0 the
do uril. The third case is Le •
confessed Isis guilt ; and he replied, " I have confessed it Coventry Recorder), for a seditious libel published in
to another person." He then mounted the stage with a that work, which called upon the people to arm against
firm step, and the execntiouer proceeded to put a sap the tyrant buroughtuongets, the seat-buyets and sel!tia
over his eyes, and to adjust the rope round his neck. in the House of Commons.
Having seen Mr. Bowen, of Woolwich, neas the scaffold, The fourth cause is the King v. Russell, a bookseller
lie called to him, and raid, " Mr. Bowen, I hope you will at Birmingham (who wns tried 12 months ago for pub-
have some regard to my family. Poor things I they are lizhing Hones Political Litany). for vending one 0)
innocent. None that belongs to me knows any thing of Carlisle's Republicans, which libelled the King, &c.
my doings." Mr. Bowen called to him to confess his The fifth is the cause of the King v. Cos' mr6c Ragg, a
crime, on which he replied, " I have made all the conies- bookseller at Birminithafti, for publishitc, one of the
Mon I had to make. That will be known after I am gene.
numbers of the Republican.
The people is convex/sat that has it. It is enough for one The sixth indictment is against Osborne, a bookseller
person to know."
at Birmingham, for publishing a number of the Black
At five minutes after 12 o'clock the fatal signal was
even. He did not seem to stiffer more than one minute.
The body, after hanging the usual time, was cut down,
mid conveyed in a shell to Messrs. Day and Watson's, to
be anatomized, pursuant to his sentence.
Previously to his trial, Nesbett hail prepared the tot-
lewing declaration, in his own hand-writing, to be del.-
vered to Mr. Hay, the barrack-master at Woolwich, an
letelligent and humane gentleman, who was anxious so
have it ascertained that the family of the murderer wets
mot implicated iu his guilt :
" Maidstone, the teirJuly. 1520.
"This is the truth, as f have God to melt in the next worn,
lat me Be Gilty or Not, no one of my family, father or moth!er
wife or Childem or any Illation of mine knowes whether I an
Gilty or Not of the Crime that is laid to my Charge, that is tie.
mourder of Mr. Parker and his House keepr or any other part
of that Crime that is laid to my Charge, or any other Crime that
is laid to me, as God has my soul in his Charge this Day to try
my Gilt that is the truth. and I hope no me will Cast it up to my
wife or Childer, for the Do not Deoervit. I sins this test* truth
"JAMES NESBET."
Addressed for "Mr. Hay Harick Master Woolwich Bent."
Endorsed in the hand-writing of Mr. Hay, but the diction of
the prisoner :
" As I have this Bible in my hand, and God to meet, I declare
the contents of this paper are true.
" Maidstone Gaol, 26th July, 1820."
" Witness, STEPHEN PAGE, Turnkey.

PonTsraiinTH, July 29.—We understand the King has
not yet expressed his determination as to the day on which.
he will embark in his Royal yacht, on his aquatic excur-
sion ; but the three Royal yachts, and the ships of war to
compose the Royal cortege, will he ready far. finakorderx-
on Monday next. The lion. Sim. Charles Paget has hoisred
a broad pendant in the Royal George, as Cononadose of
the Royal squadron. The Royal George will go out of har-
bour on Monday ; on which day it is expected the yachts
will proceed on a short cruise, to adjnst their trim.. The
sloops a war Iliad, Sir Charles Burrard, bort., Brisk,
Capt. Montagu, and Cameiian, Capt. Mingay. am at-
tached to the Royal squadron. Yesterday morning Lord
Melville and Vice.Adiairal Sir W. Hope, K.C.B. (one of
the Lords of the Admiralty) embarked in-the Spartan fri-
gate, Captain Wise, C.B. and sailed for Plymouth. His.
Lordship having inspected the Breakwater, and other
improvements making at that port, will return hither ha
the Spartan. That ship is afterwards to be fitted to take-
out the Right Hon. Stratfoed Canning, Ambassador to the
United States of America. On Tuesday the Liffey frigate,.
I Captain the Hon. Henry Duncan, arrived front St. Pe•
tersburgh. whither she took the Right Hon. Sir Charles
Begot, 0.C.8., Ambassador to that Court, from North.
Yarmouth, iu eight dajs. She stayed at St. Yetersburgle
eight days, and left it on the 29th ult. The most remark.
able circumstance that struck the officers of the Ltfiug, at
St. Petersburg'', was, that all respectable inhabitants of
the city bore a military appearance. Admiral Crown was
on a cruise, manoeuvring a squadron of.-four maul' the
line and two frigates, which the Lsffey met when going up
to, and tff Goildand on her returu from St. Petersburgh.
The squadron was to proved to Cronstadt about the ism
instant, to be inspected by the Emperor. On Wedues-
day arrived the Sgbille, 4ti, Captain William Popham,
bearing the flag of Rear Admiral Sir Home Popham,
K.C.B. from the Jamaica statimi. She left Port Royal on
the 15th June; touched at Cape Hoary (St. Domingo),
for the purpose of giving Mr. Freeling, Deputy Seere-
tars to the General Post Office, an opportunity of ar-
ranging the conveyance of a mail-bag between Cape
Henry and England, which will not only be some addi-
tional revenue to the Post Office, but be of material
convenience to the merchants of England in carrying
on their commercial intercourse with that country.—
We are sorry to learn by her that there were saint
symptoms of fever breaking out again in Jamaica,
on her sailing from thence. The command of the squa-
dron devolved on Capt. Huskisson; of the Eurooks, which
ship arrived on the lot% of June from St. Kitt's. Sir H.
; Popham, who is in a low debilitated state of health, struck
his flag yesterday ; and the Sybil& sailed this afternoon
for Woolwich, to be paid off. It is expected that she will
be re-commissioned for the flag of Sir Charles Rowley.
the new iiiii ander-in-Chief at Jamaica. It appears, by
a letter received irons an officer on board his Majesty's
ship Leven, that the experiments proposed by Mr. Barlow,
of she Royal Military Academy, fur correcting the effects
of local attraction, have beets attended with the best pos-
sible saccese. It is stated, that, in at run of IS:I miles,
between the 22d and 23d of May, the error by the com-
mon reckoning amounted to l% minutes in latitude, and
28 minutes in longii wk., making an entire difference 01 at
least 34 MOPS in distance; whereas the reckoning kept.
agreeably to the course corrected by Mr. flarlow's plate
produced an error of only 2 'Mimics its latitude, and 4
minutes in longitude. The particulars ore stated as I,ol*
place by ob lion May 23:
Lat. 3S deg. 39 N. Long. l 0 drg..is W. by commoc-reck-
uning.
Lat. 38 deg. 58 N. Long. I t deg. 28 W., by corrected.

con de.
Lat. 38 deg. 41 N. Long. I). deg. 2. W.
7i-iinilar experiments were wade on Monday last, in oar
harbour, by cutler of the Ail ' rfty, by Mr. Bartow, on,
board Ina Majerty'a ship Gummy (Capt. HAD and
as this viessel is expecied to visit varions parts of the
southern hemisphere, it will completely decide the ques-
tion of the application of this mode of corrsction w all
latitudes.

On Thursday se'nuight P. Sullivan eras executed
t Limerick, for the murder of Ellen Hanly, oy
the liver Shannon.