The National Register.
London, England, 1813-09-26 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF LEARY AND OF DENTON.

Oo Monday morning, at an early hour, all the avenues leading to
the Old Bailey were crowded with persons flocking to witness this
aw rid spectacle. The interest which the case of Leury had excited
in the public mind, no doubt, greatly increased the concourse, and
by half-past seven every part of the Old Bailey was filled.
Mn( h anxiety having been expressed to ascertain whether Leary
made any confession previous to the morning of execution, we have
endeavoured to collect every particular relative to this ambiguous
attair. it appears that the unhappy man maintained his innocence
of actually committing the deed until the last, but admlit...l
berm;~ au accessary; mot by this ;i•!;"ssission he seemed to satisty his
conscience, saying " his 11'!•ii.st had forgiven him, and he trusted
GA would also." He positively asserted, that others we're con-
cerned in the murder. During Sunday night he was employed in
drawing up a declaration, but not being able to accomplish it to his
satisfactioo, be had torn it to pieces. He kit a letter directed to
Lis %vile in Ireland (the woman who passed as such in London not
being so), which was forwarded to her, in which he con-
tinued to assert his innocence, and denied that his hands were ever
imbued its the bland of his countryman. It seems it is too prevalent
an opinion among the lower class of Irish, that unless they actually
Commit the di ed, they ought not to suffer as necessaries.
Nlassday morning the two criminals were brought from
the cells. Leary had tasted nothing but bread and water since his
sentence; he nevertheless appeared to have a healthy complexion.
and walked with a firm pace, frequently looking around him with
the utmost composure.
About a quarter of an hour before eight o'clock, the unhappy
men were conducted into a passage adjoining one of the yards on the
erlillinid side of the prison, to have their irons knocked off. During
the time that this operatics was iverforming, Colonel O'Kclly, who
Lad attended him the day before tbr the purpose of obtaining a cons
fession of Isis guilt, now again addressed him, and conjured him,
as he was then about to appear before the Almighty, to declare the
truth. Lary listened to him with respect, and then exclaimed.
I. I declare most solemnly 1 did not commit the murder, though I
saw it done." Colonel O'Kelly then produced a paper, drawn up
by hilmat", of which the following is a ropy : •••
" I, James Leary, having received the Sacrament, and being
gi now on the brig;. of eternity, do hereby most solemnly declare,.
6' that, ithhough I was presiint, I commit the murder of
e‘ Clifford."

ihe Colonel left a blank between the words " I did" and " com-
mit," to leave them in that state if he aknowledged his guilt, or
that be should fill it up with the word nut, with his own hand, e be
still persisted in declaring that he was only privy to tue murder,
and had 120 t hiu►self perpetrated it. Colonel O'Kelly then said,
" Now, Leary, as yon still insist aeon yonr former declaration, with
your hand write the word Not " A pencil was then put into his
bind, awl the papet was placed by Qr. Ford upon some person%
bat, and held before him. Leary attentively read it over, and up;:n
the Col.aiel pointing to the bl.loh, and although his hands were tied
at the wrists, and his arms pinioned, he wrote in a firm hand the
*turd 14 not," and With the ssitne firmness signed bib natne. Some