The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-06 00:00:00

The Execution of the Leominster Murderer.

The execution of Thomas Watkins for the murder of his
wife, MarylVatkins,at Hennor,near Leominster, on the 18th
Jan. last, took place yesterday morning in front of the
Hereford County Gaol.
This unfortunate woman was remarkably handsome, and
her good looks were a continual cause of jealousy to her
husband, who left her in a fit of passion. The fellow be-
came a confirmed idler, and his wife, who had now two chil-
dren, went out to work, chiefly as a laundress, to support
herself and family, and occasionally her husband too. He
frequently annoyed her with insinuations as to the doubt-
fulness of her chastity, which she repudiated. At length
Watkins left altogether, and enlisted into the Royal Ma-
rines. But he soon deserted, and at length it became
known to the Poor-law Guardians that ha frequently par-
took of the food allowed to his wife and family for their
sustenance, and they at once summoned her before them.
She confessed that he had returned to the neighbourhood,
and they endeavoured to obtain from her such particulars
as would lead to his apprehension. Her second examina-
tion was to have taken place on the day after she was found
murdered. Watkins himself had formed an opinion that
she intended to give him up. He accordingly waylaid her
and naurdered her, in order to prevent her from saying any-
thing against him.
Subsequent to his condemnation prisoner confessed the
murder, and he added that immediately he found she was
dead he at once determined to plead guilty; though the love
of life after wards induced him to deny his guilt. He at the
same time expressed his sincere contrition for the offence,
and said she had given him great provocation.
On Sunday the condemned sermon was preached to him
by the chaplain of the gaol, the Rev. Joseph Barker. On
the previous day (Saturday) he was visited for the last time
by his mother, his sister, and his son, a little boy about 12
years old, from whom the friends have succeeded in keep-
ing the dread sentence that awaited his father.
On Monday night he denied being implicated in the
drowning of two men of whom he had been jealous, and
whose bodies were found in the Lugg in November last.
The erection of the scaffold drew a crowd of well-dressed
persons to the spot, and yesterday morning at 8 o'clock
there mud have been many thousands present. The execu-
tioner was Smith, of Dudley. The prisoner walked firmly
up to the drop, and died very quietly.

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER AT MIRFIELD RE•
PORMATORY.—Joseph Broadhead, the young man who is
in rcustody on the charge of attempting to murder Miss
Louisa H. Johnson, stands reminded to Thursday next.
His victim was reported on Monday evening as having passed
as good a night as could be e:.:pectcd,

Naval and Military Intelligence,

THE NAVY.

In order to hasten the construction of the Lord Warden,
the first of Mr. Reed's armour plated wooden frigates, now
in frame at Chatham Dockyard, the Lords of the Admiralty
propose to give the hands employed on her what is termed
"encouragement money," with a view of inducing extra
exertions on the part of the workmen. A similar plan was
adopted at Chatham Dockyard in the construction of the
Royal Oak, ironclad frigate, which was built, launched,
fully equipped in men and stores, and sent to sea from
Chatham, all within 18 months. At present there are com-
paratively a small number of hands employed on the Lord
Warden, nevertheless very considerable progress has been
made in the work of putting the vessel in frame. As soon,
however, as the mechanics are reit;:med from the iron frigate
Achilles, the total number of mechanics ri.49 will be em-
ployed on the Lord Warden will be upwards of 1,t.,20, and
hopes are confinently expressed that she will be completed
and ready for launching before the end of the present year.
Considering the vast resources now possessed by Chatham
as an iron ship building yard, there is no reason for doubt-
ing that the wishes of the Admiralty with regard to the
completion of the Lord Warden by an early day will be
fulfilled. Several hundred tons of the siin. and 41in. armour
plates for this frigate have arrived at the dockyard, and
yesterday the workmen finished landing 170 tons of plates
sent in by the Atlas Steel and Iron Works. The plates,
as soon as landed at the dockyard, are placed beneath
the sheds erected for their reception, care being taken that
they receive no injury from any lengthened exposure to the
weather. _ _ __ . .

By orders from the Admiralty her Majesty's screw steam
ship Irresistible, 68 guns, 400 horse power, which has re-
cently been fitted at Sheerness, has been commissioned as
coastguard vessel for service at Southampton in the place
of the Dauntless, 31 guns, 600 horse power. Captain H.
Dickson, the officers, and crew of the Dauntless have been
transferred to the Irresistible, and will shortly proceed to
their station. _ _ _

The Dauntless, 31 guns, has been taken into No. 3 dock
in Sheerness Dockyard to have her bottom cleaned, to refit
for service as coastguard ship on the Humber, in the place
of the Cornwallis, 60 guns, 200 horse power power. Capt.
J. W. Strange, of the Cornwallis, will hoist his pendant on
beard the Dauntless, and the officers and crew of the Corn-
wallis will be transferred. The Cornwalliii will be putout
of commission, and be placed on the third division of the
Sheerness steam reserve. _ _

The Aurora, 35, screw steamship, 2,558 tons, 400 horse
power, Captain Sir F. L. M'Clintock, which was recently
ordered to the Baltic, but has been waiting orders at Leith,
arrived at Sheerness on Saturday last. She has been taken
into dock at Sheerness to refit and receive stores.

The War Department screw steamship Balaclava, from
Woolwich, which arrived at Devonport on Monday, left
again on Tuesday to return to Woolwich.
The paddlewheel steamsloop Gladiator, 8, went yesterday
from Hamoaze into Plymouth Sound, where she received
her powder and ammunition.
The gunboat Pekin, Commander Burgoyne, 104 days
from Shanghai, arrived at Woolwich yesterday morning,
and discharged her ammunition at the powder buoy off the
Royal Arsenal. She afterwards went alongside the pier
and landed her guns, 10 in number—namely, one 68
pounder, one 32 pounder, Whitworth rifle gun, six 32
pounders, smooth bores, and two 1 pounder 'Whitworth
mountain guns. Her crew were afterwards paid down, and
were granted leave of absence to visit their friends. The
Pekin is ordered to Woolwich dockyard to. morrow to strip
and return stores. She is the first of the expeditionary gun-
boat fleet fitted out for the Chinese service, which has
reached harbour, but she will be immediately followed by
the China and the Tien-Tsing reported yesterday in the
Channel, and which sailed from the Cape seven days in ad-
vance of the Pekin,
The hired transport Nexo, from the lonian Islands, laden
with 227 tons of war stores, yesterday commenced discharg-
ing at Woolwich Arsenal. The Nexo will be shortly fol-
lowed by 10 other transports laden with similar cargoes—
namely, the Morning Star, the Veranda, the Bellona, the
Hun, the Tanaro, the Werterbottom, the Odin, the Transit,

the Ann Dunn, and the Viandra.
The Maxwell transport, laden with war stores from Wool-
wich for New Zealand, yesterday shipped 70 tons of powder
off Gravesend, and will sail to-day for her destination.
The Dagmar, 18, Danish screw steam corvette, has been
coaling in Harwich harbour during the last few days. The
Dagmar,is one of the Danish fleet which has been cruising
in the Noah Sea, and she has mtde several captures since
the outbreak of hostilities between Denmark and the Ger-
man Powers.