The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-04 00:00:00

Execution of the Whittlesea Murderer,

John Green, who was convicted at the Cambridge
assizes of murdering Elizabeth Brown, at Whittle-
sea, on the 4th of last March, was executed in front
of the County Gaol at Cambridge, on Saturday
morning, at nine o'clock. After his condemnation
the prisoner was frequently visited by his mother
and other relatives. Their last interview with him
took place on Friday, when he was seen by his
father and mother, and wife and three children,
together with his three sisters. The scene in the
convict's cell was of a very distressing character.
After bidding him farewell, and leaving the gaol,
his wife returned and asked to be allowed to see him
again, which was granted. His conduct, to her,
however, had not been the kindest. While in pri-
son he was quiet, and appeared indifferent to his
fate, nor did he manifest any great remorse for the
crime he had committed. Although he conversed
upon other topics, he only alluded to the murder
once, when he confessed to its commission. He
frequently stated that he was resigned to his fate,
and did not indulge in hopes of a reprieve ; for a day
or two after his sentence he inquired when the exe-
cution would take place, and subsequently upon
which part of the prison the gallows would be
erected. According to the rules of the gaol he hed
the privilege of exercising in the yard, but he did
not avail himself of it to any great extent, as he pre-
ferred to remain in the cell. He also both ate and
slept well up to the last.
Shortly before nine o'clock on Saturday morning
the under sheriff, governor, and other prison offi-
cials, proceeded to the condemned cell, where Cal-
craft pinioned the prisoner, who submitted to
the process with considerable courage. As the
prison bell tolled nine o'clock the procession
left for the scaffold, upon which Green mani-
fested much firmness. He was a remarkably
fine young man, being six feet in height, and was
dressed in the familiar white emock, red necker-
chief, and corduroy trousers so cften described at
the trial. He walked with a firm, unfaltering
step, but without any appearance of bravado. At
the foot of the scaffold he halted till Calcraft told
him to "go first," and he then ascended the ladder
without hesitation, and placed himself under the
beam. He was led away to the left-hand corner
of the scaffold, where a couple of hassocks had been
placed. Upon these Green and the chaplain knelt
in the presence of the crowd whilst the chaplain
read with much emotion the two prayers set apart
for such occasions. Green's lips quivered during
this ordeal, and he raised his eyes to Heaven,
apparently in earnest supplication. A deathlike
stillness meanwhile pervaded the crowd, broken
only by the hum of the responsive " Amen." When
Green rose he at once placed himself over the drop.
Calcraft pulled the cap over his face, Green's legs
were tied, in an instant the drop fell, and all that
was mortal of the culprit hung dangling in the air.
After hanging an hour the body was cut down and
interred within the precincts of the gaol. As execu-
tions at the Cambridge County Gaol usually take
place at twelve o'clock, there was not so large a
concourse of spectators as is generally the case.
Later in the morning some thousands of persons
arrived by train from neighbouring places, in the
expectation that the execution would have taken
place at the ordinary time.
During his incarceration Green made the fallow-
ing confession of his crime, the purport of 'which
has already been published :—" Smedley and I
locked up the malting on the night of
the 4th of March, about eight o'clock, and

went together to the George and Star pub.

lie-house, and I went to the store-room
with Samuel Boyce, to remove some forms

into the dancing room: At the time Boyce wts

taking the forms out of the store room, I drew a
bucketful of gin from a puncheon in the same store
room. I then hid the pall of gin in a cor-
ner behind some wood in the George and Star yard.
I then went into the taproom, where I saw Smedley,
and told him what I had got. Smedley and I then

went together, and took it to the malting, I carried
it, and he proceeded to unlock the door of the yard
leading to the malting and the malting door. When
we got into the lutnace room Smedley kept watch
while I poured the gin into a stone jug covered
with wicker work. We then sat down and drank
a little, and then returned to the George and Star.
Smedley said, ' We won't lock door (meaning the
kiln door), as we may return again, but we will
lock the big gate.' Smedley and I returned to the
dancing room at the George and Star, and remained
there until 12 o'clock, and I did not see Smedley
afterwards. I then went downstairs into the tap-