The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-06 00:00:00

Execution in Longford.—A Painful Scene,

Charles M'Cormack, who had been convicted at
the late assizes for the murder of a young man
named Michael Beglan, at Drinan Bridge, on the
21st of November, suffered the last penalty of the
law on Tuesday morning, in front of the Longford
gaol.
It will be remembered that the case, which was
heard before Mr. Justice Fitzgerald on the 2d of
July, excited much interest, as no object could be
discovered for the perpetration of a brutal murder
on a person scarcely past the years of boyhood, and
who, as far as it could be learned, had never had
any differences with the unfortunate man who has
expiated his crime, with the three men who assisted
him, or with the four men who stood calmly by
while Beglan was being was being beaten to death
in the presence of his aged father, who could render
him no assistance. Although M'Cormack had been
convicted on evidence the most clear and conclusive,
many persons believed that there was some mystery
at the bottom of the painful transaction which had
not been brought to light. Even the learned judge,
when passing the sentence, observed:—" What mo-
tive you may have had in taking the life of that
young man, Michael Beglan, I know net. From all
I could gather from the evidence presented to the
jury, you appear to have had no quarrel with the
deceased. He committed no offence against you as
I can discover. You had no cause for entertaining a
feeling of animosity towards him. You do not
seem to have been his antagonist ; but you can tell,
and you alone, what motive led you 04 to take his
life." _ _ _

Since the conviction of the unfortunate man every
exertion was made by some of the most influential
parties to have his sentence commuted. A memorial
was,drawn up and forwarded to the Government for
this object, and hopes were entertained of its being
successful ; but the governor of the gaol received an
official communication from Dublin Castle stating
that the le w should take it course. At the hour
appointed on Tuesday morning numbers of persons
collected in front of the gaol, but at no time did
those present exceed 2,000. They conducted them-
selves with the utmost propriety, and seemed sensi-
bly impressed with the solemnity of the awful oc-
currence. The melancholy preliminaries, the
pinioning, the promises of resignation, and
the funeral procession, having been all gone
through, the unhappy man appeared on the
fatal drop. He seemed collected, and his ap.
pearance imparted a shock to every individual
member of the crowd. The rope was ad-
justed, the prayer ejaculated, and the bolt was
withdrawn—but unfortunately McCormack was
only precipitated to the ground, not into eternity.
By some mistake, it would appear, the rope was too
long, and when the executioner drew the bolt the
unfortunate criminal fell to the ground on his knees.
This, however, did not give him a long respite, for
the rope was immediately hauled up, and in about
three minutes INPCJImack was before the dread tri-
Freeman Correspondent.
butial of eternity.—

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Dual „tra
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HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, August 5.

Her Grand Ducal Highness Princess Leiningen
is convalescent, and the infant Princess is in good
health.

Countess Gleichen had the honour of an inter-
view with the Queen yesterday.
The Queen drov3 out in the afternoon, accom-
panied by Princess Louise.
The Belgian Minister arrived yesterday.

The Prince of Wales's Speech at Halifax.
The following is the text, as reported in the local
papers, of the reply of his Royal Highness to the
Address presented to him at the ceremony of open-
ing the Town-hall at Halifax :

" Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen,—l return you my
cordial thanks for your Address, and for the terms
in which you have alluded to the part I am proud
r o takein the ceremony of inaugurating your Town-
hall, in which 1 see so much to admire, whether in
regard to the design, the execution, or the mode in
which its cost is met. Indeed, the general prospe-
tity of your town, the industry which, aided by
the most ingenious machinery, has so long distin-
guished its inhabitants, and which I witnessed
yesterday developed to its full extent, cannot fail to
strike every visitor with wonder and admiration. I
have also to thank you for the earnest wishes you
have expressed for my happiness and that of the
Princess. Conscious of the duties which you so
impressively remind me of, I feel I cannot better
perform them than by following the bright example
of the Queen and my beloved father."

Departure of the Prince and Princess of
Wales for the North,

Yesterday morning, at half-past ten, tLe Prince
and Princess of Wales took their departure, by
special train, from King's-cross station, for the
North of England and Scotland. On arriving at
the station their Royal Highnesses were received
by Mr. Denison and several of the other directors,
while on the platform were assembled a large num-
ber of ladies and gentlemen who had come as
spectators.

Their Royal Highnesses were accompanied by
General Knollys, Major Teesdale, and one of the
Ladies-in- Waiting of the Princess's household.
We are gratified in being enabled to state that her
Royal Highness appeared to have recovered from
her indisposition, and that her countenance gave
every indication of restored health. As the train
was leaving the station there was a cheer from
those assembled, which the Prince and Princess
graciously acknowledged.
The Royal train was under the charge of Mr.
Walter Leith, assistant-manager, and Mr. Sturrock,
locomotive engineer. Mr. Denison and Mr. Ten-
nent, another director, also accompanied it.
The destination of the Royal train was Ripon,
where their Royal Highnesses were to be the guests
of Earl do Grey and Ripon, and whence they will
continue their journey to Scotland this afternoon.

KNOTTINGLEY, Wednesday Afternoon.
Some three or four thousand perscns assembled
this morning by permission of the directors, or► the
platform of the Great Northern Railway, King's-
cross, to witness the departure of the Prince and
Princess of Wales on their journey to the north ;
and for every one in the station there were fifty
outside, loyal, expectant, ardent to show the Princess
with how much affection they regard her. Inside
the terminus wore its everyday look until after the
departure of the ordinary ten o'clock train, when a
space along the middle was railed off, and around
the rails grouped those who were favoured with
tickets. The yard of the terminus was strewed with

new gravel, and from the door of the general offices
through the passage to the platform was laid a
handsome crimson carpet. At ten minutes past tell
the Royal special train was drawn up to the plat-
form, the servants from Marlborough House
stowed away the luggage, and everybody who was
to travel by this train to Ripon, including only
two correspondents at the daily press, took their
assigned places. At twenty minutes past ten their
Royal Highnesses' arrival was announced by the
cheers of the crowd outside, and in a few seconds
more they were ushered on to the platform by the
directors who received them. Her Royal Highness
looked almost better than we could have hoped,
after the rumours that have been current about

her indisposition. Without delay the Royal couple
entered their saloon. Mr. Walter Leith, the able
and courteous assistant manager, who was in
Charge of the train, gave the signal, and a minute
before its time the train glided out of the terminus
on its way to the north. By the side of the line, as
far as the Maiden-lane tunnel, were crowds of people,
servants of the company, and others, whocheered the
train as it passed. At Muswell-hill the Park Com-
pany had hoisted a number of flags on their high
staff, no doubt at once to do honour to the
travellers, and to attract the attention of the fair
lady after whom the new and beautiful park is
named. At all the minor stations people were col-
lected to catch a glimpse, not of the Prince and
Princess, but merely of the fast-flying saloon which
contained them; and, as we rushed past at 48 miles
an hour, there could be heard the cheers of the on-
lookers, faintly at the best, as if tying to follow*
and catch the express with the people's benison
upon the Royal pair. At Peerborough there was
the first stopping place, and punctually to a second
the train arrived at that important station, when it
stopped for five minutes, in which time her Royal
Highness was served with some refreshments. And

so we went on through ruddy Crantham and pretty
Newark-upon-Trent, where there were more crowds,
and railway-made Retford, where a handsome Royal
standard flo ited upon the church tower, to Doncas-
ter, where there was five minutes again allowed.
The country people, the labourers in the fields, the
wayfarers on the roads that are crossed by the line,
seemed to be thoroughly well aware of the time of
transit of the Royal train, for they with one will
left their sheaves of corn and the objects of their
work to take care of themselves, while they
mounted the embankment of the line and respect-
fully raised their hats or faintly cheered. At Ret-
ford the ordinary ten o'clock fast train was shunted
to let the Royal special pass ; and from Doncaster
—where one highly decorated engine was ex-
changed for another, and where a volunteer baud
played " God Bless the Prince of Wales " and the
National Anthem amid the cheers of 4,000 or
5,000 people—to this station, which is the last
available for a parcel to London to-night, there
was nothing remarkable on the route save
the beauty of the country and the almost un-
hoped-for fineness of the weather, which, up to
the present time, when rain is again falling,
promised good things for the Ripon people and
the hearty welcome which they are preparing.
It is understood that the sojourn at Studley Park
will be devoted to peace and quietness and rest, with
the exception of the reception of an address from
the corporation and a visit to the exquisite remains
of Fountain Abbey, which, standing in Lord Do
Grey's grounds, has been of late years carefully
preserved from the hand of the spoiler, and from
the not less ruinous meddling of the almost inevi-
table " restorer." •

RIPON, Wednesday Evening.
The Prince and Princess arrived punctually to the
time fixed at the mansion of Studley Royal, where
they received a hospitable welcome from the host
and hostess. The streets of Ripon were gaily dc-
corated and crowded with people from all parts of
the district. The mayor and corporation presented
an address, and the Princess was graciously pleased
to accept a bouquet from the mayoress. The Prin-
cess was so little fatigued by the Journey that after
luncheon she accompanied the Counttss do Grey
on a visit to the exquisite ruins of Fountain Abbey,
and spent some time in tracing out the design 0f
the old monastic edifice. There was a distinguished
party invited to meet their Royal Highnesses at
dinner ie the evening. The weather is lair, but
threatening.

The Earl and Countess of Dallceith have left
town for Scotland.