The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-29 00:00:00

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EXECUTION AT JEDBURtIif.
On Thursday last John Wilson, one of the t'wo f
railway labourers convicted at the recent Ju4ticiary: •
Court at Jedburgh, for the murder of Willi n
Lauder, at last St. Boswell's fair—and concerning
which we published the full particulars at the
time—underwent the utmost penalty of the law in
front of the county gaol ; the other man, Brady, who
was also found guilty of the same crime, obtained a
respite, for three weeks, but respecting the course the
law will ultimately pursue regarding him nothing is
definitively known though it is generally believed that
his sentence will be commuted to transportation
for life. At an early hour the town presented an.
unusual and bustling appearance. Throughout the
entire night it rained incessantly, and when the day-
sky broke it still continued. Notwithstanding large
numbers of country people flocked into the town, and
congregated in the neighbourhood of the Council-
house, when a burgher guard, numbering upwards of
200, armed with batons only, were drawn up.
Shortly after 7 o'clock A.M. they proceeded in
regular marching order under their respective
officers up Castle-street, and defiled in front of
the gaol, and on both
.sides of the enclosed ground
within the outer gate they took up their station.
About half an hour after a detachment of upwards of
60 soldiers of the 21st Regiment of Infantry
marched up to the prison, and lined the space imme-
diately around the scaffold. On the top of the gaol
the black flag was hoisted very early. The death
bell within began to toll about half-past seven o'clock,
and continued up to the time the unfortunate man
was brought out, which was exactly eight o'clock
A.M. Wilson ascended the steps leading to the scaf-
fold, accompanied by a Roman Catholic priest and
the magistrates, with a firm step, but pale face. He
was dressed in a blue jacket, light vest, and drab
trousers—the same, it will be remembered, as he
alleged he had on on the fair-day. He joined in the
reading of the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and a por-
tion of the 15th chapter of Ist Corinthians. He
appeared extremely fervent in his devotions, and
ofttimes lifted his face to Heaven. If he made any
confession to the priest, it is not known, but just as he
was about to ascend the drop he was asked by his
spiritual father if he had any declaration to make, on
which he spoke nearly as follows :—" I am going to be
launched into eternity to face my God, and I am not
going with a lie in my mouth. I neither lifted stick
nor stone on the fair day. I am about to suffer for
another man." He then pardoned the judge, jury,
and witnesses who had condemned him. He also
freely forgave all his enemies. The executioner
(Murdock of Glasgow), a feeble old man, and said
to be upwards of eighty years old, the same
functionary who officiated at the previous execution
in Jedburgh eighteen years ago, then adjusted the
rope around his neck, after which he banded the
napkin to Wilson to give the signal when he wished
the fatal bolt to be drawn. This was done almost
immediately after it had been handed to him, and in an
instant he was suspended in mid air. Death must
have been almost instantaneous, considering the depth
he fell ; and, as he scarcely gave a struggle, his agony
must have been of brief duration. He was apparently
about 20 years of age, about 5 feet $ inches high,
dark-complexioned, and by no means abandoned or
fierce-looking, though his features indicated much
firmness and determination. He was a native of the
county of Down, in Ireland, and, as will have been
gathered, a Roman Catholic. The Provost of the burgh
and the Catholic clergymen were with him till an
early hour in the morning. He rested but little,
but was wonderfully composed and collected.
The number of persons assembled to witness the exe-
cution was not numerous ; we are of opinion that it
did not exceed 2,000, amongst which were a few
women, a great number of whom left the ground when
Wilson ascended the scaffold. All appeared to be
more or less affected by the scene—a few of the
burgher guard fainted, and many shed tears_ Most of
the spectators were from the country, there
being comparatively few townspeople present.
Hundreds of country people arrived too late
to witness the execution, but they all pressed
forward to obtain a view of the body as it
swung to and fro. There were no " navvies" present
at the execution, but a dozen arrived shortly after,
and a few of them, as well as a woman who was in
their company, wept very much and very bitterly
on beholding the dead body, which was cut down
about nine o'clock and interred within the precincts
of the prison. It is now eighteen years since any one
bas been executed at Jedburgh. The last individual
who suffered so ignominiously was Thomas Rodger,
a native of Coldstream, who was convicted of the
wilful murder of an Irishman, near Kelso. Much
sympathy was felt for Rodger in conse-
quence of his previous good conduct and cer-
tain other extenuating circumstances. Itis somewhat
singular that whilst the last man previous to Wilson
should have been hanged for murdering an Irishman,
it should have been exactly reversed on this occasion.
It is also worthy of remark that similar weapons
should have been used in both cases. It certainly
says a good deal for the morality of the border
counties, comprising those of Berwick, Peebles,
Selkirk, and Roxburgh, containing somewhere be-
tween 110,000 and 120,000 inhabitants, and extending
over an area of 1,684 square miles, that only one
execution should have occurred during the long (but
not too long) period of eighteen years.—Border
Advertiser.

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BANK OF FRAN CE.
The follo%Ning is a return of the situation of the Bank
of France on Oct. 25:

ASSETS.

Cash and ingots ...
Ditto in branch banks
Bills past due ••• ••• •••
Bills falling due in Paris, of which
17,279,f. are from the - branch
banks
... 44.543,705 75
Bills in the branch banks ~• ... 77,658,027 00
Advances on.coins aid ingots... 5,461,300 00
Ditto by the branch banks ... 212,797 00
Ditto on French public securities ... 20,693,446 10
Ditto by branch banks... ... 1,730,025 00
Ditto to the State on Bons du Tresor... 50,000,000 00
Ditto on the loan of 150 millions 50,000,000 00
Rentes of the reserve fund 10,000,000 00
Rentes, disposable funds ... ... 42,581,428 13
Investments of the new branch banks in
the public funds ...
Hotel and furniture of the Bank ...
Real property of the branch banks ...
Interest in National Discount Bank ...
Ditto branch banks ... •••
Bills protested at Paris
Ditto at the branches
Expenses of administration of the Bank
Ditto of the branches
Miscellaneous ..• ••• •••
Advance to the department of the
Seine ••• ••• ••• •••
Loan of 3,000,000 f. to the city of Mar-
seilles .

... £275,401,631 09
. . 128,388,820 00
130,032 00

12,779,541 39
4,000,000 00

2,616,212 00
200,000 00
230,000 00
3,140,342 50
2,074,135 00
315,789 97
326,059 00
681,227 85

3,000,000 00

1,075,000 00

1.737,239,579 78

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