The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-05 00:00:00

PRICE sd.

EXECUTION OF AIISTER.

(From the Shrewsbi try. Giro Nick.)
During the whole of Friday. Mister continued
tentive to his religious duties, and wits not left by the
Chaphin till ten at night. Shortly afterwards he went
to sleep, but the short snatches he obtained were net
refreshing, and were at very distant intervals.
This morning, at six o'clock, the Chaplain WAS again
at his bedside, and found him firm and composed stud
still affirming his entire innocence. fie received the
salroment with much composure and appearance of
resignation.
At ten the Rev. Janes Colley cote: .-.0. the prison, to
assist the Chapl tin in his melancholy duties. By this
time crowds of persons from Birmingham and the Col-
lieries in the neighbourhood of Ludlow and Wellington,
were assetnhlid in front of the prison. The gallows,
which on the previous night had been erected, all ex-
c.isit the cross-beam from which the rope is hung, was
now completely finished, all lingering .hopes of reprieve
being lost when the morning mail brought no letter
either to the Sheriff or Governor of the prison.
At eleven o'clock the Under-Sheriff came to the
prison, and about that time the prisoner was brought
from the conkmned cell to have his arms pinioned.

When he entered the rhaplvin's room, he was received
by the Rev. J. Richards, the Rev. B. 11 Mad and the
chaplain, and he iminediaiely betook himself to prayer.
At a quartr tot../e;ve the Und4,SLieriff 'cent to the
door of the loom, and demanded the body of Josiah
Mister, for execution. On the door being opened,
the prisoner was discovered -seated, with a handker-
chief in his hand, with which he was typing from his
face the large drops of sweitt VW were bursting from
every pore. His appcatie, wikaleplaiable, his mental
sufferings and terror appearing most severe ; and the
paleness of his visage, gastlincss, and wasted appear-
ance, showed these sufferings to Lave continued from
the period of his condemnation.

The executioner immediately entered, and tied the
prisoner's arms. The rope was then fixed round his
neck, and the cap placed on his head. He appeared
fully aware of the nature of these dread preparationf,
and his lips continued muttering in prayer.
The Chaplain then put on his robes, and the prison
bell began to toll. The prisoner was then placed be-
tween two turnkeys who supported him ; and the dis-
mcl procession from the prison to the gallows was
to t tried.

On et:tering the door of the front lodge, he ex-
" 1.1 any of the Jury are here who condemned
n. , I fret ly forg.va them." .

He then went onwards to the small room under the
scaffold, and the last prayers were uffered up. Two
minutes had scarcely elapsed, before be appeared on the
d!op, and was assisted by two turnkeys to take his
place under the gallows. The executioner fixel the
rope to the beam, the prisoner meanwhile shaking hands
with the turnkeys, and exclaiming " God bless you for
the assistance you have given me, and then faintly ut-
tered I AM INNOCENT," and scarcely had the
words esearel, ere the bolt was withdrawn, and after
two minutes' %io!eat struggling, he died.
After hanging an hour, the body was taken down ;
and after an examination by medical gentlemen, it was
placed in a good din coffin, with a plate bearing the in-
scription :—" JOSIAH MISTER, aged 23, 1841."
Tne following letter was tkritten by the prisoner, last
night, in the condemned cell, and contains the oily
explanation he has ever offered, with reference to the
charge for which he has forfeited his life :
Salop County Gaol; April 2, 1841.

" Reader,—Although this frail body, in a very few
hours, will fall a sacrifice to persecution, yet this paper
will bear testimony of my innocence, although in the
e)e of the public I am guilty; but those thoughts do
not make me guilty ; for I now state, in the presence
of an Almighty God, that I am not guilty ; and his
all-seeing eye cannot be deceived. It is God alone that
knows I am innocent, and shall suffer for the crime of
another. But, thanks to his holy name, he has not
left it in man's power to destroy the never-dying soul.
I wish, and it is my last request, that publicity should
be given to this, my only declaration, as it may likely
meet the eye of the guilty individual. Let me ask
those persons that were connected with the guilty
design, if their consciences do not tell them that they
have taken away the life of an innocent man ? I ask
again, can that person rest upon his (or her) bed, that
put the blood on No. 20 bed-curtains, and likewise
prepared those stockings for the treacherous design ?
I wish al of you that have had any participation in
getting me convicted, to know, that I have sincerely
forgiven you each, nod my prayer to Almighty God is,
that he will also forgive you. lam very shortly about
to be launched into eternity, where I hope to meet my
Maker and my dear friends—for even now I can address
you by r.o other name. May you each die as happy as
the culprit Josiah Mister, and feel as satisfied in your
mind of happiness in the next world as I do, who is thus
essing you each. It is a duty I owe to society to
state, that. lam an innocent man. lam actuated
by a most pure conscience to state it. lam parti-
tieularly grateful to all those individuals who have tried
to obtain a commutation of the sentence ; and I fully
forgive both Judge and Jury. I hope they will consider
that this epistle is a sufficient document of forgiveness. 1
cannot lay any charge on any one—the Judge and Jury
were justified in returning such a verdict, as the evi-
dence was of such a formidable character that they
could not conic to another decision. I had no stock-
ings when I went to the Angel, and I did not intend
to pay my bill at that time, as I was going to visit
Leominster and Birmingham. I had almost forgot to
state that I never saw the boy who said I had a lucifer
match in my possession. I never was at Cooke's farm ;
the first time I was in the neighbourhood of Ludlow
was Wednesday afternoon, and saw Hughes and Bos-
worth fishing. 1 never had any intention of robbing
Mr. Ludlow, and I never saw Mr. Mackreth in my
life betore I went to the Angel Inn. I again thank
Mr. Mackreth, Mr. Ludlow, and all who have treed to
get a commutation ; and sincerely do I forgive all per-
sons who have injured me. I desired this letter to be
kept and not opened till I was no more. I have been
kindly treated in the prison by the Governor and at-
tendants, and feel thankful for the visits of clergymen
who have attended to direct me to the way of everlast-
ing life. My last desire and prayer is that God will
reward them for the services they have rendered me ;
and 1 am, my readers, an innocent man.
"JOSIAH MISTER."

Thus, with a lie in his mouth, has perished in his
youth, the perpetrator of a coolly conceived and deli-
berately pursued attempt at murder, not exceeded in atro-
city by any case of modern crime. The colleet2d and de,
terinined character of Mister, led none who conversed
with him to the remotest hope he would confess his
guilt ; but no one believed he would drink the blessed
cup of his Saviour's blood, on which he said he relied to
be rescued from his sins, without hinting that the crime
for which he was then to die, was a grievous one, and
that those who had convicted him were not in error.
He perished as he hail lived ; forgiving the jury with
his lips, but in the sullen hope thot such forgiteness
would be received as the last le;acy of a murderer, to
annoy the minds of those who had found him guilty.

EXECUTION OF MATTHEW

FOWLES.

STAFFORD, APRIL 3.—The unhappy man, Matthew
Fowle;, who was eapitay convicted on the 17th of
March, before Mr. Justice Coleridge, for the horrid
murder of Martha Keeling, at Newcastle-under-Lyme,
was executed this morning, precim!y at five minutes
past eight o'clock, on the drop erected in front of our
county gaol. The culprit persisted in denying his
guilt to the last moment prior to the fatal bolt i.:&ng
withdrawn.

Ever since his condemnation Fovvl.!s has remained in
a sullen state of mind. To every exhortation to repen-
tance and confession be has invariably replied he had
ao confession to make, and never heard of the crime
until he had been apprehended. Every attention has
throughout been paid him by the chaplain, the Rev. R.
Buckeridge, and the governor of the gaol, 'F. Brutton,
Esq.

Several applications have been made by the prisoner's
attorney for a respite, but Lord Normanby saw no
grounds whatever for conceding the rcque: t.
As early as three o'clock this morning, the usual pre-
parations fur the erection of the drop took place. We
learn that during the night the prisoner sleet soundly,
and partook of a hearty breakfast at five o'clock, and
afterwards appeared to be fervently engaged in prayer.
Shortly after seven o'clock the wretched culprit was
conducted to the chapel, preceded by the Governor and
the Reverend Chaplain. He entered the chapel with an
unfaltering step, and after casting a glance around, he
took hip flare at the communion-table. Inimediatel%
on kte ding down, he appeared to be engaged in
si ent devotion. Before the Rev. R. Buckeridge
entered upon the service of the Communion, he so-
lemnly charged the prisoner in the following
terms :—" I charge you, as hi the presence of Almighty
God, in whose prascnce you will shortly appear,
did you, or did you not, participate in the murder of
that woman r The prisoner, in a firm bey low tone of
voice, replica, `c No, sir." On repeating the question in a
form of words to prevent any evasion, he unhesitatingly
reTlied, " I L.cver knew a word at all about it until I
was taken into custody." The service then proceeded
in the most sfFecting manner, the Rev. Chaplain heir),"
greatly moved as he went through the solemn ordi-
nance. When the Chaplain arrived at the exhortation
of the Saviour, " Conic unto me all ye that travail and
are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest," the unfor-
tunate man aprared to pay particular attention to the
words. The worthy Governor assisted the culprit to