The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-15 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF IILAItESLEY.

The execution of this Wretched man; having been ap-
pointed to take place this Morning, the Old Bailey and
all the approaches to it were crowded before seven
o'clock, and the conduct of the multitude, as might be ex-
pected upon such brutalising occasions, wag marked by
the most disgusting levity and indecency. It was
indeed a matter of astonishment to observe that those
who had undergone so much inconvenience as those
thousands suffered, being crammed together in so small
a space, for the sake of witnessing the revolting spec-
tacle, continued their sports, throwing about each others
hats and bonnets from one part of the throng to another,
with shouts of laughter and wild jests, whilst the miser-
able object of their curiosity stood upon the drop, and
was being launched into eternity.
We understand that.Blakesley having been questioned
yesterday, after Divine Service, when he was composed
and rational, whether he had really, been in an insane fit
during the early part of the day, replied, " I only feigned
madness to escape the gaze Of the public in the chapel;
but now that the farce is Over, let me have something to
eat and drink," • -
On Sunday evening his_ father called at Newgate, but
was not admitted into the eapd(nianed cell. The object
of the distressed parent's- 'Visit did: not transpire.
Blakesley has a mother and three sisters living, but his
father only has visited him since his condemnation.
About 11 o'clock, the culprit, ..who. has worn a strait
waistcoat since his violent conduct towards his keeper
on Thursday, lay down ,for a short time; but he evinced
great restlessness, and soon after midnight he arose and
occupied himself in praying, and writing two letters, one
to his wife, and the other to the Rev. Ordinary, the con-
tents of which were not communicated to the Reporters.
As early as four o'clock this morning the Old Bailey
was thronged with males and females of the lower class,
and the appearance of the workmen and police bearing
torches, throw a sombre and awful effect upon the gaol
and the fatal apparatus which was hastily proceeding to
completion. Inspector Woodroffe with 200 of the City
Police, were in attendance to preserve order, and as the
time of execution advanced, the crowd became far
greater than even at Courvoisier's execution.
Mr. Sheriff Rogers arrived at six o'clock, and was
speedily followed by Mr. Sheriff Magnay, and the Under-
Sheriffs, Messrs. Pritchard and Beavan. The Rev. Mr.
Carver arrived at half-past six o'clock, and immediately
proceeded to the condemned cell, and offered the
wretched man the best spiritual consolation his awful
situation required. The silver chalice and sacramental
cup, with some bread and wine, were taken into the pri-
soner at half-past seven ; but the Reporter was after-
wards informed by the Rev. Ordinary that he had not
administered the sacrament to Blakesley.
The convict having partaken of some coffee, Calcraft
the hangman proceeded to pinion his arms, and he un-
derwent the ceremony with most astonishing composure.
At a few minutes before eight o'clock the Sheriffs in-
quired of Blakesley if he was desirous of making any
statement, upon which he addressed the Ordinary to-the
following effect :—" I do assure you, Mr. Carver
that I did not intend to murder Mr. Burdon.
but I did intend to murder my wife, an I expected to
be brought here, and to die for it. It is not true that
MI% Burdon was sitting down when I stabbed him, but he
came before me and niy wife, in this way—(here Blakes-
ley.sat down in a chair, and placing a handkerchief over
his head, lie described how Mr. Burdon hastily rote
'from his chair and came between them). The
Reverend Mr. Carver then asked the convict in
whom he placed his futere hope, and he replied calmly
" Jesus. Christ, my Saviour, who (lied for sinners." "And
do you believe lie will receive you ? " inquired the
Chaplain, to which Blakesley answered "Yes, I do."
Mr. Carver then questioned him as to whether he
was now of opinion that he had been really mad, or
whether it was assumed, and he stated that he had
feigned insanity to avoid being present at the
condemned sermon, that he might not be sub-
jected to the public gaze, and it was not
done in the hope of obtaining a reprieve. Mr.
Sheriff Magnay having inquired if the culprit had any
further request to make, he begged the Rev. Mr. Carver
to call upon his parents and sisters, and also upon his
wife, to administer spiritual comfort to them. During
the whole of this time the countenance of the culprit was
composed, and he spoke in a firm Voice. lie was attired
in a suit of black, and wore a white cravat,. It being now
nearly eight o'clock, the prison-bell sounded the pri-
soner's death• knell, and the officers slowly and mournfully
moved across the Chapel-yard and along the dreary nar-
row passages of the gaol towards the scaffold; The
convict, who was preceded by the Sheriff; Under- She-
riff, Governor, and Ordinary, walked with a firm step,
repeating to himself the solemn prayers uttered by the
Rev. Mr. Carver. He ascended the scaffold without assist-
ance, and, upon being placed under the fatal beam, the
execrations of the mob were almost deafening. After
remaining enraged in prayer rather better than a minute
the fatal bolts were withdrawn, and he was launched
into eternity. He appeared to struggle convulsively fcr
some minutes, and during this time the shrieks of
females and the shouting of the men defies any-
thing like an accurate description. The body hav-
ing been suspended an hour, was cut down, and re-
moved into the prison for interment. A number of gentlemen
particularly of the medical profession, were admitted
within the gaol, and several well-dressed females occu-
pied the windows of the houses opposite. Some pick-
pockets were apprehended by the police in the' course of
" the sight."

ANOTHER FIRE AND LOSS OF

LIFE.—(THIS I)AY.)
A fire broke out a few minutes before ten o'clock this
morning, at No. 1, Charles• street, Curtain-road, in the
occupation of Mr. Price. After breakfast this
morning Mr. Price, assisted by a boy of the
name of Miller, about fifteen years of age, and
Mrs. Price, were at work in the upper room,
the house being but one story high, when by
some- means which at present are unknown, a large
quantity of saltpetre and other combustibles, which were
being u3ed, ignited, and in an instant the room was in
one body of flames. The roof was blown off with tre-
mendous violence, and falling upon the floor, killed the
poor boy.
Mr. Price, who was dreadfully burned, was carried to
Bartholomew's Hospital, without any hopes of recovery ;
and his wife, who is in the family way, was so severely
injured that death, it is feared, will ensue. The fire was
speedily extinguished by several engines which arrived
in time.

INCENDIARY FIRE at RADBROOki.
(FURTHHR PARTICULARS.)
A correspondent to the Warwick Advertiser writes
further of this mysterious affair :
THURSDAY, Nov. 11.—All is desolation ; in one part
lie heaps of burnt timber, in another loads of cinders
and ashes ; one part completely razed, another partly so;
bags and bags of beans and wheat, lying about in all
directions, and causing, to tke silent spectator, feelings
of agony to see such desolation caused by frantic acts.
The Messrs. Smith are gentlemen universally respected.
Five police officers were stationed there on Tuesday
night ; and on the afternoon of Tuesday Sergeant Cross-
man obtained a warrant (granted by Thomas Shekell,
Esq.) for the apprehension of George Churn, the shep-
herd, Ann Churn, his. wife, Ann Warden, niece, and
Thomas Harris, carter, who severally underwent an ex-
amination before Thos. Shekel! and ltobt. Cooper, Esqrs.
magistrates at Pebworth. Nothing of any moment was
elicited, but the prisoners were remanded until to-day
(Thursday), and at the time I am now writing they are
leaving our station-house for Pebwortli, for Further ex-
amination. To a reflective mind it is surprising they
were not had up before. - Every .fire broke out in the ab-
sence of the police, excepting the last, at the mansion.
However excellent a labourer's character may be, it is a
duty incumbent upon, the police and the owner of the
property to have the inma:tes of the premises examined,
for the satisfactiOn of the community at large ; for who
so likely to give information as those upon the spot, if
nothing further should be elicited than remote circum-
stances Connected'with the fire ? It has broken out ten
tines ! The mansion is 6f very ancient date ; it can be
traced back as tar as. Alfred's time, belonging to the
Lingham familY, from. whom the present_. proprietor is
descended.-- A Mr. Burton, a gentleman of the same
family, resided at Radbmok about a century back, and
kept harriers—this accounts for the spacious stables.
There was then, I understand, the -festive hall, and the
old Englishzentleman resided there, in every sense of
the word, of generouS hospitality.
FRIDAY, , Nov. 12 —The investigation of the fotir
servants 'took place at Itadbrook, before Messrs. Dickins,
Corbet Hollond, and Cooper, Magistrates, yesterday
(Thursday), but nothing has been made audnedgpeiribolica.noTthheer
woman is liberated, but the others will
examination to-day. The Superintendent of the
brook, from Cheltenham, in the short space of
Glou-
cestershire police force, Captain Lefroy, arriN-etdwoathloluards-
ai
nn
tde wasd shepherd
entprfersoeinnt Campden,atthe investigationiiri.Elans;.
The
also the Super-
intendent
the only prisoner examined yesterday,
da and his ex-
amination occupied nearly the whole of the y. The
carter will undergo his examination to-day.

Wednesday last, a confectioner in Paisley was
fined in the sum of 2s. 6d. for throwing a quantity of
whisky in the face of a teetotaller. Luckily, the mouth
of the latter was shut, and none of the whisky was swal-
lowed. Of course, he has not lost caste by the occur-

rence.
The merchants of Manchester are about to take
steps to impress on the new Commission the advantage
of extending the privilege of bonding to that and other
large inland towns. The Chairman of the Commission,
Lord Granville Somerset, has, it is said, already ex-
pressed himself in favour of the claims of Manchester in
this respect.
On Thursolay- next a Convocation will be holden for
the election of a clerk to be presented to the rectory of
Draycott-le-Moors, Staffordshire. Dr. Stocker, of St.
John's College, is at present the only candidate.

THE SUN, LONDON. MONDAY;"'NOV.EMBER 15, 1841.

similar cccasion at the beginning of this summer, its de•
eisiomon this occasion is the more impatiently expected,
when two of the most powerf-al nations are on the eve of
going to war on a similai'dffair.
HANOVER, Nov. 2.--The merchants of Osnaberg have
addressed a representation tot the •Ministry on the la-
manable state of trade, and by that step's may be taker
to open negotiations for the accession of Hanover to the
German Customs Union.
BELGIAN k U NDS—Batniens , Nov. 12.
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent.
Rothschild's Loan 5 per Cant lOl%
Loan of Thirty Millions 4 per Cent. 92
3 per Cent. .....
71%
-(1840) lOl3.
Loan of City, ir:32, 4 per Cent. 94%
Societyof Commerce, 4 %per Cent 93
Bank of Belgium.,.s per Cent 7154
NationalSeciety.
Exchange on London (short)
—Brussels Papers, Nov. 12.
PRUSSIAN FUNDS...BERLIN, Nov. 6.
Bills. Money.
St. Scliuld. Sch., 459 per cent. 104% 10:i34
Prussian _English Loan, 1830, 4 per cent 102
Exchange an -Landon, three months 6 IS% —*
—Prussian State Gazette. Nov. 7.

Thirty!seven•