The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 24, 1866,

being understood by the multitude, were believed to be
cries of distress and protestations of innocence.
Lagaoa was brought up next, and no sooner had be
been placed near his fellow-culprit than his voice was
raised in protestations to the Virgin Mary and all the
ca'endar of saints. Terrible as was the scene up to
this point, it was infinitely more painful when Bar-
baalo appeared on the drop. The wretched youth
was greatly excited, and could not be induced to
submit himself quietly to the executioner. He appealed
to the priests, and these reverend men, in their
anxiety to give the dying man consolation, placed them-
selves in positions whica obliged Calcraft to call upon
them to remove, or it would be impossible for him to
perform his office. This was done in a tone loud enough
to be heard by the crowd below, from whom a murmur
of" shame" arose, probably as much from the length of
time already occupied in affixing the nooses and splicing
the ropes round the cross beam—a clumsy operation,
which, wits the improved example of the metropolitan
prison of Newgate open to them, is a disgrace to all the
county justices who tolerate it—as from any other cause.
At length, atter 13 minutes had elapsed from the period
of Pietrici appearing oa the scaffold, during the whole of
which time the culprits were exclaiming in Italian, at the
top of their voices, and in tones which created the moot
painful excitement among all who heard them, the drop
fell heavily, and in a few moments the bodies of the
wretched men were drifting lifeless in the morning breeze.
There were very few spectators present, probably at
no period more than 1,000, and as soon as the drop fell
st of them dispersed.
Tae bodies were cut down after hanging an hour, and
botore noon they were buried in one of the courtyards of
the gaol.
Calcraft's nerve was unshaken throughout the trying
daty, but it is confidently believed that bad any amateur
undertaken the office some frightful disaster would have
happened.
The visiting justices, with Lord H. Cholmondeley in
the chair, bad a meeting at 10 o'clock this morning. It
is understood that one of the subjects under discussion
was the great inhumanity of requiring a culprit about to
be executed to descend between 70 and 80 steps, which
is the number from the basement of the entrance gate-
way to the drop at Winchester. Anything more disgrace-
ful to humanity was never insisted on, and the cruelty of
it was shown this morning by all the culprits eagerly
asking for draughts of water on their arrival in the press
room, which is some 20 or 30 steps from the drop.
It may be interesting to add teat Pietrici was a Dal-
matian, and has been in Eugland before, having sailed
in a vessel which traded between the Levant and Liver
pool. Lagaoa and Barbaalo were both Sicilians. The
former sailed in both French and English transports
during the late war, and was flogged while in the Eng-
lish service. Lagaoa, it should be stated, is an assumed
name ; his real name is Francesco Libreste, but, having
deserted from the Sicilian service, he changed his name
to avoid detection. Barbaalo was of better birth than
his •omrades, being the son of a law agent. He was
brought up in the Marine School of Naples, and carried
good certificates of seamanship.

AWFUL MURDER AT BIRKENHEAD.

LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.

It is with much regret that we have to report the com-
mission of another awful murder, perpetrated this morn.
ing in the township of Birkenhead. The victim on this
occasion met with his death while in discharge of his
duty, and in its execution he was acting towards the
ruffian who hurried him into eternity in the most humane
and len►ent manner. Indeed there caonot be any pallia-
tion for the atrocious deed. The particulars, as at pre-
sent ascertained, are as follow :

It appears that at a quarter before one this morning,
Thomas Smith and Michael Breen, two young men,
dock labourers, residing at 9, Eldon-place, Birkenhead,
went to the publio-house in Chester-street kept by Mrs.
Softly, and knocked at the door in a very boisterous
manner. Mrs. Softly asked who was there, when the
two men demanded to be served with some drink, which
was refuted them, however, and after making consider.
able disturbance they went to the next door, a beer
hoase, kept by Mrs. Carr, and there Smith kicked in
the panels of the door. Mrs. Softly, hearing the
disturbance, sent her man servant out by the back
door to fetch a policeman ; and the deceased man,
Vaughan, No. 3, was brought to the spot, and led
the men away down the street. When in Bridge-
street, police-officer Whitehead came up, and Vaughan
having told him what the prizoners Lad done, asked
them their names. Smith at once showed fight, and
Whitehead saw him strike his brother officer several
times. Iu a moment poor Vaughan cried out, " He's
got a knife. I'm done, I'm done I" and fell down in the
street. Smith then ran away, but he had not got many
yards when Policeman Clarke coming up from the oppo-
site direction, took him into custAly, Whitehead having
the other prisoner Breen in his charge. A. struggle with
Smith ensuoi, and after a severe fight the fellows were
taken to Bridewell, when it was found that Smith had
a very severe wound between the forefinger and thumb
of his right hand, caused no doubt by the shutting of the
knife with which he killed the officer Vaughan. Ou re-
turning to the place where the murder was committed,
close to a pool of blood was discovered a large pocket.
knife, the blade of which was covered with blood, and
this knife is identified as belonging to the prisoner
Smith. A shandry, in which some persons had keen
brought down from Billiton to Woodside Ferry, ap-
proachtd the scene of the murder, and into this vehicle
Whitehead put his injured brother officer, and bad him
conveyed to the police-station, where Dr. Jeannette, the
police surgeon, was very promptly in attendance, and
rendered every aid possible to save the life of the suf-
ferer ; but medical skill was of no avail, for Vaughan
died at a quarter to three, three quarters of an hour
after his arrival at the police station, and without say
ing a word. The wound of which he died was just be-
low the heart. Superintendent Birnie, who used every
effort to alleviate the poor fellow's distress, informs us
that he died without a groan.
Vaughan was 25 years of age, stood feet 1 inch, was
of a very spare habit of body, and had been in the Bir-
kenhead force since October, 1853, having come over
from the Irish constabulary to join it. He was a very
promising young officer, remarkably civil to everybody,
and amst conscientious in the discharge of his duties.
We regret to state that he has left, totally unprovided
for, an aged widowed mother, and a sister who has been
much afflicted for many years. He was their main
support.