The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-08 00:00:00

been re-elected.

The session of the new Parliament of South Aus
;ralia has been opened. _ _

Mr. Blackall, the new Governor of Queensland
has arrived at Brisbane.

News from New Zealand states that a fresh out-
break had taken place among the natives, caused by
the escape of some Maori prisoners•

FRANCE.
BOURSE, Sept. 7.—Three o'clock.—The marke
closed as follows :

I} per Cent.
End of month — ItaFan Loan ......
3 per Cent
End of month 7O 92 Mexican Loan ... 23 50
Credit Mobilier
End of month... 288 75 Spanish Threes
Credit Foncier ...1450 Home Debt ••••••
End of month... Deferred
R...A.1.L.. N.V.
....... S Cash.
. ..
.........
............ i 0121,,
NO rolretahnesm
.....
Lyons and Mediterranean ............... 975
583
Southern..... 591
Western
Eastern . • ........................
43t
Sardinian
Austrian 4lO i
Lombard 53-1
North of Spain
Saragossa
Roman

Extreme Sea
Tuesday, Hs:9, I F' 1
September 8, B. T. W. Ito F. I W It. to
8 a.m. ,r4:l 12 I)
Nairn
Aberdeen
Leith -
Shields
Scarborough 30'74r. '56 53 N.N.E. 4 p 2 S.S.E. b. 0.1 -1 4
Yarmouth 3o'l3r. 62 60 N. 5I 5 S.S.E. ' c.o. - 1
•
Helder 1 1 - - - - - - - -
Cuxbae en - - - - - - - - - -
Skudesines - -1 - - - - - - -
Ardronsan 53 50 N.N.W. 6 4 N.N.W.lc.b.; -
Greencastle 30 37r. 55 154 N. 5 N. ,'o.rc o'lo -
Holyhead -
Liverpool 30'26r. 160 56 N.W. 3 2 W. c. 0.; -
Valentia.. : : 30'35r. 54 ;49 N.E. 5 7 N.N.E. r.ob! -
Cape Cle 3f-t29r. 53 i5l N.E. 4 3 N.E. r.c. o'o7
Roclie's rt. 3.129 r. 153 j5O N.N.E. 3 5 N.N.E. c.b. o'l6
Penzance 1 30'11r. 62 ;60 N.N.E. 5 4 I N.N.E. b.c.l - 4
Plymouth - 1
Weymo uth 30'08r. 165 ;62 N.E. 5 3 E. b.in' -
Portsmouth l SOTSr. 6S 164 E.N.E. 3 1 S. c. ' -
London , 30'11r. ; 66' 62 N.E. 1 1 S.S.W. e. -
-
C'peGrlsNez; 30'08s. 66 64 N.N.E. 1 3 N.N.E. b. I - 1
Brest 30'035. 164 62 N. N. E. 3 3 N.W. f. -
L'Orlent . 30'00s. 61 62 N.E. 3 3 E. b. I - 1
Rochefort l3o'o2s. 70 68 N.W. 3 1 S. b. -
,
Biarritz - - b. - 2
Cot-mina- - - - - - - -
Brussels - - - - - - _
Paris - - - - - - - - - -
Strasbourg - - - - -
Toulon - 5
Heart's Con-
tent (6 a.m.
local time) - - - - ; _

THE FIRST EXECUTION WITHIN

NEWGATE.

This morning Alexander Mackay suffered the extreme
penalty of the law within the walls of Newgate for the
murder of his mistress, Mrs. Grossmith. The details of
the crime will be fresh in the recollection of our readers,
and it will suffice to say that the accused, in a fit of
passion, murdered his mistress by repeatedly striking
her with a rolling-pin, and for a long time eluded the
vigilance of the police. The old saying that " murder
will out" was exemplified in his case, for whilst under-
going a term of imprisonment for some trivial offence

he was identified as the man "wanted" for the murder
of Mrs. Grossmith. A writ of Habeas Corpus was
obtained, and the prisoner was tried at the last sessions of
the Central Criminal Court, and sentenced to death, the
jury, however, appending a recommendation of mercy to
their verdict. To that suggestion the presiding judge (Mr.
Justice Lush), owing to the atrocious circumstances
attending the commission of the murder, could not give
his acquiescence, and as a consequEnce, notwithstanding
various petitions, the Home Secretary refused to exercise
his prerogative, and the fate of Mackay was decided. Since
4is conviction the culprit has been most assiduously
attended by the chaplain, and to the ministrations of that
official he has paid the most anxious and marked attention.
He exhibited the greatest contrition for his crime, and
died in the belief that his offences would be pardoned. As
this was the first private execution within Newgate, more
than ordinary interest was manifested in the proceedings.
The preparations for the carrying out of the sentence were
not entirely completed until Saturday, when the scaffold
was erected within one of the yards adjoining the chapel.
The dread machine was the one formerly used when public
executions were the law of the land, and the drop—about
eighteen inches—was the same as that on which many
a poor wretch has expiated his crime. The scaffold itself
was raised several feet from the ground, and the only
means of ascent was by a ladder. The front of the whole
structure was covered with black cloth, so that after the
drop fell only the head, neck, and shoulders of the culprit
were visible. At half-past eight about half a dozen
members of the press, who by the courtesy of the under-
sheriffs were allowed to witness the execution, were
admitted within the courtyard where the scaffold was
erected, and on entering one could not fail to
observe the religious silence which pervaded the
whole place, and which formed a striking contrast
to the ribald jests and the fanatic rantings which used
formerly to be an almost necessary concomitant of an
execution. About a quarter to nine Mr. Sheriff M'Arthur,
attended by UndersheriffsDavidson and Stone, Mr. Jonas
(the governor), and other officials, arrived, and shortly
afterwards the tolling of St. Sepulchre's bell informed the
passer-by that something more than ordinary was about to
take place. As the clock struck nine, amid the deepest silence
the mournful procession wended its way up to the stairs

leading to the scaffold, which Mackay ascended with a firm,
though not defiant step. He looked exceedingly pale, but
as far as could be seen never moved a muscle. On
arriving at the drop he submitted himself to the hands of
Calcraft with evident composure, and after the white cap
was drawn over his pallid countenance the words " Lord
have mercy on me" were fully audible. After shaking
hands with the executioner the bolt was withdrawn, and
after struggling for about a minute and a half
.Mackay
was dead. The chaplain stated that a more penitent man
he had never seen, and he felt sure that true con-
trition was felt by Mackay for his misdeeds. After
hanging the prescribed time the body was cut down
and examined by the doctors, who, of course, pronounced
life extinct. Subsequently an inquest was held in con-
formity with the Act. From eight to half-past nine
o'clock there was a crowd of about a hundred persons,
principally consisting of boys, assembled outside the
prison, but beyond seeing the black flag hoisted as the
drop fell, their morbid curiosity could not have been in the
least gratified.