The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-28 00:00:00

THE EXECUTION.

The hour announced for execution seas eight
o'clock, but about a quarter of an hour before
eight a sudden motion of the crowd showed that
the moment had come—the last fatal moment when
the prisoner was to be launched into eternity, to meet
his Creator. It was an awful movement, that move-
ment of the crowd. The most intense silence pre-
ailed—not a word escaped after the crowd had said
" lie is ceming." The wretched man was greatly
moved when ho saw the crowd ; he trembled ex-
ceedingly, and was scarcely able to stand as
he stepped on the platform under the drop.
Calcraft, the executioner, and one of the turnkeys led
him out of the goal, and Mr. Sheriff, the Governor,
stood immediately 6,hin,l him. The nightcap
having been immediately drawn over him, he knelt
down to pray, which he dial with the most apparent
fervour. After he had been praying for about a
minute or a minute and a half he was as to rise
Calcraft, who preceeded to place the rope round
his neck. Here, however, there seemed to be an un-
nece-i.ary delay, which might have been avoided
by a little forethought. There being no chain
from the cross beam from which to fix
the other end of the rope., a considerable
time clasped between the rope lving placed round his
neck and the tying it to the cross beam, at which
considerable dissatisfacti,n was manit',..sted by the
siwctators. Calcraft made two or three turns of the
rope before it was properly and firmly fixed to the
beam. This performed, the drop •fell, and the
wretched man he Caine at once violently convulsed
and his whole frame quivered—his arms and legs
contracted—they fell again—were again contracted
—fell again, again contracte d--and he hung a 1T10...
tionle,s corpse, kavu that he (nal:dell to the motion
of the wind, Is hi, h was blowing strongly at the time,
Probably live minutes elapsed between the appear-
ance of the criminal and his death. Some say more,
some less ; but Live minutes was about the time.
From the first his hands were tightly bound to-
gether, and he Lept his fingers locked in each other
as if he still prayed, and had his mind directed to-
wards heaven in spite of hie bodily suffering. II
was expected that the wretched man would lie re-
ceived with groins anti execrations by the crowd, but
we arc pleased to be able to say that 110 such dis-
graceful proceeding took place. On the c,titrary,
a most decorous and becoming silence was observed,
and tint a word escaped to distract hint in his last
moments. This conduct of the people is highly
creditable to them, and contrasts most favourably
with the behaviour of the crowds who assemble at
Newgate on similar occasions.

'rho body was allontd to hang for an hour, and
was then taken, but nut cut, down. IL, was executed
in the Quaker's &els. The body wag immediately
interred in the precincts of the gaol, though up to lut
night hi• friends had hopes, front the strong applica-
tions that Here made on tho subject, that his body, would be delivered up to them--the• grave, however,
was dug two days ago.

TAW-ELI:8 CONFESSION.
In consequence of the exclusion of the reporters
we entirely depend on the liberty allu►ned to Mr.

Shc-riff of stating what took place previous to the
execution. Mr. Sheriff Las throughout shown
the greatest courtesy to the gentlemen cf the
press, as far as the latitude allowed him ex-
tended, and the following particulars from him
may be relied on. It appears that Tawell drew up a
confession some days since, of which he made a copy
at a quarter before five o'clock this morning.
This statement he placed in the hands of the Rev.
Mr. Cox, the chaplain, which he begged of that
gentleman to keep, Lut said that he bad no objection
to the substance of it being made known to the
public. The statement will be so far satisfactory to
the public that it takes away all doubt as to the guilt
of the deceased. Ile confessed that he was guilty of
the murder of Sarah Hart, and also that he was
guilty of the attempt to murder her on the previous
occasion, in September last, as stated on the trial,
Ile also confessed tl at he did not commit the murder
from, pecuniary motives, but from the dread that
the relation in which he stood towards Sarah Hart
would transpire and come to the cars of his wife.
The following brief statement of the manner in
which Tawell conducted himself was handed to us by
Mr. Sherrill*—
" John Tawell passed the whole night with almost
unabated firmness, only giving way to a few tears
and emotion occasionally. Ile listened Nith be-
coming attention to many pottions of Scripture, and
read many himsylf, joining with propriety in observa-
tions ari,ing from them, and not only did he listen
to and unite in the prayers which were offered for
him, hut he several times retired into his sleeping
cell, and, falling on his knees, prayed aloud and most
fervently and penitently. llis firmness never forsook
him to the last."
Mr. Sherrill' stated that the prisoner made a hearty
tea last night with the chaplain. Ho te,d, breakfast
at three o'clock this morning; after which, he asked
of Mr. Sherriff if he might go to bed for a short time,
desiring, if he fell asleep, not to be allowed to con-
tinue in that state after five o'clock. Ile fell into a
profound sleep, N 1 hich lasted about half an hour. Ile
then awoke, and dre-sed himself. Ile desired Mr.
Sheriff to leave a few shillings to some of the pri-
soners, and made a few trifling memorandums.
The fullowing letter, addressed by the prisoner to
Mr. Sheriff, will be read with interest, and is highly
creditable to Mr. Sherriff. He had written it some
days ago, but made a fresh copy, which he gave to
Mr. Sherrill' at five o'clock this morning. The letter
indicates a good deal of gratitude on the part of the
prisoner, and though written only a few hours before
his execution, it is astonishing with what a hold hand
it must have been written, fa the chat acters cabs
bited no weakness of nerve whatever.
" Aylesbury, March 28, 1843.
" Dear and worthy Friend, Mr. Sherriff—lt .
.not lees my duty than great pleasure, as well as from
feelings of deep and sincere gratitude, that I can thus
offer my poor but unqualified thanks to both thyself
and poor Mrs. Sherriff fur the continued and marked
kind attention which has been shown so uniformly to
myself and my dear and valuable family and friends
since my unfortunate confinement in this prison, by
allowing us all the access which urbanity and philan-
throphy could suggest, under such circumstances, to
the participators in this their severe affliction.
"And now their deeply distressing probation is
nearly concluded, I have to desire that this may he
accepted as the most grateful acknowledgment, both
on account of myself and them.
" I can, fur myself, desire that the Divine blessing
may largely rest on thyself, and Mrs. Sherriff, and
your family; and my own valuable family will last-
ingly have to re-echo this poor but sincere benedic-
tion (I th 3 faithful but afflicted friend,
"JOHN TAWELL."

This letter was supersci ibed " Mr. Sherriff,
Aylesbury," with the words " From .1. Tawell,
March 25, 1845," in the corner—the date being
altered in the body of the letter.
During the Is hole time that the body was
suspended, the crowd manifested no desire to retire,
and had even increased considerably, the execution
having taken place earlier than was expected—
earlier even than was announced. The body pre-
sented a very livid appearance, and the swelling of the
veins was visible from the ground. When the body
was taken in, the speeators began to disperse gradually,
but only to talk over what they hail seen. In a short
time the Market-place presented its usual appearance,
and nothing remained to indicate that an awful lessonn
had just been real to humanity. The. ;e were even
some persons who amused thein,:elv -
for some papers that were thrown a'.lllle7g",,toitti,Heqxll:
Men were " turning a penny" by the sate f
ceution of John Tawell this morninge,:tf;lorsocetnice
was pre3ented which will not soon
Aylesbury.
As
memory of the inhabitants
proof of the interest
mention that
which thiosfexcctation excited be-
yond even the neighbourhood, we may mention
the
Liver.
there were representatives from some
pool and Manchester papers present at it, and where-
ever the up-trains ittopped inquiries were made re-
specting " the doings" at Aylesbury.
We might close here, but it may not be out of
place to make a few remarks un the extraordinary
character of John Taw ell. The annals of cruise may
furnish more atrocious criminals, but there was that
in the organisation or mental constitution of this roan,
which distinguishes him from all others. Ilis love
of a good reputation, which all men are anxious to
preserve unstained, se( med to him so valuable, that
he stopped at no crime to uphold it. Ile seemed so
careful of what appe,ired to be valuable, that he
shrunk from no deed however 'wily criminal. Ile
distributed money in charity witli the very hand that
but a moment before attetnpted murder, and actually
committed it that he might n be considered un-
faithful. Ile was a forger twice, and we may
say a murderer tm ice; and yet this man,
after his forgeries, had conducted himself so well that
he obtained his liberation, and, for sixteen years,
pursued a long and prosperous course of trade, by
which he obtained ample wealth. Respected in the
colony by his fellow-townsmen, he returned to
England, where he became respected, if not liked,
and obtained in marriage an excellent and amiable
Woman, whose situation all must deplore, and to save
who-e feelings be committed a deed which has plunged
her in the deepest misery. In whatever point of view
his character is beheld the most glaring contradictions
Mare us in the face. We only know that in him
the desire of being thought good, which argues the
posseseion of goodness to a certain extent, was
strongly blended with carelessness of the com-
mission of crime and its dreadful consequences
—that he was a man of violent and irrepressible
passions, with all the exterior of the quietiost, and one
whose conscience was at ease; and we leave to the
Psychologist and the mental anatomist the reconcilia-
tion of those inconsistent qualities of his mind.
There can be no doubt that he furnishes an ex-
ample of hypocrisy, a parallel for which would in
vain be sought for in the criminal annals of any
country. An Italian, writing the epitaph of Pietro
Arrctino, said that he abused everybody except
God, and did not abuse him only because he did
not know him. Might it not, with equal
justice, be said of Tawell, that he
betrayed
every one except God—and let us hope that
at least he has not betrayed hint in his last hour,
but that his penitence was sincere as his
conduct was exemplary, and that he, upon whom
the world has closed this morning, will receive that
favour in the sight of heaven which law amid
justice made it impossible could be extended to
him on earth.

It will be seen from the following letter written
by the Under-Sheriff to the goaler, that all persons
not officially concerned were excludtd from the
County Hall nn the occassion of the execution.
" To JA MEN 3111,11111 FF, Esq., GOVERNOR OF TIM COUNTY
(MAL.

•
Dear Sirt—l saw the lesbury, March 27. 1945.
iligh Sheriff yesterday in