The Sun.
London, England, 1828-08-05 00:00:00

EXECUTIONS-YESTERDAY.

SHREWSBURY—(BY EXPRESS.) b.
This day (Monday) at twelve o'clock, the utmost poi.
ment of criminal law was put into execution Upon she I,)°,
dies of the murderers convicted on Friday and Satur°s'
last here, of the most atrocious crimes we ever recollec
to have recorded.

There are two different cases, which we state hereunder
—With respect to the first case, the point is this :-•*"1
Thomas Elston, who was the son of Ann Harris, was itj
dieted at a former Assizes for sheep-stealing ; and in orde
to prevent his being convicted, it was necessary to P'
James Harrison, the principal witness, out of the wa:
This occurred so far back as July 1527. John Cogs Itt
bert Cox, and Joseph Pugh, were employed by the PI
soners, Ann Harris and the father of the Coxes, at t
price of 51., divisible among the three, to put Harrison of
of the way. It must here be observed, that the whole +
the parties were members of one of the most despoil
gangs that ever infested any county—were guilty of slur
every description of crime, and were in common leap'
carry the most villainous projects into execution. L
had the Magistrates known of the existence of such a g'
and soon would they have brought the offenders to jus
could they but have found out their secret haunts
the police of the county, even, could not ascertain thrill
The purpose was effected in the most complete man
The unlucky Harrison was enticed out upon a preten
stealing bacon, and while lying down by the side of a
rick with one of the prisoners until the proper time
rrived for committing the robbery, another of the prisoal
namely, John Cox, threw a rope over his head with an"
on it, and by main force they strangled their unhappy
tim. They had only one object in view, which did
appear en the trial, but which has come out by tl
own confession ; they say it was not to save Elston
they did it, because they knew that he would be °J,
transported, but they knew perfectly well that "
Harrison was a turn-coat, and they were afraidhe oi
peach about some things that would scrag them all.",
After the conviction, the prisoners were conveyed 1
to the gaol, and Mr. Griffiths the Qevernor, withi
usual humanity and feeling, used every exertion,
urged every topic to convince the convicts of the o''i
and inevitable state in which they stood. Robert
who had stood at a distance to keep guard, thought'
because he had not actually assisted in etranglint.'
man, therefore he did not deserve his fate, and his pall
ment was too severe. Mr. Griffiths remonstratri ,jl
him, and pointed out to him the fallacy of his aon7
and, after a mild and calm remonstrance of consider i
length, the unhappy wretch was convinced of the e`
code of his sentence, and turned his thoughts to pray?
John Cox and Joseph Pugh never denied their 0
from the first moment they were brought to the gaol. f
their commitment after their conviction, they all hs If
interview together in the condemned cell. Pugh We
fected and wept bitterly ; and Robert Cox iruznetilH
swore at him, and said, " you, what's the Pr
fretting ?—keep your spirits up—you cannot be b 0
but once." Mr. Griffiths, seeing the unfortunate acs
mind in which the man was, humanely thought it pr,lob
to separate him from the others, and locked him uP ,
solitary cell, in order that he might reflect on his eel
situation. After having been there for six hours, be
:),
recalled to a recollection of the situation in 1,/
stood, and prayed fervently. Old Cox and Mrs.
being only accessories before the fact, have the ell
of their sentence postponed until next Saturday Woke
the others suffer this morning, according to the astuli
rections upon the subject. The old man, Cex, Pe9lf
and strenuously insists that he is perfectly innocent..
crime imputed to him. Old mother Harris, en the
trary, asserts that old Cox concocted the whole Plan'"
old man insists that the old woman had forsworn lle, fd
Yesterday, in chapel, all the prisoners wished);
Elston, the principal witness against them, who tb'e
asserted had sworn most falsely. The requeot Wilifo,
plied with by Mr. Griffiths; and Elston, who wasio
tody upon another charge, was admitted to an int 7,114
In this interview, the prisoners shook Elston sine, if
s the hand ; they repeated the assertion that lie We