The Sun.
London, England, 1827-09-17 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF MARY WITTENBACK,
FOR THE MURDER OF HER HUSBAND.

At an early hour this morning every spot that could
command a view of the platform erected at the usual place
in front of Newgate, was crowded to the greatest excess,
to witness the execution of this wretched woman, who
was on Friday convicted of poisoning her husband. Yes-
terday afternoon she took leave of her three daughters and
grand-daughter, and earnestly requested them to avoid
jealousy, and giving way to passion, adding, (while con-
vulsive sobs broke from her agonised bosom) " that
alone has brought your unfortunate mother to her un-
timely fate." She also dictated three letters which were
written by a fellow-prisoner, and left in the hands of the
Rev. Mr. Baker, for her daughters, with a request that
he would occasionally look to the religious instruction of
her infant grand-daughter.
At six o'clock, this morning, she was visited by the Rev.
Ordinary of Newgate, and Mr. Baker, who continued in
prayer with the wretched woman, until within a few
minutes of eight o'clock, when the Sheriffs having arrived,
and the necessary preparations being completed, she was
led into the turnkey's room (not as is customary, into the
press-room), when her arms were pinioned in dead silence.
She was then placed on a sort of sledge or chair, and drawn
through the passages to the foot of the scaffold. No portion
of the burial service was read, and the silence was only
' broken by the frequent and fervent appeals of the miserable
culprit to Heaven for mercy and forgiveness, she continually
exclaiming, " Lord have mercy oa me—Christ forgive
me—Lord hear me, miserable wretch that I am." On
arriving at the foot of the scaffold she appeared nearly bereft
of life, and unable to move a limb. The perspiration
poured in streams down her face, and a convulsive tremor
shook every limb. She was at length assisted up the steps
by Dr. Cotton and the Rev. Mr. Baker, and with the
greatest difficulty was kept from falling, while the
executioner performed the last duties of his office. She
threw an hasty glance at the immense crowd by which she
was surrounded, and then closed her eyes, which she did
not re-open before the fatal cap was drawn over them. The
moment she appeared on the platform a most profound
silence pervaded the dense mass of anxious spectators, who
exhibited an extraordinary degree of interest and curiosity.
At a few minutes past eight the drop fell, and the victim
of the most baneful passion that can influence the human mind
almost instantly ceased to exist. In the same instant that
the signal was given by the Reverend Ordinary, a tempo-
rary stand, erected at the corner of a court nearly opposite,
and on which were several well-dressed females, gave way,
and the most terrific screams for a moment followed the
accident. Fortunately the extent of the injuries received
were confined to a few bruises. The crowd assembled on
this occasion was immense, and a great number of females
were close to the rails which surround the platform, none
of whom appeared to feel the slightest regret at the fate of
the wretched woman. Several robberies were committed
in the crowd, and amongst the rest a butcher, who had
come to Smithfield market, was hustled and robbed of be-
tween 20/. and 30/., with which the thieves escaped.

REPRESENTATION OF LIVERPOOL. - A
number of gentlemen met in the large room in the King's
Arms on Friday, for the purpose of considering the pro-
priety of calling a general meeting of the friends of Mr,
Huskisson, with the view to forward to the Right Hon.
Gentleman a requisition to offer himself to represent the bo-
rough in Parliament. Such a meeting being preliminary
only, could not, of course, be expected to produce any ex-
pression of feeling on the subject of the ensuing election.
It may be remarked, that though few in numbers, the in-
dividuals present were of the first consideration, in town.
Sir John Tobin was called upon to preside. Mr. Glad-
stone merely mentioned the circumstance which gave rise
to this meeting. At a meeting of Mr. Canning's Monu-
ment Committee on Monday, the Mayor read a letter from
Mr. Huskisson, addressed to him (the Mayor.) The gen-
tlemen there present thought it necessary immediately to
take this step, and accordingly some notee had been is-
sued, inconsequence of which summons those present
were now assembled. He (Mr. Gladstone) had prepared
a short form of public_ address as an advertisement, which,
if the meeting approved it, would be published and circu-
lated : it was merely to request the attendance on a certain
day, in general meeting, of the friends of Mr. Huskisson.
This was entirely approved by the meeting. A Com-
mittee of 15 was appointed.

It has been repeatedly affirmed, and gained
considerable credence, that the murderer, Slade, was the off-
spring of his victim, Mr. Waterhouse; but that seems to
he quite out of the range of probability; for we cannot
hear that Mr. Waterhouse bad any intercourse, or was
ever known, at Little Stukely before he succeeded the Rev.
Dr. Torkingtou, in the Rectory of that place, in 1813 ;
and at that period the Slades were living at Great Stukely;
and by the Reg,iatera of that parish (where also Dr. Tork-
ington was interred), Joshua Slade was baptized on the
26th of September, 1809 ; and Dr. Torkington's inter-
ment did not take place until ' the 4th of March, 1813 ;
soon after, and not until which period it was that Mr.
waterkg!tse went to reside at Little Stukeley. Slade was
:hua after his grandfather, who bore that name.—
Gazette.

On -Wednesday last was presented at Ilchester
the melancholy spectacle of four unfortunate persons un-
dergoing the last awful sentence of the law—viz. John
Burton, William Kerslahe, 7'. IViltshire, and William
Lateltatu. Elizabeth Dix (accomplice with Wiltshire, in
robbing her master, Mr. Jameson, of Larkball) was sen-
tenced to be executed at the same time, hut, owing to the
successful efforts made by some gentlemen of this city, a
reprieve arrived for her on Tuesday morning. Richard
Level! (seventy-one years of age) and William South-
wood, for burglary, were also, we understand, reprieved.
Burton, it will be recollected, was a travelling tinker, con-
victed of assaulting awl robbing a poor man of the name of
Bartlett, at one of the fairs of this county. I-Ic was at the
head of an organised band who were in the habit of in-
festing fairs, and committing the most atrocious assaults
upon those who happened to fall in their way. Kerslai.e
was a native of Beaminstcr, the only worthless member of
a large and industrious family. He was convicted of rob-
bing the house of V. Stuckey, Esq., banker, at Langport,
and stealing a quantity of plate, &c., to the amount of
nearly 3001. From his youth he had been addicted to
vicious habits, and had before undergone a sentence of
seven years' transportation for robbing a cloth-manufactory
at Minster. The prisoners, after condemnation, yielded
to a sense of their awful situation, and they received the
greatest attention from the Rey. Mr. Valentine, the
chaplain, from Mr. Hardy, the keeper, and from the officers
of the prison, to all of whom they expressed their grati-
tude. During the greater part of Tuesday night they were
in fervent prayer, and slept but little. Early in the
morning they were conducted to the chapel, where the
Sacrament was administered to them, after which prayers,
as usual, were read in the chapel to the whole of the
prisoners. At half-past eleven, t:e preparations being
completed, the unhappy culprits were conducted to the
scaffold, where after joicing in fervent prayer with the
chaplain, at ten minutes before twelve, they were launched
into eternity. Latcham and Wiltshire died almost instantly,
but Kerslake and Burton appeared to suffer much. They
all died truly penitent. The concourse of spectators was
unusually great, there being, it was supposed, nearly ten
thousand persons 'present.
EXAMINATION AND COMMITTAL OP
Howawrx, THE FIOME BURGLAR.-Yeaterdayi(Thurs-
day) morning the Earl of Cork, the Rev. Mr. Sainbury, and
Harry Edgell, Esq. Magistrates, together with Lord Dun-
garvon, the Hon. Commissioner Boyle, Dr. Prideaux, the
Clergy, and principal inhabitants of Frorne, attended at the
Assembly Room in that town. The prisoner, who was
brought on the preceding 'lay there in custody of Mr. Ox-
ley and Mr. Lee, from Knutsford, Cheshire, was brought
up by Mr. Colverbouge, the Woodland, constable (espe-
cially appointed by the Magistrates), strongly secured in
irons, when the examination of witnesses on the first in-
dictment for stealing oak planks from the woodhouse of
Mr. Oxley, commenced ; and it appeared from the men
Furnel and Gilbert, that they saw the prisoner in
the house, and heard him speak to three others
outside. On the second indictment, for cutting and
maiming, the evidence of Mr. Oxley was fully confirmed
by those who came to his assistance when the dreadful con-
flict took place. In his way to the guard-house, on the
morning he was taken, he was detected searching for
something in his pocket, when Mr. 0. discovered a large
knife secreted, which no doubt he intended using the first
opportunity. (The articles found on him were now pro-
duced, and placed on the table, consisting of a dark lan-
thorn, tinder box, steel, flint, and matches, piece of cord,
the bloody
sword, and disguising cap, together with Mr.
Oxley's carving knife, and the waistcoat pierced by the
villain's sword.) The third indictment, for robbing
Christchurch, in Frome, of the velvet pulpit covering,
communion table covering, the pier glass from the vestry,
was supported by the • testimony of the articles having
been found in his house ; and the clergyman's black gown
having been made sap into a dress forhis wife. The ap-
pearance of the wretch was really appalling,nd when the
disgeise cap usually worn during hisde a.
depredations was put
on him, covering the head to the top ofl ving
the note, ea
eye holea, it was horrible. He was f 11
y committed to -
ll-
cheater gaol, to take his trial at the next Assizes, and was
immediately conducted there by a party of inhabitants,—
Bath Herald.