The Sun.
London, England, 1829-04-06 00:00:00

EXECUTION AT EXETER.

The dreadful sentence of the law was this morning
(Friday) carried into effect, at the Devon county gaol,
upon Thomas Helston and William Trethrete. The un-
happy men, from the time of their conviction, at the
Exeter Assizes, of an attempt to murder W. Jeffry on the
highway, have continued to protest their innocence, and
to pray incessantly with apparent devotion. This morn-
ing, after the prisoners had received the Sacrament, they
were conducted to the press-room. As they passed along,
Helston appeared to be devoutly praying inwardly. After
their irons were knocked off, Treshrew said " I die
as innocent as an Angel in Heaven ; bless the Lord,
I have done nothing amiss, and hope God will have
mercy on my soul. These are nearly the last
words I have to say, and I am innocent." He after-
wards said, as money was short, they were willing to save
four-pence, which was the reason of Helston's asking
leave to lie in the tallet. Upon being interrogated as to the
money found on him, he said it was the remainder of
seven and sixpence, which had been given by his parish
officers. Helston said they had never seen the man, and,
now it was his dying hour, he declared himself innocent.
Trethrew then said he was willing to die for the charge,
but he never injured or saw the man, except at the public-
house. The morning was extremely flue, and, when the
unfortunate men Lad ascended the drop, they appeared
to give one heart-rending glance at the beautiful pros.,
pect, which was about to be shut from their sight for
ever. When the Rev. Mr. Chave ascended the drop he
addressed the prisoners, reminding them that these were
awful moments, and, if they had any thing on their minds
to disclose it was now the time. Trethrew said, "As true
as the Almighty is in Heaven, I am innocent of this
charge, and am not telling you this with any view of
getting clear." Helston added, "My conscience is clear;
I never injured the man, and am innocent." The Re-
verend Chaplain again reminded him that, in a few mi-
nutes more, he would meet his God. Helston replied,
" I have been a vile sinner; I have been a Sabbath-
breaker, and every thing that is bad ; but I never com-
mitted a highway robbery, or laid violent hands upon any
man." Both convicts then shook hands with the execu-
tioner, and the Chaplain then proceeded with the usual
prayers, in which both Helston and Trethrew devoutly
joined. The fatal bolt was drawn as the last words pro-
ceeded from the Chaplain's lips, and the unfortunate men
were launched into eternity. Their agonies were appa-
rently of very short duration ; if there was any difference,
Helston appeared to suffer most.

At the request of Helston, he was visited, whilst in the
condemned cell, by a Wesleyan Minister.
Before the execution, a silly woman applied at the pri-
son gate for a piece of the rope with which either of the
malefactors should be hanged (this was to act as a charm
against the effects of some disease) ; and another for per-
mission to rub the neck of a child afflicted with the King's
evil with the hand of one them after the execution.—Mr.
Cole, the Governor, had very properly left orders that such
applicants should have a decided negative.

JOURNAL OF A NOBLEMAN AT THE CON-
GRESS AT VIENNA.--The second portion of this interest-
ing narrative which is publishing exclusively in the New
Literary Journal called the Weekly Review, appears in,
the Number of this day. The following are some of the
distinguished personages who figure on the scene :—The
Duchess of OLDENBURG—Lord GLErrazava—the Prince
de LIGNE—BRIperOr ALEKANDER—King of PRUSSIA—
Emperor of AUSTRIA—King of BAVARIA—King of DEN-
MARK—King of WIRTEMBURG—Prince Royal of \Via-
TEMBURG—Prince Rua' of BAVARIA and his brother
Prince Cuaat.xs—Count DR CLARY_EUGENE BEAU-
HABSOIS. . -