Star.
London, England, 1826-07-19 00:00:00

MURDER OF MIL CARTER.

This day, at twclve o'clock, this wretched culprit
paid the forfeit of his life, for the murder of Mr.
Caner. The fatal apparatus of death was erected at
the back of the castle, in a very fine garden, and
.its
%gestate and heavy appearance formed a very striking
contrast with the beautiful scenery around. The crowd
of persons, principally of that class called small farmers,
and their servants, was immense, and extenderrin every
direction as far as the eye could reach, or a view of the
gallows could be obtained. The valley and fields at
the other side of the Ouse river presented an almost so-
lid body of persons. The scaffold was surrounded by
men carrying the ancient implement of war, the, zvelin,
and several were stationed upon the platform, probably
to prevent the attempt of the criminal jumping over.
From the moment of his arrival in the Castle he had
devoted himself to religious exercises, and was much
assisted by Mr. Cathie, who was last Thursday acquit-
ted of the manslaughter of Blackburne,that Gentleman
riving humanely given him every inn:action as to the
ri4iiire of penitential prayer, and its effects hereafter.—
lie frequently expressed his belief that his hopes in this
world were but trifling, and that the certainty of his
being hanged during the Assizes was more than pro-
bable. Some religious Ladies supplied him with Bibles
and Prayer Books, and the Rev. William Flower, the
Chaplain of the Castle, most unceasingly exercised every
effort to bring the man's ailed to a state of contrition
tot his great crime, and happily with good effect. Upon
*e night of Friday he was visited by the Chaplain, who
exhorted him as a duty (and the only one he could this
perform to mankind) he owed to the Public, to make a
lull confession of his guilt, and the motives he had for
c3mmitting so atrocious a, crime. He was unwilling,
p..ablbly owing to his extreme ignorance and anguish of

!mind, to give any explanation then; but on Saturday
he made the confession which closes this account. He,
dialing that brief interval from Friday to this morning,
seemed anxious to hear prayers read, and joined with
apparent fervour in the penitential Psalms, arranged for
persons-in his predicament. He parted with his parents,
and a girl to whom he was shortly to be married, in
the course of Sunday, and that parting was marked
with that description of thrilling and agonizing grief
which too sorrowfully marks those most affecting inter-
views. The cell in which be was confined was, in point
of space, much limited, and its gloomy appearance was
well calculated to bring the unhappy wretch back to
the dank recollection of his guilty career. However, it
is rather singular, amid the horrors of his situation, he
never lost his appetite, but devoured everything eatable
in a most voracious manner. He slept well at night,
and from his placid countenance and quietness of de-
meanour, it would not be supposed he could commit so
foul and •*'iberate a murder.

This folentsen, at ten o'clOelt, he was brought from
his cell, and attended by the Chaplain; he appeared
very collected and firm, and joined in some psalms with
much fervour, singing the responses with great firmness.
At the conclusion, Mr. Shepherd, the gaoler, ordered
him to be pinioned. From that moment he lost all his
stlf-possession, and bursting into tears, cried with the
greatest bitterness, almost without intermission, for the
remaining two hours of his ezi.tence. He had directed
those books of prayer and Scripture which had been
given him to be divided among his family, and named
a Bible to be given to his sweetheart.
The unhappy man being disencumbered of his chains,
was led from a room or ward to the platform. He
cried as he walked alutg with evident anguish and sor-
row, and appeared so erremely weak as scarcely to be
able to proceed ; he was accordingly supported by two
sons. His drew was somewhat peculiar, being a red
jacket and cord breeches. At a few minutes to twelve
o'clock he was placed on the scaffold, and knelt down
with his face to the prison wall.
The Rev. Mr. Flower then read the Litany, peniten-
tial prayers, and the burial service, including that por-
tion of the sublime revelation of St. Paul,—s4 I know
that my Redeemer Meth," and 41 I am the resurrection
and the life, saith the Lord." During the reading of
this, the unhappy man displayed the utmost bitterness
of sorrow, and seemed as if seised with a violent shiver
ing fit, which so encreased upon him that it was found
nevessary to support him, to prevent his falling on his
face. Towards the conclusion he appeared to revive,
but again lost his self possession, and appeared almost
is a state of stupor when the Rev. Clergyman read,
" In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye—we shall
be changed." The ervice being concluded, he was raised
upon his feet, still having kis back to the immense
crowd, and his face to the wall, and a ruffianly-looking
old man, dressed in a ragged white coat, rather hastily
ran out and threw a white cloth intended for a cap, but
having more the appearance of a pillow case, over the
wretched man's face and head, and then laced the
noose of the rope, which had been already appended
from the beam, round his neck, and tying a cord round
his legs, disappeared almost as suddenly as he came.
The bolts were then withdraw ti, the drop fell, and the
wretched culprit was left suspended. His sufferings
appeared to be of the most horrible description. The
knot of the rope, which is usually placed under the left
ear, by the force of the fall, and before the rope had
attained its full extension, slipped from its position, and
became fixed over the vertebra at the back of the neck,
consequently the unhappy man swang to and fro in as
evidently painful manner for above three minutes, and
raised his chest and body in a dreadfully convulsive
manner. He struggled in this manner for above four
minutes, when strangulation put an end to his sufferings.
He was, after ae hour's suspension, cut down, and re-
moved to the dissecting room fur operation.
The executi .nor, who performed his businesi so
clumsily, from his connexion with the last sentence of
the law, is generally shunned by the rustic society of
this neighbourhood,and consequently has become a kind
of being who has no Mendship for mankind, and lives
in the gaol, where he consoles himself for the want of
society, by getting frequently drunk. He himself was
under sentence of death for sheep stealing, but had that
sentence commuted to 14 years solitary confinement,
and the office of hangman, which honourable situation
he has filled for above twenty years.