Star.
London, England, 1828-11-28 00:00:00

FROM THE JAMAICA ROYAL GAZETTE.

Ett.siouTtl. Sam 3.-0 r Saturday John Witter,
an l Charles Henry .melt. the convicted murderers of
he lave Mr. James Walker, underwent the awful ten.
tense r•f the law, at Orange Valley Estate, in the parish
• f St. Ann. This foul murder was committed on the
'sight of the 51st of October last, and a very solemn
end minute inquii y was made by the Coroner, with a
f ell Jury of the most respectable petso.4 in the neigh-
bourhood, on t' e two f ,!lowing days. This failed of
Attaining any clue w hich could guide them to a know-
ledge 01 the perpetrators. Suspicion, however, rested
trongly on several of the negro tradesmen belonging to
Blagrove's properties, which by the attention and
active exertions of the wrathy Coroner, was soon raised
into certainty; and the abuse named culprits. together
• ith a negro boy. named Charles Tucker,were taken up
•inder his warrar t, and lodged in gird. It still required
nn small degree 4 f address to an lye at the truth, but
by the unremitting endeavours of Mr. Roar (the Coto-
ne,), assitted by Mr. Heming, an active and efficient
Aidgi trate of the parish—keeping the prisoners apart
from each other—compering their examinations.-and
confronting them with the circumstantial evidence of
titer witnesses.... 4 confession Was at length obtained
from Small and Tucker. The latter, making the most
open avowal, and appearing the least culpable, was ad.
milted as King's evidence. They were tried at the Ja-
nuary Court of Quatt•tr Sessions following, and con-
demned to death. subject to the approval of his Honour
the Lieutenant Governor. The public are aware that
the impolitic disallowance of the Slave Law of 1826
was the cameo' releasing many felons and murderers,
and other atrocious criminals, from the punishment
which hai awaited them, and was in this instance the
CAI). whch delayed the hand of justice. This cat*.
among others, was referred to his Majesty's Ministers,
and by them to the twelve Judges, who, after taking
mobths to consider what minutes ought to have de-
-Icided, confirmed the sentence of the Court of Quarter
Stssions.

The warrant for the execution was signed by his
Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, on Monday win-
night, and Saturday was the day appointed for putting
a period to the suffe: ings and the hopes of these guilty
men. Sufferings they had certainly undergone by the
long confinement in a close gaol, as well as the personal
feuds and animo,ities which had arisen between than ;
in one instance so high that they proceeded to blows,
whereby the handcuffs were broke.i, which had nearly
led to their escape. That they had entertained
hopes of eventual enlargement is notorious; they ex-
ulted in the suspension of their sentence, attributing
it to the King's interference, and their fellow slaves
and friends (perhaps associates in crime) had had
' the temerity, under the same impression, to cut down
the gallows which had been erected on the estate. and
burn it in the yard of the works. Most jiksp were these
vain hopes disappointed. Tbe, were , ade ac-
quaitikigt ir‘i&tlaeiLaciprolchieg eby 'fiend
the Rector, who, with r, the Reie nd Mr. T.
Rose, had been unremittin4 in his atteuti in during Vie
whole of their confinement. At first they refused to
credit the Rev. Gentleman's information, and treated
him with no small degree of into!ence; when, how-
ever, they became c,,irvinced of the fatal truth, this
spirit was subdued, they craved bi, pardon, and became
anxious for the ghostly comforts which the Reierend
Pasior assidu iusle al nit d. He administeied t e Sa-
crament to both the s on Friday, which was taken
with every appearance of perfect humility, co. trition,
and repentance.
A guard of the St. Ann', Eastern Regiment had been
stationed at the gaol en Thursday night, and was ke,:t
on duty until the mr rning of S iturday, when at four
o'clock the Sheriff, with the constables, ani a squadron
of the Windward Tr, op of horse, took the prisoners
from their place of confinement, and proceeded to the
place of execution. At Laughlands they were j 'hied
by the Leeward Troop, and the whole, accompanied
by the Rector am! Curate, went en in solemn cavalcade
to_Orange Valley • Wo:ks, where a new *allows had
been erected, and where they arrised at eight o'clock.
A Captain's guard t f the S:. Ann's Western Regiment
was already under arms to 'reek e the r, end on the
cart which contained the prisoners drawing up opposite
to the gallows, the troops rf horse, with the company
of foot, formed a square, inclosing the fatal scene.
The culprits seemei surprised and shocked on arriving
et this well known and busy spot, the Works, to find it
entirely deserted, and not a single human face to be seen,
white, brown, or black, except those who had guarded
them to the spot. Painful as it was ti the feelings of
all present, the execution e. as necessarily delayed, as
the prisoners expressed a w ish to address their fellow-
slaves, and Ihn Witter, in particular, to take le..ve of
his wife, his children, and family. It was not, however,
until the Magistrates in attendance had dispatched the
constables twice to the overseer, that a few women and
children were seen crowning the surrounding hills, who
gradually and cautiously moved down to a stone wall
which bounded the works, where they remained sta-
tionary for tie remainder of the scene. The inervening
space • f time had been passed by ohe unhappy malefac-
tors in prayer with the It-ct •r and Curate, and a per:e.t
re,ignation to their fate was manifest.
Th: family of John Witter, by this time were at
hand, and he took an affectionate farewell of them for
ever. The parting with his youngest child was such
as would have melted the remotest feelings of barba-
rity, and had the negroes of the estate been within the
reach of it, mu t have had precisely the effect on their
uncultivated iiiinds.which the execution ordered on the
estate was intended to have produced. 14( t a tear, how.
ever, was visible in his own stern eye, and he htstily de-
sire.l them to take his children out of the view sf his
last struggles. Small complained bittetly that not one
of his family, and more particularly that none of his
associates on that property would come near him ; be
said he was sure it was because " they were afraid he
would tell on them."

The last fatal scene of the tragedy remained to be
preformed. Small was lifted from the cart, more dead
than alive, and carried in the same manner up to the
platform. Witter stepped up without assistance; and,
far the usual prayer, the drop fell, and they were
launched into eternity. Witter's struggles were very
short; Small showed symptoms of strong convulsions
for three or four minutes. After the bodies had hung
an hour they Were cut down, deposited in the *bells
plepared for them, and consigned to the grave beton
the military were dismissed.