Star.
London, England, 1820-08-01 00:00:00

EXECUTION QF NESBET'T.

. .
. MAIDSTONE, JULY ta.
This wretched criminal surrendered his life to-day
to the outraged laws of his country. From the com-
plication of crimes of which lie was convicted, and
-from the probability that the murder of Mr. Parker
and his. housekeeper was not the first instance. in,
which he had been guilty of a violation of the laws,'
great curiosity prevailed to witness his execution, in,
the expectation that, if he had not previously made
any confession, he would in his last moments be in-
duced to reveal the particulars of his &irk.
islt gratifying'to know, that in the interval.which.
elapsed between his condemnation and his execution.
a considerable change took place in his frame of mind,
and general deportment. On leaving the Court on'
Friday last, after receiving sentence, he evinced the,
same levity, the same hardened ferocity of disposi-;
Lion, that had marked his conduct during his con-_
finement before the trial. So insensible was he oflis,
awful situation, that cn being placed in the cart'
which was to convey him back from the Court-house.
to the Jail, feeling himself annoyed by the gaze
the spectators, he exclaimed in a peevish and surly
tone of voice to the turnkey, who had charge of the
cart, " Drive away like hell, and let's get out of
.this 1
as quickly as possible !" But when replaced in his
cell,-,nd allowed an opportunity of reflecting quietly'
on his fate, he found it impossible to retain that in-
difference which he had hitherto assumed. He be-
came restless and agitated, but still he evinced no
symptoms of contrition. Indeed, a circumstance
which the vigilance of his keepers detected, shewed,
that at this very moment he was meditating on the
means of adding one other crime to the black cata-
logue of his former offences, by anticipating the sen-
tence of the law. He bad called for a pipe of to-
bacco, and bn a refusal, he repeated the request in
so urgent a manner that the suspicions of his attend-
ants were aroused. They accordingly began to exa-
mine the cell in the first place, and in one of the cor-
ners they- discovered the handle of the sauce-pan in
which his victuals were usually brought to him. The
tin tube forming the handle of the pan bad been
taken off, and was perforated near the lower end ;
and this instrument was immediately suspected to
have been constructed by the prisoner as a- rude,
though certainly an ingenious, substitute for a pistol.
His person was instantly searched, when he thrust
into the hand of the turnkey a quantity of gunpow-
der, wrapped up in a paper, and a couple of marbles,
which had been intended to supply the place of bul-
lets. Various conjectures have been made as to the
manner in which he was supplied with the powder
and marbles. It is most probable, however, that the
articles were conveyed to him by some person in the
Court, while he stood in the dock.
In consequence of this attempt to destroy himself,
Nesbett was stripped of the dress which he had hi-
therto worn, with the exception of his shirt and stock-
ings; and on being conveyed on the same evening to
the condemned cell, he was furnished with a prison
dreis, and heavily ironed. During Friday night he
was extremely agitated, and was unable to sleep. In
that state he continued during Saturday, and the
greater part of -Sunday. He joined in prayer with
Rev. Mr. Harker, the Chaplain of the Jail, and
professed to be sincere in his devotions ; but still he
persisted in denying that he committed the murder
`for which he was to suffer. About six o'clock on
Sunday evening his wife and children arrived from
Woolwich to take leave of him. The interview was
distressing beyond description, and on this occasion
he evinced a greater degree of feeling than he had
previously shewn. He wept much on embracing
them; and when his wife implored him not to die
with a falsehood on his lips, he promised to reveal
the whole of his guilt before he died. His family
consists of four daughters and two sons—the eldest
about eighteen years, and the youngest only sixteen
months old.
On their road home, about twelve o'clock, a tre-
mendous thunder-storm took place, accompanied by
large hail-stones and vivid lightning. Mrs. Nesbett,
for safety, was necessitated to take shelter at the
Portobello, at Kingsdown, where she remained in
good spirits mita the storm abated ; she then went
to Woolwich. During this dreadful storm,. Nesbett
was in his cell with the Governor of the prison ; it
bud little or no effect upon him ; he was very calm;
and only requested that • the Governor would close
tbewindows to prevent the lightning coming through.
It is remarked as a singular coincidence, that on the
night that Hussey, for the murder of Mr. Bird and
his housekeeper, at Greenwich, was confined in the
same cell, a similat storm took place.
After his family had taken leave of him, he made
a full confession of his. guilt. Seine of ie particu-
late which he communicated are said tabe very im-
portant, and the whole ,of his statement is, for the
present, kept strictly secret. Various rumours are,
of cnurse, in circulation respecting the nature of his
confession, to which it would be equally improper to
give publicity, whether they be ill or well founded.
After his mind had been disbOrdened of the load
of guilt which had pressed so heavily en it, he be-
came more composed, and joined in the exercises of
devotion with more fixed attention, and apparently
with a greater degree of intelligence, than he had hi-
therto evinced. On Sunday night he slept for more
than two hours; and this morning he was moretran-
quil than usual. The Rev. Mr. Harker, whose hu-
mane exertions in administering to him the consola-
tions of religion have all along been unremitted, at-
tended him at six o'clock, and remained with' him
till eight. He returned again at dine o'clock, to as-
sist him in preparing for the last awful trial of his
fortitude. At a quarter past eleven the unhappy cul-
prit was placed in a waggon, to be drawn to the
place ofexecution, on Pennenden Heath, about
mile from Maidstone Jail. Theexecutioner was placed
by his side, and two Officers with loaded carbines
were also .seated in the waggon, fronting the crimi-
nal. His.dress was the same that be had worn during
his trial, consisting of a blue coat, a yellow waist-
coat, a white neckcloth, and top boots. Before he
left the pijson he had requested the turnkey to give.
him a book; a Prayer.hook was accordingly offered
him, but at his request it was exchanged for a Bible ;
this Bible he held in his hand whenhe appeared in
the waggon, and he seemed to peruse it with. great
devotion. His countenance was flushedi and' his
manner extremely agitated. As the prison-gate un-'
folded to allow the waggon to pass, he got the first
view of the assembled crowd that wcrc Qut.