Star.
London, England, 1818-02-19 00:00:00

THE LATE ructrrioNs.

Mr. Ciona row to give notice of his intention to
submit a motion to the Court at their next meeting,
respecting some unpleasant and very painful circum-
stances which had attended the execution of the four
pnhappy delinquents on Tuesday morning. He felt
himself bound to do so in justice to the public feel-
lingizhich had been very much shocked.
Court expressing a general wish to have the
motion now made, _ _

Mr. CROOK said the execution had been on Tues-
day very much protracted, the unhappy individuals
not being brought out of prison till half-past eight
o'clock. While that of itself was a just ground of
complaint, he was pained to say that the sentence of
the law had been carried into execution in a most
disgraceful manner. He should refrain at present
from saying any thing more iv-wetting the conduct
lof the executioner, except that on the fatal occa-
'lon he had been guilt of the grossest negligence.-
-This was evident from the state in which the bodies
of the criminals appeared after they were cut down.
He had last night seen three of the bodies, and was
sorry to state, that from the marks then apparent,
the executioner had by no means dime his duty, but,
on the contrary, been guilty of cO.pable neglect.--
The fatal rope, instead of marking the neck a; usual,
had left a deep impression on the chin of one of the
women, and had also been placed at the hack of her
head instead of the ear, as should be always done in
such cases—(Hear, /sear.)—llie situation of the
other woman was equally deplorable, and sheaved
the want of proper attention on the part of the indi-
vidual who fulfilled the sentence of the law. 'the
body of Hatchman, the unfortunate man for forgery,
was another melancholy proof of this, and when the
Court were told, that torture of such a nature had
been inflicted on three individuals who had forfeited
their lives to the law, he had no doubt they would
feel it their imperious duty to inquire into what line
of conduct had that day been followed. It was with
that view that he moved that the Court do inquire
into the cause of the delay which took place on Tues-
day at the execution of Mary Ann James, Charlotte
Newman, William Hatchman, and John Attel ; and
that the Court do also particularly inquire into the
conduct of the executioner on that occasion. -

Mr. Alderman WOOD considered the better way
would be to send for the Sheriffs, and demand from
them an explanation of the circumstances that at-
tended that awful ceremony. The Sheriffs were ap-
pointed to see the sentence of the law duly erecuted,
and they were responsible to the Court for their own
conduct and that of the Under Sheriffs. He should
have insisted on their being instantly sent for from
attending the Old Bailey Sessions, but as he under-
'stood, that another meeting of the Court would take
place to-morrow, be moved that they be positively
enjoined tikattenci--(hear, hear, hear). That a delay
bad taken place with regard to the time of executing
the sentence, was unquestionable, and it was for them
to say how that had happened, and where the cause
lay. The public feeling had been grossly outraged
by the manner in which the executioner had dis-
charged his duty, for so highly improper had that
conduct been, as to have been-even alluded to in the
public papers of the day—(hear, hear). The Court
were bound to inquire into such conduct in justice to
the public, and to themselves, and he had no doubt
they would see the propriety of so doing immedi-
ately, for it ought to be recollected, that though these
and other persons were doomed. to an ignominious
fate, on account of criminality of conduct, they were
not on that account to be treated harshly, but as hu-
man beings and rational creatures--(kur, hear, hear).
He therefore insisted on the Sheriffs attending to-
morrow, in their place, to account to the Court for
the delays
After a few words from Mr. WAITID6f AN, on the
same side, the Court, seemingly muds impressed with
this painful occurrence, unanimously referred it to
the Committee on City Lands, to inquire into the
delay, and into the conduct of the executioner.