The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-04-09 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF MATTHEW FOWLES

STAFFORD, SATURDAY.—Matthew Fowles, who was ca-
pitally convicted on the 17th of March, before Mr. Justice
Coleridge, for the murder of Martha Keeling, at Newcas-
tle-under-Lyne, was executed this morning, precisely at
five minutes past eight o'clock, on the drop erected in front
of our county gaol. He persisted in denying his guilt to
the last moment.

Ever since his condemnation, Fowles has remained in a
sullen state of mind. To every exhortation to repentance
and confession he has invariably replied he had no confes-
sion to make, and never heard of the crime until he had
been apprehended. Every attention has throughout been
paid him by the chaplain, the Rev. R. Buckeridge, and the
governor of the gaol, T. Bretton, Esq.
Several applications have been made by the prisoner's
attorney for a respite, but Lord Normanby said he saw no
grounds whatever for conceding the request.
As early as three o'clock this morning the usual prepara.
tions for the erection of the drop took place. During the
night the prisoner slept soundly, and ate a hearty breakfast
at five o'clock. Afterwards he appeared to be fervently en-
gaged in prayer.
Shortly after seven o'clock he was conducted to the chapel,
preceded by the governor and the rev. chaplain. He entered
the chapel with an unfaltering step, and took his place at the
communion table. Immediately on kneeling down he ap-
peared to be engaged in silent devotion. Before the Rev.
R. Buckeridge entered upon the service of the communion,
he solemnly charged the prisoner in the following terms :
" I charge you, in the presence of Almighty God, did you,
or did you not, participate in the murder of that woman ?"
The prisoner, in a firm but low tone of voice, replied, " No,
sir." On repeating the question in a form f words to pre-
vent any evasion, he unhesitatingly replied, " I never knew
a word at all about it until I was taken into custody." Ser-

vice then proceeded. When the chaplain arrived at the
exhortation of the Saviour, " Come unto me all ye that
travail and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," the
unfortunate man appeared to pay particular attention to the
words. The worthy governor assisted the culprit to find the
several parts of the service, and appeared much affected.
Throughout the administration of the Holy Sacrament,

Fowles's firmness appeared never to leave him for a single
moment, and he retired from the chapel to the condemned

cell without betraying the slightest emotion of fear, preserv-
ing however the come decorum which he had maintained
during the impressive service.
On entering h►s cell, he presented to the governor a little
book, entitled " The Sinner's Friend," with a request that
he would give it to a fellow-prisoner whom he named. The
governor then, in the most solemn manner, besought him to
tell the whole truth before he left the world, and not to die
with a lie in his mouth. Fowles again declared that he knew
nothing about the murder, and that he told the truth as far
as he knew. . .

—About eight o'clock the executioner entered the cell, and
proceeded to pinion the unhappy man. Whilst he was per-
forming this office, the governor said, " Fowles, I hope you
are not going to leave the world with a lie in your mouth."
He replied, " No, sir." The governor added, " You know
that your punishment will be more than tenfold in the next
world if you do." The prisoner replied, " Yes, sir, I am
aware of it." He then requested that his coat and hat might
be given to Ellis, one of the boatmen, who was reprieved only
a few hours before the time fixed for his execution last year,
and who stiil remains in the county prison.
The under sheriff, R. W. Hand, Esq., having, aside to
the governor, made the usual demand for the body of the
culprit, he was delivered up into the hands of the execu-
tioner. The chaplain immediately commenced reading the
burial service, and, with the governor and under-sheriff,
preceded the prisoner to the drop, the prisoner walking, un-
supported, with a firm step. He ascended the scaffold like-
wise without assistance, and took his station under the fatal
beam. After the rope had been placed round his neck, the
governor asked him for the last time whether he had any fur-
thero communication to make? He replied he should
tliikseatid
say one word ; and, turning to the rev. ehaplain,, e
' The
" It is hard to die an innocent man for this thing.tinocence >"
rev. chaplain then added " You still assert 3
was drawn, and his death was almost instantaneous.
_ ..
said
To which he replied " Yes, sir." In a fewnt.
,s:enucreoolnudss. the bolt
thTathae
crowd. person s pocket in the
fellow
was bdeegteacnteidmpmicekdiinagtealy to
,disperse. Is is i

RUMOURED CHANGE IN THE VICEROYALTY.—A ru.
moor has, for some days, been in circulation, that Lord
Ebrington's departure for England, which took place on
Saturday, is to be a final one—,
ctlioantteLntoerdd Nwiotrhmtahneb(yiugioestesodwit;
India as Governor-General, and Lord Elibkreinsg:onnehsoupppalniersah,
to
place at home. This is not at all improbable, as Dan'
ps:s appointment will be
" liftenant " is, by no means
ncattenbwisniselftaonmrdi:eteHrg,aibosiul.tobryirdedhlaasrin.
of the east.—Limerick
glorious
ot
govern
ifeisr an
Standard.