The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-01-07 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

ng are copies of the documents-:

" I, George Evans, make this voluntary confession to
Mr. Appleton, the chaplain. From the early age of nine
years I have been addicted to evil company and vicious
habits. Disregarding all the good advice and good ex-
amples of my, parents, I entered into every kind of dissi-
.

pation, and soon Comm
nature. Besides several

fitted many crimes of a

summar

twice charged with felony at Bristoi—

-once cor

once acquitted, although I was really guilty of both the
offences. From Bristol I came to Liverpool and thence
to Manchester, where I got work, and lodged at the house
of Mr. and Mrs. Millen. Being in debt for my lodgings,
I wrote home to my father for money, and very properly
received no answer to my letter. Mrs. Millen• taunted
me with my friends' silence, and said they were dubous
people,' which provoked me very much. On the Mon-
day before the fatal day I had been turned back from my
work because there was a holiday on account of Dr. Dal-
ton's funeral. The rest of that day, and all the following
one I spent in dissipation. On Wednesday morning I
was left alone with Mrs.. Millen in the house. I went out
for a short time and got some drink. I then returned,
and found her still alone. Whilst she was preparing some
things, I think for dinner, a sudden thought
my head to murder her. I went to the drawer where
life-preserver was kept, which her own son had made, and
first pretending to be going to the door, I turned suddenly
round, and going behind her struck a violent blow %vitt-
on the back of her head, which brought her to the gr
She then rose to her feet, and I gave her several more
blows, which proved fatal. I then took her up by the
clothes and threw her into the closet in which she was
found. When I had accomplished my dreadful purpose,
I proceeded to search the house, and with the various
articles found on me came off to Liverpool, as stated at
my trial. I am very sorry for what I have done, and I
truly repent me of my sins. I have this morning prayed
that Mrs. Millen and I may meet together to-day, and I
hope that, if she is not saved, I may be cast out; but I
Pe! quite confident that we shall both be saved, through
Jesus Christ, our Lord.

" GEORGE EVANS

Kirkdale Gaol, Jan. 4, 1845."

" I, Thomas Stew voluntarily make this statement to
Mr. Appleton, the chaplain :—I courted Alice Nolan fora
little more than four months. She was as decent a young
woman as any one would wish to keep company with, and
I thought we should have lived comfortably together.
About a month before her death I made her a promise to
marry her in five weeks (the wedding-day was to have
been the Sunday after the day on which she died); but
could not keep my word in consequence of getting into
bad company and spending all that I bad. As therefore
that we could not live together on earth, I thought we
might be happy together in heaven. I borrowed a razor,
as appeared on my trial, to take her life and my own.
With this razor in my pocket I took her on her way home
as I had been in the habit of doing, and when we reached
a bank, the name of which I forget, very near to her
house, we stood to talk together as we had usually done
before. She asked me if I was going to do what I had
promised ? (namely, to marry her.) I answered, ' No, I
cannot; for I have been drinking very hard : I have left
Stephen Bill's through drinking on Saturdays, and not
looking after my horses on Sundays ; but I got another
place on Wednesday last; but it does not suit me so well
as Stephen's place, for it will not be so constant an em-
ploy.' She said, ' Well, then you must do as well as
you can.' I then said, 'I am very badly vexed that I
should have ieft the last place, and that I cannot put
things forward as I could wish to do.' She said, ' Give
me a kiss,' and I put my arm round her neck and gave her
one. She said, ' Shall we meet again at Sally's on Monday
night ?' meaning Mrs. Shepherd's. I said, still with my
arm round her neck, ' No, I hope we shall meet again in
heaven next.' Then I drew the razor across her throat,
upon which she exclaimed, • Oh, my love, Tom !' Then
I left her, and walked at my usual pace across a corner of
the bank, along George street and down Brewery-street,
and so along the several streets to Mrs. Shepherd's.
Down the entry, about half a yard from the door, I went
down on my knees, and I said, • I hope her is in heaven,
and that I shall soon meet her there. I then drew the
razor across my throat, after which I got up and fell
against the door, which flew open, and I fell down into
the house. Somebody picked me up, but I could not tell
who, and put me in a chair, in which I sat with the blood
pouring from my neck. I remember no more until I saw
my two brothers standing over my bed in the Manchester
Infirmary. lam very sorry for what I have done, and I
hope the Lord will forgive me upon my true repentance
for the sake of Jesus Christ, my Saviour.

' THOMAS CHE.%

January 4. 1845."

The convicts then joined the other prisoners at the
usual prayers in the ch apel, after which they were re•
conducted to their cells, where they breakfasted. Stew's
stepfather and uncle then came to see him, and were with
him some time. Evans sang several hymns during the
morning, and was incessant in his devotional exercises.
About half-past eleven the prisoners left their cells for
the last time, and were taken into the chapel, where they.
received the sacrament. Stew appeared very much af-
fected, but Evans was astonishingly firm.
The mournful procession then proceeded from the
chapel to the press-room ; the Rev, R. Appleton walked
first, reading portions of the burial service; Stew came
next, frequently answering " amen " at the end of the
prayers, and occasionally wiping his eyes. Evans fol-
lowed with a firm step, and a most unyielding demeanour.
On reaching the press-room they were pinioned and their
hands tied. During this time Stew appeared to pray very
earnestly, while Evans maintained his former demeanour.
Evans had expressed a wish to address the multitude, but
as it was feared Stew's courage might fail in the interim,
he was induced to abandon it it. Both the men walked
firmly up the short ascent to the fatal scaffold. Evans
was taken first, and the rope being adjusted, Stew fol-
lowed. The preparations were completed with the most
astonishing celerity, and at twelve o'clock precisely " the
fatal bolt was withdrawn, and the culprits were launched
into eternity." Evans was violently convulsed for many
minutes, and seemed to suffer muck. Stew appeared to
die instantaneously, without the slightest struggle. The
wound in his throat by which he had attempted to com-
mit suicide, was scarcely healed, and when the drop fell a
thick stream of blood gushed from the re-opened °gash,
and ran down his breast.

At one o'clock, the bodies of the unfortunate culprits
were taken down.

Mr. Bally, of Manchester, the celebrated modeller, was
in attendance, and took casts of the features of the cul-
prits. The crowd which assembled to witness the exe-
cution was not so numerous as is usual on those dreadful
occasions, and the people behaved with great order and
decency.

iDuring the--year just closed, 8191
been laid by the police-officers of the
tions of the dock and town by-laws.

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