The Statesman.
London, England, 1819-08-02 00:00:00

WILVIIIRE.

EXECUTION OF MR. RdIERT TURNER WATKINS,
THE FAMOUS HOROJOIIMONOER AND VOffi.
SELLER, FOR KOBB•KY AND MURDER,

(We are 'avowed with se flawing horrestiog and dread
accoost at • sotoritio, drover. fres a Grimlowan of known
probity Rod Molnar. and le would 'bat its publication mei&
be as real oatoisi to All and inure easierat comsat-11
&Mee of a 1.110 It has bees said, that the
effects of the Bornaghenoneer system ere confined
to politics only ; but this is vile hypocrisy and de.
lasi„uip set On (Opt ly those who aro not ashamed to
become apolegists kits mast detestable traffic, the
silo of tenet eletiost In spite of sorb jeiest
presences, •e may meters to stirs. that the sta.
torsi effort of the triton borough systems is to de.
on,stig• the People • and that it it as utterly impos-
sible for a men who is concerned In tech traffic to
his honest., as it is for • modest woman to
freqemit the Heirs of ill.f.me about Coveet.gardeo,
sod preserve ler cloth?.
" Robert Tomer Watkins enjoyed the privilege
of the Bleeds* Penchi,* in the Rotten Boroegh of
Watson Bawer. which privilege, like most of his
soperiors, ha always esercised with a view to his own
private adesetage, he short he ewe his We to the
best bidder. Ila was alui•ys • pootsrful s•pport t•
Oho party be espoused—Ws strength was herculean,
wad his worse and intrepidity commenserve—to
improve flew mitersl widoweeeests to the ese of his
ratautui h. was sent to London. where be studied she
seises* of hosing ender the ablest Insider% end W-
aterton adept in that sable art. Ile was competes,
se the task archiving a sabi.le sob before him like a
k of wild geese, *bids in a small borough is so
hiding advantage. The WO Shelia* being so en.
red that be could ono attend the etecotiou, it was
owed that a Magistrate alba first respectabill'y. who
had been on the Growl Joey. ft id was well acquainted
with the taw, should see him at Marlborough, and
Olithroeowr to pipette, firms him a confession of the
crime. This, however, he steadily declined, though
its most re•portfel tannage, to berk lb. Magistrate
sad the Clorisassw, both of skein he thanked re.
pestedly On this occevion, as at his trial, he
shooed two genies. composers.. and
sete•pcssessioni Ile declared that he did not fire the
pistol, and that some things sworn against hint were
sot troy; het made no rospleint of iojosiice;
ow
the rest nary, be declared that bad be been on the
Jury he avoid have gives the same verdict. 11.
would ant say who it was that fired the fatal shot r
bet al the same time he did nor disclaim being con-
cerned in the transaction It is supposed that his
refosal to speak out arose from kindness to
some persons who were connected with hint, and
who perhaps did the deed at his instigation,
On tains leave of his children he dropped a
few leant, but his ectantenence 1101111 resuirool
its •onte.l royetsits Ile told the Magistrate
that " ke had no wiskto live." adding. list " the
siorid airs become so eery wicked Ire only sundered
it nom sot destroyed" He elan espre.sly derta.ert
to the maw (who roweniesles.erl the fact
to the writer). that " hf attributed ell Ike criers he
hod toossnitted to tie wicked prosaic*, which he hod
known(. Eidetic's.'" Indeed was is not to be won•
dered at—en the contrary, it would be a wager of
sunder if such practices did net lead sea to the
amotroi lon of crime, the most atrocious. It Is not
many years since that a lag was hoisted at Winton
Boort, with an isiscriptiles, " The glorious 35"
wesolog 35 guineas for the two votes; on ob.ch an.
ether fiat was capered, with the words, " The (lea.
ins 45 " When men can allow themselves to
lake a brit., er thirty or forty guineas over night,
sod go the nest swain to poll vr'.ere they must
saner, :f required, that they vote without fee
or reward, or the hope or espectstion of reward,
what •ickednoss is there of which they may net be
deemed capable? Familiarised with bribery and per.
jury, it was quite &lodates. that Robert Toriier Sys,.
king should pay no roped to the sanctity of an oath ;
bet, on the contrary, that he should swear whatever
seited his purposes ; and tt•is be certainly did, to the
greet personal choler of many innocent men, some
of whom very niffOisly escaped the gallows, from the
esesaleence of his false testimony. Oet of mere
spire to his old master, Mr. James Gardiner, coal-
men:hard, of Written Basset. he serif that he saw
bum one night take large quantity of coals from the
barge of a person named Sadler, and pet them to bin
own heap. The mogul he gave wet lin consistent
and circeestantial, that the Magialra,e bet eyed it,
sad refused to allow ball. Garili• or was tried, and
escaped only by proving an alibi. W Ains also en-
d d to Is the robbery and warder on Thomas
Ockel, bet Ockel proved, by seer 20 witnesses, that
he was at Osford when the crime was commit,esl.
Watkins was elevated on the spot where the howid
deed was done, in the midst of about 20,000 ipecte•
tort Arrived al the place be surveyed the dreedfol
appanage with composer*. He desired to bare II
Prayer Book, sad reed a Psalm of his o•nseievion,
•fth a steady and distinct voice ; e'er which he said,
"this wickid world way destroy the body hot cannot
Ifll the sot." lie Oust ascended the ladder to lb.
platform with a firm step, yed oho vast multi-
lode with serenity, and said to them. God blvol yes
ell, which he repeated thrice; being offered •
Isociktrehlef to use as a 4461.1, when he was reedy,
be declined it, sayieg lam prepared. Many er.nits
she coold not regard him as an object of pity were
unable to withhold from him the respect which seem•
ed doe to fns fortitude, lamenting only that it ea•
Dot everted in • better cause ; hut for this we ought
to blow circumstances. • lth, perhaps, eolosibuted
More Ikon the wan himself to }motives so %orations..
ibis a result : hod he not fallen into the sink of cot.
motion at en early and unissperiesteed time of life,
is not impossible that hi. great energies might hie.
proved a benefit to society, hatred of brit% • pest
toil.'.

, . . .
Nottct TO irtsbll.l rilfal.Fßl I I !IG Tut Esse '• . Ir it' Qu•tr•-r for L.nflon ; ll,rald, Spinach,
Extract of a imier, daiml ile"t”laini, Jo,' 8: from St. Vturrne•c; and ii.nn.ll, Clad', ff... (1,...
" The patent China mood. gr. shirt. Oe' I .id doses h-r..--Carvitedoen ft • m /b. Wier and ',tiled the l're.
is Helgoland harbour in J3lt, 11118. for it,. Use of !Artier, Who,. I r j4.1411iC4 ; litnnah, I) son.
merchant arises occasionally rnms.l In El/041010 for ad.rewiel ; V. k. Gray ; and rri•ndoerg,
hoe been taken sp sod tont to Koglantl, aod ere Clooknen. for Q'.'., t R.pod, finolion, for &boa ;
1191 likely to be replaced. Vessels OW IP sY tent in and 4pseili 11.,., '. I) rell, r". omit.
Imre all! in future base to rely ea iho'if olio onus Ili Ls., JOLT 1J --"Ircoon;• haat. hams r•ceirod by
for siding el ibis dangerous aucborage." I sis slip Eili, attired ',skid/ at Whitby from