Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-12-06
EXECUTION OF THE MANNINGs IN ENG

| LAND.
The Execution of the Mannings, for the murder of
UConnor. occupies large space in the London journals
Every incident the building of the gaows the prepara-
tons within the Jail, and the erection of stands &c
without, IS recorded with minuteness The husband,
FRED Geo Manning made confession the day before
MS e&ecuon Both prisoners, This wife and hmseIf)
manifested the greatest anxiety to learn the demeanor
and physical condition OF the other and persisted in their
moment, entertained hopes of a reprieve, and when
finally assured those hopes futile became exceed
! ingly depressed
A deeply affecting ensueG that must have melt
ca every feeling heart In the vast assembage present.
Just before the execution by previous arrangement the
wretched woman was introduced and took her seat on
the same bench with her husband While in this posi-
ton the first friendly recognition between the convicts
took place Manning, apparently unable to control his
eengs longer, leaned forward towards his wife, and in
!ne most lmporng accent said hope you not go
ang 10 depart this life scih feelings of anosity TO-
yards me-" The appeal was TOO much for his guilty
partner and, leaning towards him she said haze no
amsosit = t0sTq z yoa" He said w not kiss
parties having arsen they shook hands and kissed each
other several times.
The reverend chaplin here entered in his robes and
having taken ms place at the altar he administered the
sacrament to both the convics At its close the wretch
ed pair were permitted to meet again Manning EN-
Dfaeed ms wife with great ervor, and sad "God bless
you,ll hope ,0e shall meet in Heauen" His wife re-
turned his embrace and sobbed audiby
Inc unsexed wife was the chief criminal in the mur.
DER and the poor weak husband the mere tool of her
masculine powers The sexes seem to have been more
strangely reversed in this couple than in the case of
| Macbeth. She planned and executed the murder dnp
the grave OF the victim, patrick O'Connon weeks be-
| afterwards. s0'''N s'"'i'
Shocking scenes surprising ANYTHING ever Witnessed
IN our country attended the execution Not less than
2vpov persons were assembled and one female was
nen ana TWO others severely injured in the mob The
SVoit spectacle OF deprayy and wickedness is thus
| oescroed IN a letter by Mr. Charles Dickens:
DESCRIPTION OF THE SCENE BY DICKENS.
Mr. Charles Dickens has published the following let
| Gaol. - -ioi'e''ionser
Il was witness Of the execution at Horsemonaer
lane TINS morning. | went there for the purpose of
observing the crowd gathered to behold it. and had
GAceleht opportunities OF doing at intervals all
through the night, and continuously from day-break
until alter the spectacle was over.
SIMPLY WISH to turn this dreadful experience to some
Tor the general good and by taking the readies
and most public means of advering to an jntimaiton
given by Sir q. Grey in the last session of Parliament
that the Government might be induced to give lis sppor
to measure making the inicting OF capital punish
lleht private solemnty Within the prison walls with
such guarantees tor the last sentence of the law being
lnexoraby and surely administered as should he salts
factory to the public at arge and of most earnestly be-
seecmng 5m =. Grey, as solemn duty which he owes
to society," and responsibility which lie cannot for ever
put away, to originate such Legislative change himself
II nelleve that sight 50 ineonceyably awful as the
wlckcdness and evty OF the immense crowd collected
at hat execution this morning. could be imagined by no
man, ana Gould be presented in no heather land under
.e sun Inc horrors Of the gbbet, and Of the crime
ind before the arocious bearing, looks and lanpvane
81 the assembled spectators, When came upon he
scene at midnight the shilness of the cries and howls
lha were raised from time to time, denopp that thew
came rom the concourse OF boys and girls already as
sembled in the best Places made my blood run cold As
!ne went on screening, and laughing and yelling
IN strong chorus OF PAROLES on negro melodies WITH
the substitutions of Mrs ManningS for "Snsannah "
and the like, We're added these When the day dawned
nG low rufans and vagabonds Of every
ienslve and foul behaviour
rlgntln9s 1antngs whistlings, limitations of Punch
brutal Jokes, tumultuous demonstrations of indecent IA
LILY Miio swoonmg women were dragged out of the
crowd by the police with their dresses discoored oavs
q new zest TO the general entertainment When the
sun rose bnghtly--as it dd-it gIded thousands mon
thousands OF uptuned faces, nexpressbly odous in
ter brutal mrth or callousness that man had cause
70 eei ashamed OF the shape he wore. and to shrnt
from hnsel as fashioned in the image of the devil -
Mhen the Two miserable creatures who attracted all this
ghastly sight about them, turned oyerno into tba
ar there was no more emotion no more pitv no moro
thought that two immortal souls had gone to iudoment
NJ more restraint N any OF the previous obscenes than
te name OF Christ had never been heard in this world
and that there belief among men but that heu
perlshed like the beasts WY
lhave SEEN habtually, some of the worst sources of
general contamination and corruption in this country
ana hlnk there are not many phases of London lie
lhat could surprise me. am soemnly convinced that
holmng hat ingenuity could devise to be done in This
Guy IN the same compass of time could work sch ruin
as one public execution and stand asounded and an
paled by the wickedness it exhibits do not believe
at any community can prosper where such scene Of
holfof ana generalization as enacted this morning
outside orsemopger Goal presented at The yerv
aoors OF good Citizens and is passed by, unknown or
forgotten And When in our prayers and thanksgiyinqs
Tor the season, we are hunbly expressing before God
our desire to remove the moral evils OF The land i wmld
ask your readers to consider whether it is not time 10
think OF TINS one, and to root it out.
~ am,sir, your faithful servant
un.,. "CHARLES DICKENS,
"Devonshire Terrace Tuesday, Nov. -"