New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-07-04

ported about. on which were pnoted The words Pre-
mare e. meet Thy God" They also distributed re-
r ous tract among tho people, and also printed pa
rers warning then Of the tsfgt from attending
boIeeocing end snu. mt ns Of that desc' ptou; an
ally orc a. the boz, would mount upon stoo
and harrpgue 'be mob IN a fDc~t rantiDe and vehe-
ment style
A. oclcck in the morning deuse MAJ Of pe,soas
had assembled and tc numbers continued incrp hs'Dg
down la the hour fixed for the execution, so'cl"ck.
and at that hour it was computed that there were
more than 20 600 u rrcns s" end sn"ng the num-
Der hie were good mshy decentlj -dresscd country
wcmen, who had probably come to Stafford to attend
the market It being market day. The crowd was GER
tsiply much more orderly than might have been
pecttd considering the character Of the district; aud
there none Of tho 9 nseemly exhibitions thst
occasionally take place at the metropolitan executions.
About 2 O'Clock the ecafvd, which IL a large pom
deios erection upon four low iron wheels, wss rolled
out Of the shed where it kept to the position il was
to occupy font cf tine jail and which Is directly OPP
pose,,i principal entrance. Barriers were erected
roundit, irclosing clear epace and this was ocou-
ped by body Of the county constabulNy.
Palmer above stated, went TO bed about 10 O'Clock
He RE pt sopnoly till u, when he awoke and shortly
aftei the Rev. Mr. Good acre. the chaplain, was al
mted 10 his cell and remained with the prisoner until
the last n ONE mt. Palmer remained 10 his bed Coz
versing with the chaplain until O'Clock, when be got
Up ana washed and dressed hmself, and he then had
a cup Of tea brought to him. but he did not eat any
thing with it. One Of the turkeys asked him bow ne
was and he replied that he felt very comfortable and
happy, and was quite prepared. M, u.
About u O'Clock, Colonel Dyot, the High Sheih OF
tie county, accompanied by Mr. Hand, the Under
Sheriff and Of bis officers, arrived at To iail,
ard they proceeded to the prisoners cell accspanled
by Major Fulford the Governor, and the Rev. Mr.
GOCdaCre Tho prisOnei shook hands with them, ana
returned than ks TO the Governor for the kindness he
bad received At his hands. Shortly afterward Col.
Dyo asked tie prisoner whether he did not think that
the time had arrived when he ought 10 admit the
Justice of his sentenced Palmer immediately, and
xth AT excIAimed--"
striking of his down, and with great energy,
be ADDED" They are my murderer. He did not
mention whom be meaLt by they but he again re-
pea'ed the expression, SIN Inurdered they are my
murderers" The eXecu'iOner was shortly after this
brought into the cell to perform the necessary opera
tions upon the prisoner. He was dressed In very
fifty y,aIs DID, and tall hale man. HE name, it ap-
pears is John Smith, and he carries on some little
trade in the town Of Dudley, where he resides. Al
though it appears that be mas only been engaged in
the came capacity few tmes-the last occasion being
five years ago, when man named Charles Moore was
executed for what was then known as the Ash Flats
murder-he Get about his work of pnioning the arms
ana wrists of Palmer, removing his neckcloth, &c,
with the utmost calmness. During the ceremony OF
pnionng Palmer did not say word. and when it was
concluded he sat down upon the bench awaiting the
fatal signal to proceed to the doom that waited him.
The High Sheriff and the Chaplain left the room for
moment and after a short time the latter sad he
thought it would be advisable, now that the last me-
meDt had almost arrived, again to ask the prisoner
whether he would make any admission OF hi, guilt,
and they both returned 70 the CELL and the Rev. Mr.
GoodacTe agan for the last time asked the prisoner
whether be would admit the justice of his sentence.
Palmer replied in firm, composed tone, I" 1t Is no.
" iust sentence To this the Chaplain, apparently
almost invountarily, reoined, "Then your blood be
- upon your own head"
At this moment the prison bell gave forth lite mourn
full sound. Palmer heard 1t quite unmoved, and 1t
being close upon O'Clock, signal was given for
the procession to be formed. 1t was headed by the
chsu W O ma I'm
be followed by rome officers Of the Sheriff; then
came the prisoner, close to whom was the hangman
and his assistant. The High Sheriff and his deputy
and few of the country magistrates who are visiting
justices Of the JAIL and Major Fulford, the Governor,
closed the procession. The cell in which the prisoner
bad been confined was in sort of gallery and he had
to descend an iron staircase. He descended ut
quick pace, and Notwithstanding his arms and hands
being pinoned he never faltered, but exhibited most
extraordinary appearance OF uncoIceIn, aud, inde,',
indifference. He made bow to the Governor of the
JAIL Major Fulford who was standing at the bottom
OF The ttaircas., aud shook hands with one of the
officials Of the priOn and then with great cOmpOsure
resumed bis place IN the procession The distance
from this spot 10 the place of execution is considerable
and Palmer traverseO the whole of 1t with firm, light
step, tripping as it were, along the ground. He did
not evIce the least appearance OF alarm when he
came suddenly upon the ladder leading up to the
scafold. but at once mounted rapidly, and having
looked up and observed the spot where the rope was
hanging he, Of his own accord placed himself under
It. the execubOner ct once placed the round
his neck Ibis was the only moment when he ap-
pc AIRED to betTay any euOtiOD, but the moment the
rope touched his flesh he turned deadly pale. Con-
tary to general expectation the crowd did not evnce
any manifestation against the prisoner upon his max
ing bis earance on the scafold There was slight
yell from portion of the crowd, but the majority Ut
those present gave expression OF feeling, and, in
deed, Almost perfect stllDess prevailed The hang.
having Drawn the cap the face of the pris.
ontr, from the scaflod and withdrew the bolt
that secured the drop, which at fell and Palmer
appeared to ole almost instantaneousy. There was
not single cOnvusive effort observable, his pnioned
hands gradually dropped he ceased to exist appa.
renty without Pang.
Alter hanging hour the body was cut down and
carried to the interior of the gao where cast of the
Bridges who il connected with the Liverpool Phreno-
logical Society, who had special authority from the
visiting justices for that purpose. The countenance
of the prisoner did not exhibit any indication of his
having suffered violent DEATH and sort of con-
temptuOus smile peared upon the face.
In the course of the day the body was bur1ed within
the precincts Of the gaol.
The career of William Palmer was thus brought to
q conclusion on the scaffold. Upon the subject Of bis
guilt in reference to the crime for which he Suffered,
wbsandiI his qualified denials, there can be no
reasonable oOubt; and indeed, he himself, whenever
the question was put 10 him, attempted to con-
tradct the fact that Cook was in point OF fact, muir
eered. With regard to his supposed denial OF the
crime il should be remembered that Palmer was not
oply cunning and bad man, but be also a bold
man, possessing extraordinary nerve, which enabled
him to bear up when many other men under slulllar
circumstances would have yielded. He was aware
that one of his brothers, clergyman had expressed
,oemn belief i'll bis innocence, that all the other MEN,
bers of his family progressed to entertain the same be-
lief and he had the courage to adopt course that was
calculated to justify their avowed opinion, or Que
which ~ All eyents woula not contradict them. He