Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-17

Anu-hnhklhS excitement In London.
Our London correspondent has already men,
TONED the excitement caused in London by the
hanging Of poer man (Wright) for murder,
while another OF respectable connections Geo.
Victor Townley) was respited on the ground
that he was insane at the time OF his killing
Mise Goodwin. Wright, on his trial, pleaded
guilty to the murder Of a woman Of bad char
acter, with whom he cohabited, his own state
ment being that he inflicted the fatal injury In
selt-defenee, she having threatened to stab him
with knife.
It was believed that there were crcumsts es
in the case that wonld have justified his being
convicted only OF the crime OF granddaughter II
ho had stood his trial and not pleaded guilty.
This Circumstance, combined with Sir George
Grey's indulgence In the other case, excited
great sympathy for Wright, among the work.
execution approached, the excitement increased
to an alarming extent. The following hand
bill was extensively circulated throughout the
nelghborhood;
"a SOLEMN PROTEST AGAINST THK EXECUTION
OF WRIGHT.-Men and women of London, alb
stain from witnessing this sad spectacle of in
Justice. Let Calcraft and Company do their
work this time with none but the eye OF Hea-
ven to look upon their crime. Let all window
shutters be up and window blinds down for an
hour on Tuesday morning In Southwark.
Engllshmeni shall Wright be hungi II so,
there Ia one law for the rich and another for
the poor"
This advice was generally followed. In the
long line Of neighboring houses, generally let
out on such occasions, at heavy prices, the
blinds were drawn as though the funeral OF
some respected inhabltant was going on in
stead Of the execution OF 4 criminal for mur-
der. The public houses, on previous occasions
the scenes Of riotous Tevelry, were all closed,
and the whole conduct OF the people, although
comprising, as usual, many of tho lowest rank,
may properly be described as of the most SOL
emn character. 1t was difficult for many to
believe up TO the last hour that the prisoner
would not be reprieYed.
The arrival OF the executioner on the scAGold
was the signal for the outbuTst OF the indigna.
tion OF the spectators. Soon after the prisoner
appeared, when, says an account in Il London
paper;
General clapping Of hands and cries of Bravo,
Wright God bless you, lad, took place from
all parts oft crowd. On Calcraft proceeding
to put tue cap over the face of Wright the
hooting aud Kissing became terrible, and the
officials appeared to be quite concerned. The
hootlng was succeeded by cries of 'shame,'
judicial MURDER Where's TownleyP 'No
more hanging which were continued without
lnlermisslon while tue proceedings were going
on upon the scaaold, Wright all the time bow
| Ing to the people, and while he was bending
forward the drop suddenly fell, and the unfor-
tunate man ceased to exist without the slight
| est struggle.
The roar of indignation which at this mo.
ment burst from the assembled crowd was
something appalling, and evlnced the strong
feeling which had been stirred up within them
at the spectacle they had witnessed.
Immediately after the execution several
workingmen mounted upon the steps and rail-
lngs Of the adjoining houses, and announced
that II was intended to hold indignation meet
lngs OF the working classes throughout Lon.
don condemnatory Of the conduct Of Sir George
Grey, and demanding the total abolition OF
capital punishment. The crowd then peacea.
bly, dispersed, but few waiting to see the body
cut down, which was done at 10 O'Clock. -
Chicago Journal