The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-06-13
THE CLERKENwELL TRAGEDY.
THE LAST SCENE OF A1I-ExEooTroS OF MICHAEL
BAaaEYr-s1aHTs AROUND THE aAL1ows-A
LONDON MOB.


BAaREYr-s1aHTs AROUND THE aAILows-A
LONDON MOB.
from the London Expresa May o.
The Feaian convict, Michael Barrett, was
hanged this morning, in front Of 6ewgate jail.
His demeanor was unaltered ito the last, and
those who heard his speech from the dock saw
another. striking illustration Of the coolness,
resolution and Hortitude he thsn displayed.
Those most conversant with executions de-
clared that no convict ever net his doom
with more signal courage than tM unhappy man
who suffered this morning; and the Goodbye,
Barrett "God bless you, Barrett" yelled
from all portions OF the crowd, Showed that the
popular sympathies were ro1ssd. Nor was
there aught of bravado in Bar:etts manner.
Dressed in the worn claret-colcred short coat
and the shabby iron-gray trousers he wore
during the trial, from the time be appeared on
the drop-preceded by the old Eangman Gal
craft, and accompanied by Catholic priest
to the final moment he was sef-contalned,
calm, and, if the phrase may bs applied to a
condemned murderer, dignifed.s The compos-
ed command Ct feature for whi.h he was re.
rnarkable at the Old Bailey never deserted him,
md after hasty glance toward Giltspur-
street, where, from the position Of The converg-
ing thoroughfare, the largest mass OF people
was assembled, be deliberately turned his
back as ifto shut out the sea of'hungry, eager
faces before him. He made no other sign.
The proceedings on the drop were unusually
brief, and while Calcraft fastened the strap
round Barrett's feet, drew the white cap over
his head and face, and adjusted the halter
round his neck and to the iron aook-chains
in the beam above, the pinioned man stood
firm and erect, moving obedientF to instruc-
tions 30 as to stand in. the centre OF the false
floor. Once Calcraft, with strangely repulsive
solcitude, whispered in his ear, as II asking II
ward loosened it somewhat, and the capped
head and shrouded face moved dumbly to and
fro, as If to aid in readjustment. Meanwhile
the only other person on the drop was the Ro-
man Catholic priest, who seemedto press the
cruoifix upon the bound hands and the yet
living lips, while exhorting and Praying to the
very last. Barrett appeared to issen with grave
courtesy, but neither bowed nor moved. MIR.
Jonas, the Governor OF Newgate; MIR. Hum
phries, the Under Governor; two dark visaged,
determined, stalwart warders, and a few we'll
dressed, cleuu-shirted, privileged citizens re-
NAMED in the doorway leading TO the drop;
and while close to it, and closely Watching the
proceedings, remained invisible 70 the crowd,
Calcraft, smiling disagreeably, and looking, in
black skull cap, and good black broadcloth sur,
tout and suit, more repulsive tHm if he had
worn the insignia Of his dreadful office, smirk-
ed and fawned on these as he passed down the
stairs and slouched by them 10 pull the fatal
bolt. He had been greeted by terrific storm
of misses and yells while in view Of the people,
and seemed neryously anxious to hurry out OF
their sight. Though growing old, and with
bleached locks and q -whitebeard he is
powerfully built, muscular man, whose callous
matter-of-fact handling Of the ropes, straps
and paraphernalia Of violent death, cannot be
seen without o shudder. The moment after
his disappearance underneath the false floor,
he pulls the bolt, the drop falls, and the bound
alm blindfolded figure swings to and frc in the
bright morning mir, corpse. Barrett's power,
ful will and enormous seR-control seemed
prominent even in the death agony. The or
dinery death-twitchings and spasmodlcauy
conyulsive struggles of hand and feet were
none of them to be seen, and as he hung
stiff and rigid, and with protruding tongue
and swollen distorted features disccrnlblo un-
der their thin white cotton covering, as tney
we're part OF some hideous masqueradlng, ms
broad shoulders and thick set muscular frame
seemed to part with life without single throe
or heaye. Calcraft remained below, placing
his hands ON the dying mans feet as II to
steady the swinging body; but without employ
ing the pull or jerk with which he is said to
occasionally supplement the dreadful fall. In
death the legs were drawn partly up. and turn
ed outwardly at the knees as i in involuntary
aid of determination; and with the bow-shape
Sir Walter Scott gave Rob Roy's, in token OF
his vast personal strength. The criminal this
morning either had his neck broken in the first
fall or kept unmoved III pursuance OF o set
purpose, but it is certain that his proud spirit
departed without betraying the usual symp-
toms Of an unnatural and violent death. The
mob saw but few Of the details We have de-
scrlbed. The short black cloth curtain q
which has Of late years been placed round the
shabby old gallows partially hides those stand
ing on it, and makes only head and shoulders
visible after the drop has fallen and the
criminalis hanged. But Calcraft and Barrett
each had horribly noisy reception directly
they appeared. The persistent burst OF groan'
ing which greeted the detachment OF metro.
inclosed space before the galloWs, became ap-
'sLet's put him there instead" Shame !"
"Down with him" ''Bah, bah, murderer,
bah" are but a few of the articulste sounds
heard from the windows Of the Old Bailey, and
ringing in the doomed mans ears at the su-
preme moment. But even these were lost m
the excited and congratulatory cheers for Bar.
ett. The murderous outrage for which he
died semed to be forgotten. The manned wo-
men, the crippled children, the counties ago.
nies inflicted upon the aged, the helpless and
the weak; the honest breadwinners reduced to
life OF cheerless painful paupcrsm
all faded out Of sight; and hand-clapping,
sBravo, Barrett, ""Good-bye, Barrett" Never
mind 'em, - them!" were mixed up with
cheers as hearty as ever followed hero to bat
tle-Acld. But the Irish accent was notably ab'
sent, though these demonstrations seemed to
come from both tn. regular Old Bailey fire.
quenters and the more respectable people with
which they we're plentifully interspersed Nor
were more touching evidences of sympathy
wanting. Hanging over the barrier imme'
diately opposite the gallows, and supported on
either side by female friend, stood the half
fainting figure of young woman OF some tour
or five and twenty. Her decent demeanor and
modest air won even upon the brutal natures
round her, and q couple of genuine London
roughs kept back their comrades by entreaties,
and, WI On necessary, by blows. Whatever her
relationship or knowledge Of Barrett may have
been, there could be no doubt Of the genu-
ineness Of her emotion this morning. Dead
" white with clenched lips and hands
which clung to The wooden barrier be-
fore her with the. tenaclty OF the
drowning man, she succeeded in controlling
herself until the drop actually fell. When Bar
rett appeared on the scaffold the women sup
porting her redoubled their consolatory efforts,
and her blanched face and wistful air became
intensified in their expression. But when ms
face was covered she gave way, and ut the 1atal
moment fell PROSTATE, and lay in passion Of
hysterical grief, deaf to the noises and blind
to the sights near him. and conscious only ot
the gallows and its doubtful mission. Concur
,ant1u I'll f1,;c roipP,1 apaDa Stir among