Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-06-15
EXECUTION OF BARRETT.
From the London Times.l

From the London Timesl Hnlf4 n
Yesterday morning, In the presence of
vast concourse of SPECTATORS, Michael
Barrett, the author of khe Clerkenwell
explosion, was hanged ID front of New
gate. In its circumstance there are very
little to distinguish this from ordinary
executions. The crowd WI greater, per-
haps, and better behaved still, from the
peculiar atrocity of the chine for which
Barrett suffered, and for tie fact of its
being probably the last pubic execution
in England, it deserves mole than usual
notice. 1t would be almostimpertinent
now to review the evidence on which
Barrett was condemned. Probably in
the history of criminal trials tlere is none
which affords such proof of patient in
vestigation, of long, anxious, Ind delib-
crate searching after truth. Intact, Bar.
rett may be said to have had tto trials,
if we include the supplementary one
since the conviction, to ascertain if there
was possibility of doubt abouthe YER
dict, or if there was any evidene which
could strengthen his plea of an a lbi. On
both trials he was found guilty. The de-
fense of an alibi is, Of course, thebest or
the worst in the world, If establAhed it
is final; but on the other hand it is htalif
the person ACCUSED tries to prove ttt be
was not on the spot where he is chirged
with the crime, and it is found on esam-
ination that he was in the very face
and at the very time on the scene Tom
which be strives to show that he was.ab-
sent This was the defense of Barftt,
but it failed most signally. 1t is rartin
the history Of our criminal jurisprudepe
that government allows a sort of spechl
com mission to inquire into the validb
of the jury's verdict aud judges apprrt
val. Still, in this case there were wha
may be called special circumstances, fd
il was urged that the truth Of the alibl, y
inquired into at Glasgow, could be more
easily asceriained than in London. With
life at stake, of course no room was
left for doubt. A most searching in
quiry was made, and the result proved to
conviction that Barrett was in London
at the time he tried to prove be was IN
Glasgow, and that Barrett was the man
who fred the powder barrel. He was
brought from Glasgow ITO do the JOB.
He sought to prove that be was in Glas-
Cow at the time, and the evidence which
the Government commission elected
shows beyond doubt that he was in Lon
don and at all the places where be was
identified Itseems rather failure ofJus-
tice that only one man should suffer for a
crime in which so many we're concerned,
and which brought about such a terrible
des.ruciion Of life and property. But
the same jury which acquitted the others
convicted Barrett, and We need say moth
ing more 10 show the leniency which
governed their decisions aud the seruples
with which they admitted even possible
doubts. Michael Barrett was left 10 die,
and none VIII, know anything of the
private history-if we may so term it
OF this plot car doubt that be deserved
bis fate. u.G
The execution offered little from other
similar exhibitions On Monday the
barriers were put up, and on Monday
night fringe Of eager sight-seers as
semblei, mostly cIinging to the beams,
but ready on a moments notice to rise
and cling 70 The front places they bad 90
long waited for. There were the usual
cat calls, comic chornses, dances. and
even mock hymns, till toward o'clock,
when the gsyeiy, inspired By alcohol,
faded away a. the public houses closed,
and popular excitsneHi was not revived