The New York herald., 1868-06-09
The Crime.

From the London Times, May 27.]
yesterday morning, In the presence OF vast con-
course OF spectators, Michael Barrett the author OF
the Clerkenwe explosion, was hanged in front OF
Newgate In its circumstances there was very little
to distinguish this from ordinary executions. The
crowd was greater perhaps, and better behaved;
STILL from the peculiar atrocy OF the crime Tor which
Barrett suffered and from the fact OF its being probd
btv the last public execution tn Ehgtdnd 1t deserves
more than usual notice. 1t would be almost imper-
tnent now to review the evidence on which
Of criminal trials there is none which affords
such proof Of patient investigation OF long anxious
and deliberate searching after truth. In fact, Bar
rett may be said to have had two trials, II include
the supplementary one since his conviction toascer-
tain there was possibility Of doubt about the
strengthen his plea of an alibi. On both trials he
was found guilty The defence of an abl is, Of
course the best or the worst in the world. If esab
lished it is final; but the other hand 1t is fatal II
the person accused tries to prove that he absent
from the spot where he is charged with the crime
and it is found on examination that he was IN the
very place and at the very time on the scene from
which he strives to show that he was absent. This
was the defence OF Barrett and it failed most sig
naly 1t is in the history Of criminal jurs-
prudence that government allows sort Of special
commission to inquire into the validity Of the jurys
verdict and judges approval. Still, In this case
there were what may be called special circumstances
for it was urged that he truth OF the aib Inquired
into at Glasgow, could be more easily ascertained
than In London. With Q life at stake OF course no
room was left for doubt. A most searching inquiry
barrett was In London at the time he tried to prove
he was IN Glasgow, and that Barrett was the man
e DO e He nreYe a
he was In Glasgow at the time and the evidence
which the government commission elected shows
beyond doubt that he was in London and at all the
places where he was identified. 1t seems rather
failure oil justice that only should suffer Tor
crime in which many were concerned, and
which brought about such terrible destruction of
life and property But the same jury which acquit-
ted the Others convicted Barrett, and we need say
nothing more to show the lenlenCy which governed
their decisions and the scruples with which they ad-
nitted even possible doubts. Michael Barrett was
Lett to die, and none who know anything OF the pri
vate histOry-H we may so term it-of this plot can
doubt that he deserved his fate.
THE EXECUTION
differed little from other similar exhibitions On
Monday the barriers were put up and on Monday
night fringe OF eager sightseers assembled, mostly
sitting beneath the beams, but ready on moments
notice TO rise and cling 10 the front places they mad
30 long waited Tor. There the usual cat calls
comic chOruses, dances and even mock hymns, TIL
towards two O'Clock, when the gayety inspired by
alcohol faded away as the public houses closed, and
popular excitement was not revived till the black.
ened deal frame which forms the base of the scafod
was drawn out in the dawn, and placed IN front OF
the door from which Barrett vas tc issue. IT'S ar
at once woke up those VINO had been huddled In
doOrsteps and under barricades and who joined
scafiold did much to increase the interest,
and through the dawn people began to flock
In, the greater portion of the newcomers being
young women and little children. Never were these
more numerous than on this occasion, and blue
velvet hats and huge white feathers lined the great
beams which kept the mass from crushing each
other in their eagerness TO man put to DEATH
The crowd was most unusually orderly; but it was
not a crowd IN which one would like to trust. IL is
said that one sees on the road 10 the Derby such
animals as are never seen elsewhere 50 on an exe-
cuiion morning one Sees faces that are never seen
save around the galows or near great 1re.- Some;
laughed, some fought, some preached, some gave
tracts and sang hymns; but what may be called
the general gOOd-hunored disorder OF the crowd re-
mained the same, and there was laughter at the
preacher or silence when an open robbery was gong
on. None could look on the scene, with ali its eX
ceptional quietness, without thankful feeling that
this to be the last public execution in Eng.
Towards seven O'Clock the mass OF people was I'M
mense. very wide open space was kept round the
gilows by the police, but beyond this the concourse
was Dense, stretching up beyond st. Sepulchres
church, and far back almost into SmithHed-a great.
surging mass of people which, in spite OF the bar
riers Kept swaying to and fro like waving corn. Now
aud then there was great laughter a girl tainted,
and was passed out hand over hand above the heads
OF the nloD and then there came sculile and a
fight, and then hymn and tlen sermon, and
then comic song, and so on from hour to hour the
crowd thickenlng as the day frightened, and the sun
shone out with such a glare as TO eXtingush the
very feeble light which showed itself family through
the glass ROOF above where the culprit lay. 1t
was wild, rough crowd, not so numerous nor
nearly so violent as that which thronged to see
Muller or the pirates de. In way they
showed their feeling by loudly hootng magnih-
entity attired woman who, accompanied by two
,ntemen, swept down the avenue KEPT open by tie
lice and occupied window afterwards right in
out OF the gallows. This temporary exhibition OF
cling was. however soon allayed by coppers being
rOwn from the window for tie roughs to scramble
20 IL Is not right perhaps, that murderer's death
soodld be surrounded by all the pous and tender
Ogd man TO better world, but most assuredly the
ht of public executions ~ those who nave TO wit
ing ID ali the hores OF thieves and prostitutes it
Iraws tosether. yesterday the assembly was of its
ii 20 think viii uader the new law never be drawn
together again III ENGLAND.
WITHIN TIE PRISON
&c attendant proceedings were divested OF what
ever pubic interest they might Otherwise have had
unusual arrangement To which the authorities,
"a the exercise OF their discretion had recourse and
v IA would
l'city while appearing to court it, One had better
however, narraie the circumstances as they occurred
10 .ic order OF time, promising that for years the
Gust ON has been for the sherii5 and under sherfs,
With the rest Of the authorities and few of the
recognized representatives OF the press, to be pre-
sent az the process OF pnjoning convict about to
be execu ed. At that supreme moment doomed
man has occasionally volunteered statements of
more or less public interest," or has been led TO make
them in reply to q question from some of the ali-
thoriies TO whether he had anything more to say
Sometimes but the occasions are rare he has avaied
himself Of the opportunity to cast aspersons upon
Others, who had no means OF answering him, and 10
whom certain amount OF odium might attach in
consequence; but, upon the WHOLE the balance OF
advantages has inclined In favor OF the custom, and
Il has obtained at Newgate and In most other prisons
The sherlfrs (Mr. Alderman Stone and Mr.. Macar-
thur with the under sheriis Mr. SePtimus Davidson
seven O'Clock, and according TO custom spent the
interval until eight In their Official apartment con-
joined by the Governor OF Newgate mr. Jonasl the
prison surgeon (Mr. Gihson) and the ordinary tine
Rev. +. Lloyd Jonesl a few representatives OF the
press, 10 whom tickets OF admission had been give H.
were also present.
THE CONVICT BARRETT
retired to rest about ten on the previous evening.
and having spent a somewhat restless night rose at
six yesterday morning, dressed himself and engaged
in prayer. Shortly afterwards he was joined In his
cell by the Rev. James Hussey, attached to the
Roman Catholic chapel In Mo0rnelds, VINO had at
tended him regularly since his conviction and who
remained with him to the last. IL Is understood
that he received the sacrament one day last week
aud again yesterday morning. Towards eight ,
O'Clock the Shcrifs paid him visit, ac-
companied by the Governor, and then retired
to part Of the prison leading TO the scanod,
where the rest OF the authorities and the public repre-
sentatives had already assembled by predeter- |
mined arrangement and contrary TO the usual prac-
tice, the convict not pnoned in the press room,
as u u called, but In his own CELL and, this process
over Ire was conducted to the drop by private wav,
accompanied by his priest and attended by the exe
cuuoner and three or four warders, the prison bell