The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-01
Execution ut Exeter.

widow about forty-fve years of age was
executed within the Devon County Jail,
for the murder of Reginald Hede, a child
six months of age, who had been placed
under her care. Whilst in the cells she
acknowledged thst she smothered the boy
with pillow, and few days afterwards
dismembered the body with hatchet and
knife, and then carried the remains to the
mill leaf. Before the magistrates and at
the trial she denied having made this con-
fession, but since her condemnation she
acknowledged that she did make the con-
fession, and that it was true one.
During the trial the prisoner main
tanned an almost unmoved demeanour,
and afterwards she was almost as firm,
the chaplain's ministrations not having
much apparent effect. She directed that
no visitors were to be admitted except her
children and one female friend whom she
named and who had taken the care of her
youngest child. The eldest daughter Wis
tied her mother on Thursday and was
greatly affected, but the condemned wo-
man was not much moved. She, how.
ever, evinced greater emotion on Satur-
day, when visited for the last time by hel
four youngest children. Hitherto the
extreme penaltx of the law has been car
ried out on temporary platform in a
small yard within the jail; but as this
would only allow drop of four feet
Marwood declined to carry out the sen.
tence unless some alteration was made, SC
that there might be drop of eight feet.
The jail authorities accordingly util,
lied part Of the hospital. A portion Of
the floor of an upper room was made
movable, and at the appointed time this
on the movement of lever, gave way
and the required drop was thus obtained
the body falling into the room beneath
The Sheriff was not present, and decided
not to admit the representatives Of press
but directed the under Sheriff to attend
and witness the execution for him. The
execution took place a little before s
O'Clock, and the black flag had been hoist
ed over the entrance to the Jail before the
prison clook commenced to strike the
hour. Although the morning was wet
and unpleasant, considerable number
of persons assembled in the streets leading
to the Jail, and on Northernhay, a pleas
ure-gromd overlooking the prison.
They could not, Of course, see anything
beyond the flag, and after waiting few
minutes the great majority of the specta
tors dispersed. The culprit left writer
statement, copy of which was handed
to the Sheriff by the Governor. The doc
ument is very short, and in it Mrs. Took
acknowledges that her confession, as de
tailed in evidence by Captain Bent, is ;
true one, although at the trial and fo
some time afterwards she maintained tina
it was incorrect. At the inquest, held by
Mr.. Coroner Crosse in the County Jai
the Governor, the surgeon and the Depu
ty Under Sheriff identified the body a
that of Tooke, and stated that the execu
ton was performed without an obstacle
The condemned woman had fit just be
fore the execution and broke down be
reaching the surgery, in which the sen
tence was carried into effect. The prison
er left the following confession:
| II hereby acknowledge that the con
fession which | first made to Captain
Bent is true in the particular, and that
am to justly suffer for my dreadful crime
for which, as for all my many sins, I d.
most truely repent and humbly pra.
Gods mercy for the sake Of his dear Son
| my only Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ
Signed by me, Annie Tooke, this 9th da.
Of August, 1879"