The Delaware farmer., 1883-12-28
THE EXECUTION OF O'DONNELL.
The SLAYER of Carey Pays the Penalty with
His I,ife-Lasf Hours of the Condemned
NIan-He Expresses Regret for the
scene in the Court Room.


Patrick O'Donnell, the slayer Of James
Carey, paid the penalty of his crime
within the walls of Newgate Monday
morning. The drop fell precisely at
Sunday night O'DonDell went to bed
abont ten o'clock and remained appar-
entlv asleep until half-past five Monday
morning. At six o'clock Father Fleming
came to the prisoner, and remained In
PRAYER with him for some time. AT the
conclusion of the prayers, the sacrament
was administered to the condemned
man. ODonnell then partook of light
breakfast, which he appeared to eat
with some relish. At a quarter to eight
o'clock the prison bell began tolling. A
similar warming was heard from the
belfry of st. Sepulchre's church on the
Holborn viaduct.
Directly after, the Governor of the
iail with the head warden entered, and
O'Donnell was at once led to the pinion-
inc room. situated about half way be-
tween the condemned cell and the prison
ward. Here he found the executloner,
Binns, awaiting him together with the
Sheriff of London, three warders and
fine prison doctor. Binns deftly bound
O'Donnells arms with leathern thongs,
the unfortunate man submitting quietly.
The procession was then formed, the
prisoner being in the centre, and slowly
marched to the prison yard IN which the
scaffold had been erected. They passed
so close to the few spectators who had
been admitted to witness the execution
that they could have touched O'Donnell
but for the Iattice-work which separated
them. The scaffold, which was quickly
reached, had the appearance of an ordl-
nary shed. The hempen loop, however,
hung ominously from crossbeam above.
The shed was half boarded up, so that
ODonnell and his attendants as they
stood there could not be seen by those
present only from the waist up. There
was no delay and no sensational scene
under the scatfold.
Binns lost not a moment in placing
the white cap over the victims face and
adjusting the moose. A moment after
ODonnell disappeared and quivering
cord was all that remained to show
where he had stood. The Governor and
doctor gazed for moment into the eel
lar-like pit and then turned away.
Outside the Jail considerable crowd
had assembled, but dispersed directly
after the black flag was hoisted. About
twenty police were drafted inside the
iail. and constables were posted around
the walls on the outside.
While being pinioned ODonnell
smiled and seemed Indifferent to his ap-
preaching fate. He expressed to the
Governor of the jail regret at the scene
he had made in the dock after being
sentenced. He walked firmly to the
scaffold. His death was instantaneous
upon the drop. The fall was eight feet.
| O'DonnelTs brother was not admitted.
He remained outside and prayed ex-
citedlv. The morning was wet and
gloomy. The crowd around the jail
was quiet. ,,
The inquest was held at noon. The
physician in attendance at the execution
deposed that O'DonnelIs death was dut
to hanging. One of the iurymen askeC
whether the execution was performed
properly, and the Governor of the priso1
answered that it was done perfectly
The jury then rendered the usual forma
verdict.