Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-15
BIRCIIALL NO MORE.
The MURDERER or esNwELL HANG
EpeY THE NECK I'LL DEAD.
flo Dies without Sign of Fcar-He Pro-
tests Against Any Admission Of
Guiit-A Friends Loyalty.
fBy telegraph to tho Dispa,ch.I

WOODSTOCK, ONT, November IA
Reginald Birchall, whose case has at
tracied almost universal interest, was
hanged here this morning for the MUIR
dor Of +. @. Benwell, fellow-English-
man, whom he lured 10 America from
England and then killed in a lonely
swamp not far from Niagara.
WITHOUT Sign or FEAR.
Birchall met his fate firmly, and died
without showing any sign of fear. His
wife called on him at 7 o'clock last eve
ming and was alone with him until |
O'Clock in the morning, when there was
q sorowful parting.
READING TIE SCRIPTURES.
Birchall spent most of the remainder
oi the night reading the Scriptures,
prsyiDg, and talking with the Rev. Rural
Dean Wade and the turnkey. He also
arranged his affairs with his executors.
BbUsTERNG HAsGBAY.
The 0uietness of death pervaded the
jail until the hangman from Toronto
came He noisily demanded aimittance,
snd when inside spoke loudly and often,
90 that the guards. who have become at
ached TO Birchal through his uniform
courtesy. were glad when the hangman
unconcernedly lay down and went to
sleep At 4 o'clock Birchall bade good
ly TO Night-Guard Mudgely, who has
been watching him.
FEAHFUL OF a FAKRD CONFESSION.
Tie was fearful that faxed confession
might be given out after his death. and
gave out TINS document:
A STATEMENT.
WoonsTocK. GAoL, November 10,
i990-(All rights reserved. II after
ny death there shall appear in the press,
or in any other manner whatsoever, any
confession that had any hand in the
murder Of +. G.. Benwell, or any per
foual knowledge Of said murder with in
tent or malice aforethOught, or any per
faral connection with the murder on
iAc 18th of February, or other day,
or any knowledge that any such
murder was likely 10 be committed,
r-anv statement further than any that /
nay have made public previous TO this
date, ! hand this statement 10 the care Of
George Perry, OF Woodstock, Ont, that
he may know that any confes-
sion or partial confession is entirely
fc,cious. and in no way was ever
written by me. neither cmanated from
inc. in any way whatever, 70 any person,
and tine whole is fictitious and without
word Of truth. This likewise applies to
INV story in the NGii, in which | have
made no such confession or partial con-
fession. This holds good throughout
Signed REG BRcHALL.
THE PRISONER BREAKFASTS.
At o'clock the other prisoners were
put 10 work 10 get them out OF the way
and Birchall ate a couple Of eggs, re-
filsing other things, though he had eaten
nothing during tho night A crowd
from the surrounding country had by
this time collected. and about 200 per
sons with admission cards were let into
the Jail yard The trees, walls, and other
places nearby were crowded with
people.
IT'S LAST HOURS.
His last hours Birchall spent with the
rector, pr. Rice, the gaol surgeon, and
Mr.. Loetham, OF Montreal, Birchalls
college chum, who has stuck TO him,
All the preparations were completed and
the executioner went up and bound Bir-
clall's arms. At S:2j o'clock the awful
procession began, the Rev. Rural Dean
wade leading in his surphce and
reading the Church Of England service
for the dead.
pRATHLY PALE But RESoLUTE.
Behind him were the jail officers and
ile prisoner, deathly pale but resolute
Iis step was steady. His jet-black hair
aul moustache made the pallor Of his
face Ike marble. AT the jail-yard the
prisoners friend Leetham walked with
hm aud held one hand in both of his,
with all the assurance of friends heart
clasp. The procession stopped at the
Fal.ows udl the church service was fin
lsLtL
AT TIE GALLONS.
40 the gallows the prisoner had fixed
look. IL was not despair, but he had
ftfung his whole being up TO die game
As the last words of the service were
ssid Birchall stepped firmly forward,
took Leetham's hands in his, and the
friends
KISSED EACH OTHER
under the gallows. Birchall's legs were
bound, the black cap put on, and the
moose adjusted.
THE DROP FALLS.
At 500 the signal was given and the
drop fell. Commissions commenced half
IL l.,,t q ut a III
violent. more resembling heavy breath
ing. with a slight twitching Of the hands
and legs. at S:30l the commissions had
ceased and at S:35 the doctor, who stood
with his hands on the body, declared that
life was extinct.
BfRCHALL DEAD.
There was silence q few minutes from
the drop until the Doctor declared Bir-
email dead. \ pOSf-mOrtcH was held by
Ir. Odum. Coroner McI,sy presided
at the inquest. Dr. Chamberlain said
lie neck was broken.
DEATH CAUSED BY srRANGULATIoN.
The post mOrtCaq discovered that
death had been caused by strangulation.
The usual statutory verdict was found
by the coroner's jury. The opinion of
the iail officials and DIR. Chamberlain is
that the execution was well done
Chamberlain says ne never saw moro
finished execution, and in his judgment
Iirchall felt nothing three seconds after
The weight had been tipped. The body
VIII be- buried in the iail-yard, but It's
whereabouts the officials will not divulge.
IIECHALL THOUGHT TO HAVE CONFESSED.
ToBoNro, ONr., November l4.-Rural
Dean Wade, Birchall's spiritual adviser,
speaks freely about the letter given to
Guard Percy by Birchall, dated the 10th
instant, denying that he had made
confession 70 any one. Mr.. Wade says
The letter was lie. and that when he
int SOW n L. nnun nm hnnos ~ fha Innn