The Wahpeton times., 1890-11-20
BIRCHALL HANGED.
Reginald Birchall, the Murder
er of Benwell Hanged at
Woodstock.
He Asserts His Innocence of
the AtrOci0us Murder
Until the Last.

WOODSTOCK, Ont, Nov. Is. - Reginald
Birchall, the murderer of F. c. Benwell,
was hanged here this morning.
Mrs. Birchall remained with her husband
until o'clock this morning when came the
leave-taking and the weeping woman was
led out through the barred door and down
the narrow stairs down which her hus-
band seven hours later came to his death.
The time during the hours after Mrs.
Birchall left the gaol were passed by Birch.
all and the divine in reading Scripture,
praying and talking. The turnkey took
nap while Mr.. Wade was
WITH B1RcHALL IN HIS CELL.
Birchall has begun to fear that by some
means "faked" confession may be worked
of on the public after his death, and to
guard against this, he made out this docu-
ment:
WOODSTOCK, Ont, Nov 10, 1s9O.-(All rights
reseryed) If, after my death, there shall up
pear IN the press, or in any other manner what
the murder Of Mr.. F. G. Benwell, or any person.
al knowledge OF said murder with intent or NAL
!ee aforethsuaht, or any personal connection
other day, or any knowledge I that tt any my. Such h
murder was likely to be committed, or any
statement turtheg than ppy that may have
made public PREVIOUS to this date, hand this
Woodstock, Ont, that he may know that any
confession or partial confessions are entirely
fictitious and in no way were ever written by
me, neither emanated from me in any way
whatsoever to any person, aud the whole are
fictitious and without q word OF truth. This
likewise applies to my story in the Mail, in
tial confession. This holds good throughout.
REG BnsCRALL.
HIS LAST BREAKFAST.
at $50 o'clock the cook began to prepare
Birchall's breakfast, which had been Or
dered for o'clock. This consisted of
poached eggs, toast, canned peaches, canned
raspberries and coffee.
At 7:30 Deputy Sheriff Perry arrived and
the doors of the gaol were opened and the
crowd of waiting men admitted and passed
straight through to the yard in which the
scaffold was erected. About hundred
were admitted, but the number was subse-
quently increased by about fifty. The ex-
ecutioner appeared on the scene at 7:35.
ROPE IN HAND.
and began Immediately to put things in
order. The doorkeeper, who stood taking
tickets, was kept busy until after 3 o'clock,
and then crowd OF curious ones stood
about the door and crowded against the
bars, not able to see anything and not
knowing what they were there for. Inside
the Jail, i'll the rotunda, line Of tipstaves
directed the incomers to the door of tn,
corridor leading to the west yard. For ] If
an hour a couple of hundred OF people "a.
the yard Qor the crowd who had been able
to secure admittance numbered SO many
stood about kicking their toes to keep away
the frost that still glistencd on the grass.
THE DEATH MARCH.
minute or two he took to strap the pris-
oner's arms behind his back, and then the
awful march to death began, at S:25 o'clock.
First came the rural dean, Wade. i'll his sur.
plice and reading the Church of England
Chsmberlain, Chg followed by A. D; Stewart
oner came next, deathly pale,
but resolute. His Jaws locked
with the tixity of death. He came down
the stairs with one hand on the railing, for
from his elbows down his arms were free.
B!rchall went to the scaffold without
confession. The last words that Birchall
uttered were addressed to the hangman.
Just as he was putting the cap over the con-
demned mans head, Birchall said: Have
you any objections to shaking hands with
me?" The hangman replied: Certainly
not, and then they shook hands.
LAUNCHED INTO ETERNITY.
At $50, six minutes after the procession
started from the corridor, the words ''Dc-
liver US from evil'' gave the signal. and a
quick pull on the small rope by the exc
cutioner, who stood behind the laws VIC
tim. released the immense weight. 1t
dropped with the rapidity ofthought it fell
to the ground, and sank six or eight inches
in the ground by the force of its weight.
Mrs. Birchall was under the influence of
opiates most of the day, but bore up better
than was expected when told that the exc
cution had taken place. She will remain
in Woodstock SOME time before returning
to England. Birchall's body was buried in
the jail yard this evening.