Execution Of John Thurtel...
The Times, 1824-01-10T00:00:00

Yesterday, at noon, this unhappy man paid, the forfeit of his life to the offended laws of hi3 country and of humanity, in front ef thq county gaol of Hertford. Ve 'have already stated, that At ,n early hoar on Thursday workmen were employed in -preparing tii'e stage on which thecculprit was to make his exit from the society of msa. The greater part of the preparations aere completed at a very eatly hourye;terday merning. In front of the centre door of the ga'ol, a space, between 33 a!nd 34 feet in leugth, and about 16 feet in depth, was enclosed by strong railings, across .which very- stonP planks were nailed. The whole was painted -lack. Withia -thin: enclosure the platform, with tle drop, was erected. It wasinhelght about 7 feet. At each extremity of the platform, a beam of mode- tate thickness was inserted in the earth. Those bearns, when tlu9 inserted, were nearly as high as the exterior wall of the prison. -At about nine o'clock the workmen completed the last part of their melancholy task, that of affixing the cross-beam -to the two- upright ones. In the course of the night, aud at a very- early hourin the morning, 30omefew curious stragglers went down to the prison, and viewed the operations of the workmen. But'no noise, no bustle was apparent, until after seven' o'clock, at which: period many individnals began to take up their stations for the day-sotne in the road imLmedrately opposite to the place apprited for-the exe- cution; others posted themselves on the banks or hedaes of the fields opposimto the gaol, and not a few sought to gratify their- cM. riosity by seizing on every hillock, however inconsideirabe, in the fields themselve3. As the day advanced; immense.numbera came pouring In on every side. London sent forth its swarns, *ho wer= conveyed to the scene of punishment in every imaginable species of low and vulgar vehicle, including aU the varieties. of the donky- cart, the taxed-cart, thesuperannisated gig, and the almoituntenable, tilbury. Thecattle werein admirable unison withtheaisges they werecompelled to draw. Amongst those visitersfrom the metropolis; we ob?erved many of that pernicious race; swioareparezceutztice, we suppose, denomninated '- t7efaltCo".-.that race 's ni connexion witii whom ThurteU would, we doubt not; have attribtted all his mis.. fortunesand all his inframy, could be have been indu-ea tO spa lfi mind openly. flad not hL last moments been' swayed- r er by a feeling of obstinacy, than by a sense of what was due to sodeie; he would have explained the nianner i2 which lie had been led fri' one transgression to another until he dipped his hands irl bloo4n Such a disclosure would have been* infinitely more befieiciR o the world than fifty executions. But, from a falseundinistakenno" eion of " honour," he refused to make to his fellow-citizens the onlyU real reparation which it was in his power 'to offer. He neither affirmed nor denied his guilt; and though it was expected that he would expose the secrets of some of those gambling establish- ments with which he was but too well acquaioted, he re- m ained silent. In his mind life for life wa sautffcient; he erroneously supposed that nothing more was due tonmankind. At. ten o'clock, all the roads leading to Rertford were thronged witl- travellers. Ware and Hoddesdon sent forth a3 their mue, and, it. would seem, a great portion of their female population. The various, viDlages in the neighbourhood also supplied their full quota of s lic- taters. Two points struck us as being rather unusaal. The one was, the vast number of equestrians who thronged around the place, of execution_rmost of them apparently of the class of small far- mers, amongst whom were intermLingled a number of sporting but- chers, bakers, and mealmen; the other, the throng of women, who, to their shamebe it spoken, appeared'on theground. By 11 o'clock, the multitude assembled was very great; it extended, in a densa body, for about a furlong on the' London side of the gaol, and for about the same distance on the Hertford side. Be. yond this compact body, the crowd, less closely packed, ex- tended on the one side, to a small bridge which is tbrown bver a rivulet that flows acrosn the 'road, and on tbe other, up to the Blie-coat SchooL The field in front of the gaol ivas also very full of people; at leasteverypart ofitfrom which a viev.w of the scafbold could be commanded. A cow-house, and, we believe, a plae for rearing swvine, whiich stood near 'the hedge imnieflately opposite the placeof execution, seemed to oifer most eligible accomir- modation for witnessing the awful ceremony. These-buildings were slightly constructed with boards, and covered with thatch, They were evidently unequal to thu support of any great 'weight. The feelings of curiosity, however, overcame the calculations of pru deuce, and tleroofs of the two buildings were speedily occupied by anxious speclators. About eleven O'dock a portion of the roof of the cowihoiue gave way: but as no peiton v;zs hurt, the waming passed unregarded. No-personafeltinclinedto abandon so favour'. able a position. At balf-past 11, however, almcst the .rhole of thi roof of both-building* -fell in, amti'dst the crli~ of those wio -D:id trtsted their safety to fabics of so friedlc 2 co,s6atctmn.rUTb 'thigh o'oa-boy, naedJ 1>a,dey, rja broke,lia.hr L,nun. edMtullipisre'vced *teverebontusiorm-on -the le'ee., t,h pfifQl third person was broken, and-many indjvi vw v-3i'a greater o'r less degree. The misdiefitrouid have bcen_eo6nd24- culftion greater, if Mr..Wilsia, the -Goynor cf2tthe F ofes.- ing from the- sltedemess of:these fabrics -thatsdoise-accident would ensue if the people aseendcd tihb , had tot--ehus' d them to'be filled with'a great- quatntity of stri. This'; pre- caution, which greatly diminished the-4anger, is equallr cre- ditable to MIr. Wilson!s foresight and huAianity. The entire e't. perintendence of the execution, the marshalling' of the con. stables, the preservation of the peacei,and all the minutia: connect- 'ed with the busines, were iatrusted'ito hpis.opinndUpson, of the-Bow- street-establishment. They acqutited themselves, in every respect, mostsatisf4ctorlly. The wholeproceeding was conductedin a manner perfectly decorous, and strikingly solemn. A bodY of constables, forming three sides of an oblong, kept an open spaca before the paling which enclosed tlhe platform. Beyond them, the equeatri4as ranged themselves in a semicirde, of great exteut, and at least 12 or 14'deep. A number of carts, cars, and gigs, were placed'in the rear of the horsemrn. Every interstice wsfilled up by pedestrians, and these, the humblest class of spectators, extended to a great dls- tanceon' every side. To prevent the noise of thetdrop. being heard, Mr. Wilson directed a ansiderable quantity of straw to beplated against.the prison wall, which, efectualy deadened the round. In the-course of Thursday, Thurtell saw I'Ize Times. newspaper, in whiishnmeation was made ,of his'resiguation andcontrition.- He expressed great satisiaction tat the statement, read it over twice, andobserved, that it would be seen 'by his futher and his faaily, to whou`it would affbrd thc uttnost gratification. The parting between Thurtell and his brother on Wednesday evening was peceliarly afihgtidg, and they were obliged to be sepa- rated by ah attendant. It was subequently deemed proper that Huntashotld be inteoduced into ThurtetPs-apartment. 'he moment that Thurtdl sawbhim, he shook him by the hauds, and said he freely and fully forgave hun. He added, "Joe, you've been my enemy. but I* forget alt thiat you have done." - Thurtell then-em. ployed-himself in listening to the exhortations of ftie h6aais, wvho remained withrlirm 'until nine. o'clock. He then wished that- Ir.. Wilson's son, whose attention to him he uniformly acknowledged, should read to him Paley's Sermon oil Judgment, ind Vcjonal extracts from 'Dr. Brewstes'a sermoa He -layidown about -11 o'cock, and -Hunt s:aton the bed-side, and spent themnight in a;state of great agitation. ' Thurtell, on the'contrary, fell intos .ound sleep, and in themiddle of the bight atomke for a feut mixuter, and again fell ihtoa sleep, inwhich -he remaineduntil morniag.- One,of the attendants, struck-with the circntonte. f'i awakening as early as was expected, took the rag tonm off rhis head, and foiindhim stil fast asleep. He awokesoon,after, and said that- he *hat4 been -dreamg,h but upon qjuite indaffircht miattens. He tben resuned, withbgratconposure,zrnd apparently with fervour,]iisdevoraj1 exercises- Ateight o'clock he was visited -by the Chaplun,. sti.tbe whom he continued- in earnest devotioni fo3 some tine. He toolc toast ana foiKbisliealdbst, and in his conversatious with-the Chaplsan repeatedly expressedtheeonsolations lie derived from-the religious instruction of that gentlemnp, and only lantiiited the short ness of time which reriained for-liis periteuee. He-nentitned that hehad' written on- the previous day 10o his father, and had done with all worldly concerns. The'letter so wiitten` was' transmitted by the -fligh Sheriff through 'the post, undtr a frahk froim Lor.d Cow. per, who happenedtb be in the gaol at the time. -After breakfast he 'rote two letters,,one addresseAto bis broincr,'Tb6homs Thurtel}, to the care of- Nir. Wontner, beeper of Newgate; the other to his solicitot,-. lr. Penton, of Austinfriars-; both- seled witli black wax. At l o'cdock he was rfemovea frni isi apartment into the chapel, andbefore therenmoval hbes hOok Hetaut n'byv. the hand, and repeated his assrance of forgiveness. -Hia'sole axety, at thiu moment seemead to. relate-to the tfhae and reproah-which he-h6d brought-upon hisfamily. He said thatit weahialotto beoaeof two favouriteaons of foher wvitoul hie teiderly loved; ida, lheaving a deep sigh, he added, " orme. of them was drowned, and the other is now about to be hanged. But I know my:m otber, notithtund. ing my faults, will. s eek my grave wherever it cin be found; and, if sh can- fina its any pLrt f England' stone 'with the iiitials of - her son's name upt7n it, AhP will drop a tear, on thlat=ccQunt alone ainm anxious thatroy If abily should Ithow where my remalita are tobe Interred. ,As to myaelf, I know that thepro- ces of. dissection- can only happen 'when all sneati is:..w ith rmeextict.-'- Tbi law, I arn it; r e t buttill, wh4n that iL done,,perhsps ii hat iemainp of m e ivBl be deposited i1n tomb, so that the spot m ay,b recoinized byr tny fainily.' ' Theoifigh SherHiriothbkving mhe bhi appearanee tt ice prison during the morning, although be was in the nmmditeonirinity, ThuhteD F as infotnved that his request should be sntntionid in the 'propprr queter: but hewasexhorteda t thesam dt uitoidraw his ztteatioi 'from worldly mattce*s- and- to, coutsider uoie ` that he was on the b;inkof ternity.- When -intuoaiwd %into th chapde, e ww. inforzmd' by Mr Wilson, tbet :in th a,mvfnl utrge which he huai Pyt to-pass,4Iie ous to 3voi 4ems j lY thding which coulddiscormpose his-mind; bst hat'it was'neces. airy either that his. arms shoald he tied, or that tbe handcuffs which then wore should remnain, leaving it to the dption of the prisen'r. -Thnzteii thanked ,Mr. Wi;lson, 'and said, " that as it was the same, s thought he might as well retain the handcuffs."l He was then sea a'lone in the chapel with Mr. WVilson-the Chaplain and attend- aLts having -for an instant retired. IlSr. WVilson then addressed him, and said, " Air. 'Thurtell, your conduct, since you have been irtrusted to my carebas been such as to induce nme to hope, that at this awfiul moment you will acknowlc-dge thejustice of your sentence. You see there is no rperson with us-none but the Almighty can -cverhear our discourse." He replied, " Mr. Wilson, I thankryom foz all your attentions to me, and aU I wish to say Is this-I am aisfieid; I forgive every body, and. I die in peace and cha- rity with all mankind; that is all I wish to go to the world. Pray, Sir, do not ask me sny more questions." The Chaplain at tbis time returned into the chapel, and Thurtell, taking that gentle. -man by the hand, repeated bver twice the same words which he had just delivered to Mr. Wilson, begging that they might be U!derstood. as his dying declaration. He then resumed his aevotional exer- cises, and sald that he died very penitent-lfully 'iniressed ivith the tzecsolations of religion, and in ehanty .with the World. As the clork was on the point of striking twelve, he wTalked with his hand ,OD the Chaplain's arm fromn the chapel, along tbe-pa-vetd passage 'lhich crosses the yard to the door of the treadomill. His walk was firm and unembarrassed, his whole demeanour that of composure and resignation. AU around him seemed more affected than he ap. peated himself. He coralially shook hands -with M,r. Wilson's son, to whom in the morning he gave a lock of his hair, and lamented at firstthat he had nothingbetter togivehim. But,as ifrecollecting him. self, he said, " Oh! here's mny snuff-box: it is now empty; I have nto further occsion for K Keep'it for my sake." IAt ten minutes bhrre 12, a bustle amongthe javelin-men stationed within the boarjed enclosure on wlich the drop was erected, an. eoanced to Fhe multitude without that the preparations for the exe- cation "tre nearly concluded. Thejavelin-men proceeded to-arrange 'therrAdlves in the order usually observed upon these mglancho'.y but -necessary occutrrences. They had scaTcely tinizhed' their, arranlge. ments, when the opening of the gale of the prison gave an additionial impulse to public anxiety. At a few seconds before 12 o'clock, Alr. Nicholson, the Under-Sheriff, ascended the platform, and was fbliod,on to it bty 'XhnrtcL, who mounted_the stairs which led to it>.'a s low hut steady step. The princijnal turntey of the gaol carf--fiext, antd was followed by hlr. WVilson and two officers. Tlhur- tellXnmraediare,y placed himself under the fatal beam, and at that moment the chimes of a neighbouriDg clock began to strike twelve. The executiGner then came forward with the rope, which he threw across it. Thurtell then lifted his eyes up to the drop, gazed at it fur a few moments, and then took a calm but hurried survey of the mud. titude around him. He next fixed his eyes on a young gentleman in the crowd, whom he had frequently seen as a spectator at the commuencement of the proceedings against him. Seeing that the individual was affected by the circumstance, he removed them to another quarter, and in eiO doing recognized an individual w-ell known in the sporting circlesm, tP whom lie made a slight bow. The execu- tioner tinci commenced his moumful duties by taking from the un. happy prisoner his cravat andl collar. To obviate all difficalty in this stage of the proceeding, ThurteUl flung back his head and neck, and so gave the executioner an opportunity of immediately divesting him of that part of his dress. After tying the rope round ThurteUl's neck, the executioner drew a white cotton cap over his countenance, which did not, however, con- ceal the contour of his face, or deprive him entirely of the view of surrounding objects. At that moment the clock sounded the last stroke of 12. During the whole of this appalling ceremony there wa rnot theslightest symptom of emotion discernible in hifs features; hisdemeanour was perfectly calm and tranquil, antd be behaved like a man acquainted with the dreadful ordeal he was about to pass, but not unprepsred to meet it. Tlhough bis fortitude Was thus coltspi- cuous, it was evident from the alteration in his appearance that in the interval between his conviction und his execution he musi have suffered much. Hc looked carewor ; his countenance had assumed a cadaverous hue, and there wan a haggardness and lankness about his cheeks and mouth, which could not fail to attract the notice of every spectator. His dress was the same that he wore on the siecond day tif his trial-namely,a brown surtout,dark waistcoat,drab kerseymere *breechs, and gaiters. His legs were heavily ironed,and his hands were 'confined in hendcuffe. His arms,by his own desire,were not pinioned. 'The executioner next proceeded to adjust the noose by which 'Thurtell was to be attached to the scaiTold. After he had fastened it in such a mnanner as to satisfy his own mind, ThutrteU looked up at it, arsd examined it with great attention. He tben desired the executioner to let bim hare fall enough. The rope at this mo- ment seemed as if it would only give a fall of two or three feet. The executioner assured hin that the fall was quite sufficient. Theprin. ciEiltpkey then went uppto Thurtell, shook hand: withl him, and -turned away in tears. Mr. Wilson, the Governor of th-egaol, next appro-ched him. Thurtell said tohim, " Do you think, Mr. Wil- -eon, I havegot enough fall ?" Mr. Wilson replied, " I think you -have, bir. Yes, quits enough." Mr. Wilson then took hold of his land, shook it, and said, "Good by, Air. Thurtell, may God Al- - 1ighty ble6syou," T-hurtel instantly replied, "God bless you, 1Ir. WiTson, God bless you." lMr. Wilson then turned away from him, and appearing deeply affected, moved to a distant part of the scafiOld, and remained there till the conclusion of this melancholy *catastrophe. A few seconds then elapsed, luring wbiceu every per. -son reemed- to be engaged in examining narrowly Thurtell's deportment. His features, as well as they could be discerned, ap. peared. to remain unmoved, and his hands, whicb were extrem elv prominent, continued perfectly steady, and were not affected by the hlightest tremaulous motion. Exactly at two minutes past 12 the orop fell, without any previous signal being made; and as the vio. lence.ofthe faU tvas such as-to cause the dislocation of the neck to be attended with considerna6e noise, it is reasonable to conclude that the prisoner's death was instantaneous. A slight convulsion of the ,mouth wasobservedthe mnomentafter Thsurtcli fell; then came a single groan, and then followed the stillness of death. The executioner, te make certainty double su-e, pulled his body towards the ground fifteen or sixteen times, and thereby led the surrotnding multitude tobelieve thatThuitell struggled much before he died. The re. verse, however, Was the case. At themoment that the fatal bolt vas withdrawn, which' putan end to the " fitful fever" of Thurtell's ex. istence, an involuntary shudder was observed in the crowd ; a num- ber of persons fled as if under theimpulse of extremne terror, and in stheir flig rt absolutely forced down a cow-house, and som.e paling that were in front of the prison. One mnan fainted away, and seve. ral were seen aitempting, but in vain, to bide tie inten. sity of their feelings. At the same minute four horse-ex- presses procceded at fill gallop towards London, for the purpose, it was said, of informing some of Thurtell's late associates that he had 'died without making any confession to their prejudice. After the body hed been suspended about a quarter of an hour, the lisAsltitude, wh;ch had behaved with great decorum and propliety during all tha preparatory proceedings of the execution, exhibited a strong an.xiety to have a closer inspection of it, and in consequence mnade a rush within the barriers in b-dier to gratify it. They were. howvever, kept iack without nuch difficuity by. the constables Thi body was left hanging till - two minutes iast o1e, when the execu- tioner agaiz rnade his appearance -on-the platform, aRd unloosed is from the beam. It was immediatelycearried by four of Mr. WU. son'sofficers into the gaol, where it was aid upon a bier, with a sill handkercluiefover the face. The features, when exapiined, did not appear much distorted; and the -chief alteration perceptible in the e5nfiunterance was the omurnler of livid spiJts with which it was vare. 'gsted . On the removal of the body into the prison, the crowd imrne. diately dispersed. In the course of the evening the body, pursuant to the.sentence, was delivered over by the High Sheriff to Air. Colbeck, a surgeon in Heitford,to be anatomised and dissected. In addition to the formal reipt, which it ii usual that the surgeon wvho receives the body should give for it. MIr. Colbeek has been called upon to sign an un. deltakigg, that he will, on no account, suffer any person to take a cast from it. Tbis precaution has been taken in consequence of. a XwishintimateeIto the High Sheriff by Thurtdlhimself. "For my. seIf,'" said Thurtell, " I care nothing whether acast is taken of me or Rot- but I know, thaz if a cast were taken, a bust wouId be Unede from it, snd it wbeld be painful t o every member of my f a. m-lyY,oatd to my father in particular, if theY were met by such a sight ion onyuetur ccasion." The-hPhrenological Society have ap- Plied, through one of their members, to be allowed to take a cast of the back Part of the head onu.; and as Thuttelll8 objection to a case Of the fi zeddid not appear to bear upon-thi application, leave has b e eri ga.ntcd by the High Sheriff to make it. The body, it is un- destsood, wil be just dissected in such a manner at Hlertford as to a-tisfy the sentence of'the law; it will then be transnitted to one of the 1ospitals in London, where it will he converted into skeleton, and so be transferred hsacktozIlertford again. It was stated in the course of the day, that Hunt, upon hearing of the manner is which Thurtell had met his fate, observed, that se- vere as it i, he richly d eserved it. It was -PPobert's intention to e ite zvtneB56othcexeentionof hiis assocIate in crime, had he not Weon advise by the margistrates to leave the town on Thursday. lV a not conclude this account of the execution of Thurte L t tvhiowthe foin flll-justice to the courage with ivlt hiit he met the fate w hicb tlw uded.law s of his country assigned to hiir rn account of the e.tzcios'crjne olf' which he was convicted. In no part - of his- - bbehaviour on the scafftold v ras there ary thing lik c ie feer' irresolutidn- or braviido . Th ssereitey i which MA he conducced -himself in-his 1erist tryin woulId have caused hi m to-be considered as a mar- tyr, had he died for t hf sake of reli igon; and would have endeared hiis r temory to his coun trg to the be lest posterity, had he, in a period of naifof o iadegra f,jlaid down his ife for ierInjured liberties. Dying, however,' as lie,has died, for a murder ot. thq greatest atro- city, stablishled by evidence of the most satisfactorj;description, -we must harl againist allowing our admiration of- hi5 fortitude to over. come our moral abhorrence of the barbarities he committed. Itis evident that he was a man of uncommon energy of mind, and thesympathy of his gaol.attendants, men unused to melt, shbios that hemust.have possessed some kiNd, and generous, amd amiable qua. Mities. All therefore must regret that such a mari shotila have suf- fered his nature to become Oradunlly depraved inta the p!iMbility of perpetrating deliberate inurder. At the same timc sodiety must feel relieved by casting off'from its bosop a being who,haviug.choken the path of crime, was equally ibrmidable from tlie:. iaxity of' his principles and the strength,of his passicas,.front, the unbounded: influence his mental vigour gave him bvei ..his associaies, and froin his utter' fearlessness of danger and of death. It might have been natarafto, expect that. -the'fate of Thurtell would have excited, if not terror, at least reflection in the miind of many of his formevissociates; buf, extraordinary as it may appear, it is still not less true,* thiat though they were aware that Thurtell's first plunge into crime was ocasionecl by his predilection for prize-fight. ing and similar savage amusements, many ofhbem were speculating, at the very moment before his deathi, whethez lie had heard of the recent fight which took place near Worcester. We know not what the feelings of sucb roeni may be; but we should have expected, that if they entertained the slightest regard for the good opinon of their fellow-countrymen, they would have refrained from venturing upon such a topic at such a moment. No words can describe our lisgust at conduct so revolting to decency, humanity, aui all proler feeling. We shall only say, that it was in perfect keeping with the parties from whom it proceeded: we mean the gentlemen of the fancy-the rufaiis of the ring. Erratnn.-In yesterday's article fronm Iferttord, for 1' the Lama," read" K'ehema.' EBXECU1ION OF JOHN THURTELZ.