The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1883-05-26 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THE HANGMAN'S FESTIVAL.  The hangman is doing a large business. His services are required in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Indeed, he is so much in demand that it was found necessary to respite two wretched Glasgow criminals for a day or two until Mr. Marwood could find time to attend to them. Those unhappy men, who seem to us to have been treated with inexcusable barbarity and for whom the humane Glasgow people vainly endeavoured to get reprieves, had to make way for two murderers, who were  executed at Taunton on Monday. Fagan's turn will come on Monday. Delany has been reprieved ; but Caffrey and Tim Kslly are, it is understood, to be left to their fate. If we go on in this way Jack Ketch will soon have constant employment in what we are in the habit I of calling the most civilized country in 1 the world. Naturally, Marwood is now being made tho object of a considerable amount of gossip, and if he is not idolized by the peopfe he would certainly appear to be received with considerable favour wherever he goes. We are told he arrived in Glasgow on Tuesday, having left Taunton on Monday forenoon after the executions at that place. His presence was known all along the line from Carlisle, and at every station at which the express stopped people came forward and looked through the carriage window, some shaking hands with him. He seemed extremely flatLred at the reception he experienced, but, owing to the early hour at which he arrived, he was not recognised at the Central Station, Glas.go*. He is extremely communicative, and seems to be by no means ashamed of his calling; and when interrogated does not hesitate to declare himself the servant of the Almighty, just as much as a judge or a minister of religion. He appeared no more affected by the prospect of carrying out the dread sentence of the law than an ordinary man would be at writing n letter. He does not admit any rival, declaring that he alone is the Government executioner. He brought with him ropes, one of which he used for the execution of Brady and Curley. The noose is formed by a brass ring, through which the rope passes. Marwood claims to be the first to produce by long drop instantaneous death. He talks readily of his Irish experiences, and professes great hostility to James Carey, who, he says, deserves to be hanged if ever a man did. When asked whether he had any difficulty with Joe Brady, he replied "No ; for the very good reason that I brought what tamed that famous criminal, a good rope." When Marwood travelled through Ireland in the course of his vocation he was escorted by four detectives armed with revolvers. The Government wished that he bliould be protected in a similar way in England, but lie rejected such protection, declaring that there was no one in England or Scotland who wished to injure William Marwood. His communicative habits contrast strongly with those of his predecessor Calcraft, who was singularly reserved. Mr. Watson, City Chamberlain, who has had occasion to correspond in his official capacity with both men, observed that the difference of character shown in their correspondence was most marked. Anyone finding a letter from Calcraft would never have inferred the peculiar nature of the business to which it referred, whereas Marwood, both in speaking and writing, used very direct language.