Widnes Examiner. — 1891-01-03 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE BOLTON ATROCITY. EXECUTION OF MACDONALD AT liIIIKDALE,  Thomas Macdonald, who waS Convicted at the last Liverpool Assizes of the atrocious murder of Elizabeth Amil Mit, a schoohnistress, was hanged in Kirkdale Gaol on Tuesdaf. hinrder for which he has paid )he extreme penalty of the law was committed on the 10th of November. On the morning of that day Miss Holt, who was a young and attractive woman, left her home to fulfil her regular duties as assistant mistress at the National Schools, Belmont, near Bolton. She never reached the school-house, and on the following Saturday her mangled remains were found hidden under some bracken and leaves at the bottom of a ravine known as Longworth Clough. Suspicion at once fell upon Macdonald, a native of the village in which Miss Holt lived with her mother and sister. Macdonald—who bore the worst possible character—had been released only comparatively recently from penal servitude for an outrage upon a young woman, and had since then narrowly escaped being put upon his trial for the murder of a companion. The police felt sure from the first that they had the right man in custody; but Macdonald simplified matters at the coroner's inquiry by making a complete and circumstantial confession. It was thought at first that Miss Holt had been outraged as well as murdered; but happily the medical evidence contradicted this assumption, and Macdonald himself swore that such wasnot the case. At the trial before Mr. Justice Cave, the prisoner, although he formally pleaded not guilty, exhibited great impatience at any prolongation of the proceedings, and when Mr. Cottingham, his counsel, pleaded for his life, Macdonald exclaimed," I don't want it. lam guilty straight off. . Let it drop." Mr. Cottingham submitted that the crime was a sudden impulse of passion ; there was no premeditation and no preparation for it, for the prisoner had no weapon with him. He followed and caught hold of the girl, who struck him a severe blow across the face with her umbrella, and this exasperating him he closed with her, knocked her down, and then kicked her to death with his clogs. Mr. Justice Cave, of course, said there had been no excuse for the crime, and passed sentence of death in the usual form, after which Macdonald, still stolid and indifferent, turned lightly on his heel and jauntly stepped from the dock, whence he was conducted o the cells. After his condemnation he wrote to friends alluding to his position, without, however, referring to the circumstances which brought him to the gallows. He, indeed seemed to regard his fate with the greatest indifference, nor were any efforts made to obtain a reprieve. Representatives of the press were admitted to witness the execution which took place in a coach-house. At a few minutes before eight o'clock Macdonald was placed ,on the drop. Berry was the executioner, and his task was accomplished before the clock struck the hour. The murderer trembled violently whilst the last preparations were being made. The usual inquest was held and the usual verdict returned. Since, his condemnation the murderer has written several letters to his relatives. Theyare of the kind usually written by inmates of the condemned cell, especially whop the crime has been one , of a more than usually horriblOharacter.  ' It has been decided by the:Lincoln Chamber of Commerce to petition in favour of the railway which it is proposed to construct across England between:that city and Liverpool.