The Sun. — 1849-08-13 (London, England)

EXECUTION OF MARY BALL AT COVENTRY.— Maiy Ball, who was convicted at the late assizes of having murdered her husband in May last, by administering poison to him, suffered the extreme penalty of the law on Thursday last. Subsequent to her conviction, she for some time maintained a dogged sort of deportment, persisted in her innocence, took her food quietly, and at night rested tolerably well. On Thursday, the 2d instant, she had an interview with her own child, a little girl two years of age, in company with her sister and mother ; and on Monday last she was again visited by her friends, taking a final leave of them, and giving certain directions as to the disposal of her clothes, &c., with perfect composure. Immediately after ten o'clock on Thursday morning, the officers of the prison appeared on the platform in front, and the prisoner was led forth, accompanied by the Governor, Under-Sheriff, and his officer, and the Rev. Mr. Sandberg reading the service for the occasion. She proceeded up the steps with little assistance, and, as far as could be observed, uttered no word whilst thus awaiting her end, but with closed eyes and saddened countenance stood motionless while the rope was placed round her neck. In an in• stunt afterwards the drop fell, and she passed from this lite in the presence of from 18,000 to 20,000 persons, assembled, not merely from Coventry, but for many miles round. A subdued thrill of horror appeared to pass over this immense multitude as the fatal bolt was withdrawn ; but otherwise there was no manifestation of feeling, and, considering the vast concourse drawn together, their behaviour was quiet and orderly. On Saturday, the flags of all the ships of the General Steam Navigation Company in the river were hoisted half- mast high, in token of respect to the memory of the highly esteemed and deeply lamented secretary of the company, the late John Wilson, Esq. On Saturday morning, about half-past three, a man named Neil Farmer threw himselt out of the window of the second floor in Mr. Sparrow's beer-shop, in the neighbourhood of Euston-square station, and falling on the pavement, he was taken up in a dreadfully mutilated state. He was conveyed to University College Hospital, where he lies in a precarious condition. It appeared that he had arrived in town on the previous day by the nine o'cl,ck train, unknown to his family. For some days he had been giving way to intemperance, and ou the previous day, while under the influence of liquor, had been showing to persons in the public-house about 3001. in notes and gold. In his fall he broke a lamp underneath the window out of which he threw himself. Before going into Mr. Sparrow's premises he had been an hou.t in a room in Mr. Everard's coffee-house, iu the same street, where he hired a bed for the night. His relatives have been informed of the sad event.  Third class —Sea lieutenants, masters, captains of marines, of marine artillery, or of land forces doing duty as marines, whether having higher brevet rank or not, secretaries to admirals or to commodores of the first class, not commanding in chief, chief engineers of the first class—twenty shares each. Fourth class—Lieutenants or quartermasters of marines, or lieutenants of marine artillery, lieutenants quarter-masters, or ensigns of land forces, doing duty as marines, secretaries to commodores of the second class, chaplains, surgeons, paymasters, and pursers, naval instructors, mates, assistant- surgeons, second masters, chief engineers of the second and third classes gunners, boatswains, carpenters, assistant engineers, engineers not yet on the establishment as regulated by the Order in Council of 1847, clerks in charge, passed clerks—twelve shares each. Fifth class—Midshipmen, masters' assistants, clerks (not passed), naval cadets, assistant clerks—seven shares each. Sixth class—Seamen's schoolmasters, masters at arms, chief boatswain's mates, admiral'squartermaster, and captain's coxswains, ship's corporals, gunner's, Wats wain's, and capenter's mates, captains of the forecastle, of ther. afterguard, of the hold, of the main-top,and of the fore-top, coxswains of the launch, saihnakers, ropetnakers, caulkers, leading stokers, ship's cooks, blacksmiths, pilots, sergeants of marines, of marine artillery, or of land forces, doing duty as marines—six shares each. seventh class—Captains of the mast and mizentop, yeomen of signals, coxswains of the barge, pinnace, and cutter, second captains of the forecastle, of the maintop, of the foretop, and of the afterguard, sailmaker's, and caulker's mates, paymaster's and purser's stewards, musicians, coopers, artnourers, corporals of marines or of land forces doing duty as marines, bombardiers of marine artillery, head kroomans—four shares each.