The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1894-12-08 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THY HEAVY THUD UY TFIE FALLING BODY. A drop of ift. Sin, had been riven. On the return of the Under-Sheriff and his party to the governor's room, our correspondent gleaned a few facts as to the oonviet a last moments. He retired to rest on Munday sight a; 10.50, and slept fairly well until 5.40 next morning. At the breakfast hour he partook of bread and butter and tea. The chaplain visited him twice, and las second stav in the condemned cell was while Rend finished his meagre repast, and IS was then that the culprit, replying to Mr Weetbrook, intimated that he had no atateme.nt to make beyond an expression of thanka to the Governor and officials. It appeared, however, , from the chaplain's statement that BEAD HAD WILITTUN SOMETHING TO THE ROMS OFFICI, . . .  the substance of which he eviuld not. oommunicate for publication. During the pationing, the Under-Sheriff also approached the condemned, man with the object of ascertaining whether !he had anything to say, or any ! whams to make known. His reply was in substances what he had already given to the gaol ! chaplain. Our ourrespondent on leaving the prison wry officially informed by the Governor, ' Mr Sheppard, that no confession of the crime of which he was convicted had been made by Read. It WM further stated by one of the prominent officials that up to within a very brief time of the carrying into effect of the aentenee the convict hed again and again reiterated that no evidence of hit having ever been seen with Florence Dennis had been adduced against him. After the body had hung the prearited time an inquest was held within the precincts of the prison. The body, when viewed by the jury, lay in the coffin. bully dressed in the licht suit, and Reads appearance had undergone I no change, except that the face was somewhat blue, and the neck showed a slight abrasion. Dr. IHunt Paid death was instantaneous. Billington's work being entirely satisfactor,. The jury fouidl that &massed died from nialocation of the neck.— After the prieeedinge of the Coroner's Court had concluded, the remains were buried in the presence ! the Under-Sheriff and Governor. Since Reads j execution  A Lsrrsa  addreo.sed by the convict t-o-Ifis brother Harry haa byett published. which confirms the statement ro. gaoling the. later deocription given by Head of bin movements on June 24. In this letta., dated from _ . _  the pre, iu, December 2, Read says :—"ln .-nite of the truth, and in spite of evidence presented to him proving my innocence, the Home Secretary has eialorsed the murderous conspiracy of his profesnional brethren. Blood, I presume, is thicker than water, and eliquism is stronger than just;ce I have written to him this afternoon asking if the enquiries I suggested ha, e been fully made, and pointing out that, if truthfully answered, then he is acting in defiance of evidence. I asked for an opportunity to produce these proofs, which the neglect of my legal representatives kept from the Judge and jury, my mouth being thus sealed. I ; had -beforehand referred him to the medical evidence, which showed the gii7 was murdered between 12 midnight on the 24th anct 5 a.m. on the 25th, and that four witnesses at Mrs Clothier's, No 1, Granville Villaa, South Church-road, Southend, could answer 'foe my being in bed the whole of that time. And now ho says there has not been produced sufficient proof. Is not this monstrous? Is it not murder? If this is not pro 4 of my innocence, where, for God's sake, is there proof of my guilt ?"—A correspondent has made enquiries at the address indicated by Read, and has ascertained from a lodger that Read did breakfast there on the Sunday.