The Warwickshire Herald. — 1885-03-21 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

INQUEST.  At eight tielcek on Tnesday, Henry Kimberley was exec ted within the precincts of tic %Mixon Green Prieon, Birmingham, for the murder of Mi... l'aliner, wife of Mr. Thomas Palmer, licensed victualler, Paradise Street. Shortly before eight o'clock 13erry, the executioner, entered the cell in wliich the condemned man was incarcerated, and having p:nioncd him, the procession, headed by the chaplain of the prieon, issued forth and moved slowly towards the ecalfold. sTI:e rope having: been ailjnated the bolt was dratvn, aid Henry Kimlerley was launched into eternity. .  The early part of the morning was rather dull. but a gleam of. sunshine could be discerned liugeriiui tehind the greyish \ clouds, and befcre . the fatal hour arrived the sun buret forth in its full. plen,lour. The arrangements for the carryit4 ont of the execution were in every way ashMrsb:e, if Such a term may be applied to iso solemn a matter. Everything Was complete f otnetime before eight o'clock. Long before the hour appointed erowfb of persons could be teen s'owly wending their way in the direction of the pCson, and f,y half-past seven o'clock there could not have !Ten less than 2,000 persons assembled Oa the re:aside of the gaol. The culprit was visited in his cell by Eerry, of itrfulford, the exemtimer, ehortly before eight o'clo..k, and submitted to the pinioning in a quiet and pessive manner. The usual procession was then formed, consisting of the prison o:ticials, and headed by the pr.son chaplain, the culprit walking by the side of one of the warders. The condemned cell is filtrated at the inmost part of the prison, and Kimberley ha.l to walk from this apartment along a corridor, and descended a flight of eleven steps before he reached what is known as the back yard, and in which the room where the excention took pa-:e is situated. Every precaution had been taken to prevent the possibility of perfume reibling in nciehbouring houses seeing enething of the profreedings.. At the far end of the yard, and at the bottom of the flight of steps referred to, a long canvas sheet had been stretched across, snore especially to prevent what Was occerring being witnessed* from the windows of the Coverner's residence. The bell commenced to toll about ten minutes to eight O'clock, its ominous imend having a moat depressing influence. The culprit, upon leaving his cell, walked firmly to the scaffold, whieh is an entirely new structure. The room in which it is erected is about sixteen feet square, and a strong team goes across the centre, the rope being attached by means of an iron clasp. Underneath there is the well or pit, into which the body falls, and at the side is the staircase leading into it, and by means of which the pit is entered for the purpose of elating down the body. On the other side -or the culprit's right—is the lever by which the lot is drawn.  imberley, upon entering, gave a hasty glance at all the preparations. He was dressed in convict's attire, and had a dejected appearance. Ile lia,l not, however, materially altered since his sentence. His eyes bore traces of severe weeping, and his whole appearance indicated that he was greatly distressed. Berry is a young man, about thirty years of age, and cultivates a beard, whiskers, and moustache. In the early part of the morning he was seen to be parading the corridors, enjoy. lug the fragrant wood, and wearing a 111:11 hat, but upon entering the fatal room his appearance was somewhat iliircrent. His headgear had becn changed to a kind of showing cap. While Ito was engaged adjusting he rope, the culprit addressed some words to him in an undertone, the purport of which wasas tothe mannarin which the cord should be placed. After this Kimberley was continually ejaculating, " Receive my son!, t) Lord," and "Cvtil receive my soul." lie had not stood upon the platform more than thirty seconds before the bolts were drawn, and he fell in the pit below. There was no struggle—not tno slightest semi:lance of one, anil en passing the well directly afterwards it could he seen that Kimberley was still as a log oi Wood. Death must have been instantaneous. The black eag was Immediately hoisted, and the shouts from the crowd outside could be distinctly heard in the prison yard. This is the first private executOn that hal taken place in Birmingham