Blandford, Wimborne and Poole Telegram. — 1874-08-28 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE ST. MELLON'S MURDERER.  Gibbs, the man sentenced to death' for the murder of his wife at St. Mellon's, was executed at Usk on Monday miming. He died without confessing. It will be remembered that the culprit who was butler at Llanroinney-hall, having formed an intimacy with a young woman at St. Mellon's, conceived and carried out a plan for destroying his wife. On the 12th of May he cut her throat, and dragged her body to a ditch. It was 'not discovered until the morning of the 3rd June. After his conviction Gibbs was sullen and morose, and protested his innocence to the last. On Sunday he partook of the Holy Communion in the gaol chapel from the hands of the chaplain. The only indication a guilt was a statement be made to one of the warders who had him in charge, to the effect "that if people knew so much as he thet would say more than they do." and a word that escaped his lips when standing on the drop. The execution was arranged for eight o'clock. A few minutes before that hour, the executioner, William Mrawood, shoemaker, of Horneastle, proceeded to the pinioning-room. No sooner did this operation commence than the prisoner wailed and screamed in the most piteous manner, striking terror into the limited number of spectators who had been admitted within the prison walls. He was literally carried to the scaffold by Warders Parker and lioness, closely attended by the executioner. The chaplain read in an impressive manner the burial service : but above this were to be heard the bitter lamentations of the pritioner, crying, "0 God, 0 God!" After Gibbs had been placed underneath the beam, Colonel Mihuan left the side of Mr. Crawshay Bailey, the High Sheriff, ana asked for the last time if he had anything to say. The culprit cried out. "God forgive me for all my past sins. He knows that lam innocent, and I am happy that Tie knows that lam innocent. I die innocent." The Governor: "Nothing more 1" At the last moment he cried out, "Good bye my parents: good bye all t" "Good bye." "Good bye. May the Almighty have mercy upon use;" His groans were pitiful, and he was left on the fatal drop, his knees tottering, his whole frame trembling, and literally hanging by the rope around his neck. The funeral service still continued. The Lord's Prayer was said, all present joining in, and in a few moments the drop fell with a crash and Gibbs fell with a jerk. All that remained to be seen was the top of thewhite cap that enveloped the head and a slight quivering of the rope. The hell tolled and the black flag bearing the word "Justice" was heisted over the front wall of the gaol. After tae body NVIIA cut down it was lying in a cell in the corridor. There were no signs of a violent death, and he looked more calmly than he had done since his apprehensior. 'The medical testimony proved that he had died of a broken neck. His sufferings were, therefore, of very short daration. Gibb, had, according to the chaplain and the Governor, eaten more and slept better than any other prison in the gaol. On the morning of his execution he ate a hearty breakfast of sausages. In the erection of the prisoner no place was assigned for persons hung to be buried there, and Gibbs was buried in a part of the outside ground, and the earth levelled, so that no one can discover the place.