The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1883-06-08 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

EXECUTION OF CAFFREY.  On Saturday morning Thomas Caffrey was executed in Kilmainhara gaol for the murder of Mr. Thomas Burke. Ile is ,the toui th man whn has forfeited his life for the Pnosnix-park murder. Next Saturday Tim Kelly, the youngest culprit, aged 19 years, and the last up to the present, will be hanged. Delany, the other man who pleaded guilty to the murder, was reprieved. C affrey was deaplv penitent. At half-past six o'clock, the Rev. Canon Kenneuy and Rev. Mr. Fondly entered the prison, and at mice preceded to the cell of the doomed man, whom they con -lusted to the chapel. Here Caffrey ern: r gad inreligioua ex siren e for some time, and received the Holy Communion. Tne cro d outside the prison numbered 200 persons, comp Add chiefly of boys and women, and merubera of the labouring class. Just as the prison clock chimed the first stroke of the eighth hour t're little black flag was run no, announcing that Marwood had completed his work. About 80 or a 100 of th se in the crowd knelt down' crosaed themselves, and offered up prayers for the repose of the soul of the depart el. Caffrey's mother and other relatives broke down completely when the awful signal was displayed. The deceased man's brother suddenly burst into a paroxysm of grief, and wandered about aimlessly for a few mom-nte. Inside the gaol the proceeding were of the m )st formal but solemn nature. After Caffrey had heard mass and had performed his final religious duties in the chapel, the little proces-ion was formed at a qiisrter to eight. When leaving the chapel Caffrey said he hoped his fate would be a warning to all young I marl against jninine secret solietied. Half way to the place of execution he was met by Marwood. He did not evince the slightest emotion during the process of pinion.; jog. The culprit glanced hurriedly at the scaffold, a slight tremor seemed to overcome his frame, but it was only momentary, and with a firm step he ascended the steps leafing to the platform. Then he turned to the clergymen, warmly shook hands with them, thanked them for their serviced, and expmssing his great expectation of forgiveness in the next world, stood ready for his fate. Death did not result from rapture of tee spinal cord, but from asphyxia, so that death was not inst anteHe oue Csffrey made no statement and left no declaration, bend the one he had made some time since admitting the justice of his sentence, lie was twenty-four years of age, and was, like his brother, for a long period employed as quay porter. At one time he served in the army. His wife died some time since, leaving one child, the issue of the marriage. He had bean at one time in the employment of James C srey, the informer. The inquest on the body was fixed for nine o'clock, the coroner being Dr. Hart. and Dr. William Alexander Carte testified that the cause of death was asphyxia, , produced by hanging, and a verdict was returned accordingly. TO following letter is said to have been written by Caffrev to his mother :—" Kilmainham Gaol, June Ist, 1883, half-past eight o'clock p.m. Dear Mother,—l write you these few lines for the last time in this world, and hope you will offer up all your sorrows along with my sufferings in atonement for my crime, and all the sins of my past life. I hope you will forgive all who have done me harm in this world, as I forgive them from the bottom of my heart, as I expect to get forgiveness from my merciful Father in Heaven. Dear mother, I am just after receiving the Holy Sacrament of confirmation, and I am quite prepared, with the help of Gad, to go before the judgment-seat or justice. Make sure to mind your religion, yourself, and the child, and I hope to meet you some day in heaven, where there will be no more parting for all eternity, and there, in the company of our blessed Mother and all the saints, we will praise our blessed Redeemer for evermore. Tell all inquiring friends that I hope no one will ever throw a slur on my child or anyone belonging to me for the death I had to surfer, and hope you will never have cause ti blush when my name is spoken, as I am paying the full penalty of my crime ' in this world, and I hope I will not have to suffer in the next. Whenever you see this letter pray for me. No more in this world, from your loving sen, Tflomes