Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1849-08-15 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

EXECUTION OF MARY BALL AT COVENTRY. —The prisoner made a confession of her guilt to Mr. Stanley, the governor of the gaol. " For some days (says Mr. Stanley) after the trial, the prisoner appeared to be very indifferent to the awful situation in which she was placed The Rev. 11. Bellairs, rector of Bedworth, visited her on Tuesday after the trial, awl used every effort to bring her to a sense tif her solemn position. He again visited her on the liillowing Friday, and soon after his departure a change for the better was observable in the state of her feelings; and to Rebecca Vernon, a woman in waiting, she said that she had something to say, but that she would say 11 10 the governor, and to no one else. She also said to two other women who sat up with her the same night, ' I WiSil me and my husband had been separated before, and then I should not have been here.' .hr the same time she repeated to those persons that what she had to say she would tell to the governor himself. On Sunday morning last, she said to Rebecca Vernon, that she liked to hear the governor read, and she wished to see hint. I immediately attended • upon her, and after reading to her a short time, she tippeered anxious to say something, and taking me by the band, she made the following confession. Shesaid, '1 will tell you something.' I asked her what she wished to any, and she replied, I did not like to tell any one else but you. I told Mr. Itellairs a lie on Tuesday last.' I then asked her what she had said to Mr. Bellairs, and she answered, I knew nothing about it myself; but that is false, and I will tell von all about it. I put the arsenic on the mantel shelf, ana told him (her husband) there was some salts on the shelf; he might take them, they would do him good, though I Ithew at the time it was not salts; but I thought that if he took it himself, I should not get into any scrape about it. for the people would think he took it in a mistak.i.' (Mr. Stanley colitinnes)—l then said to her, For God's sake, liall, what made you do it !" She answered me, and said, Why my husband was in the habit of going, with other women, and India me so ill ; no one knaws what I have suffered; but had -I have known as much as Ido now, I would not have done it, for I would rather have left him and went to the workhouse; but I hope God will forgive me.' I then asked her if avy one else knew anything about it, and she said no one did. I farther asked her how she came to say anything to her husband about salts; to which she replied that he was not very well, and she thought she would tell Lim there was salts on the shelf, though at the same time site knew it was not salts." The murderess maiatabled tier self-possession and firmness in a remarkable degree to the last. Immediately after ten O'Cillek 011 Thumday morning, the officers of the prhaat 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 services for the occasion. She proceeded up tile steps with little assistauee, and, as far as we could observe, uttered no word it hile thus awaiting her end, but, with closed eyes and saddened countenance, stood motionless whilst the rope was placid round her neck. In an instant afterwards the drop fell, and site passed from this life in the presence of from eighteen to twenty th usand persons. A subdued thrill of horror appeared to pass over this immense multitude as the fatal bolt •was drawn, but _  ........... otherwise there was no inani Ristut ion °fleeting. The victim in this dreadful scene appeared to the without any perceptible struggles or distortions. It i 3 tfl years since the last execution at Coventry—that of Mary Ann Iliggins.—Cuventry Herald.