Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1866-08-18 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

EXECUTION OF GRANT AT EXETER.  WEDIUSDAT.  John Grant—sentenced to death at the Devon Lammas Assizes by Mr. Justice Blackburn, for what is known as the Staddon Heights murder—was executed at eight o'clock this morning, in front of the county gaol. The erection of the machinery of death began at dawn, when a large number of persons had already assembled to secure a good view of the shocking scene. The history of the crime is soon told. The murder. er—a native of Ireland, and 36 years of age—was in the 13th Regiment, stationed at Staddon Heights, near Plymouth. He had previously been in the Indian army for 14 years, but abroad as at home he bore a I very indifferent character, and he was much addicted to drink. His victim was an intelligent boy, aged seven,the son of Mr. Booker,a contractor,of Plymst He was missed from his home on Saturday evening, June 9, and after a tiring search by his sorrowing parents, his dead body was found Ma ditch on Staddon Heights ; near it there was a bloody stick,besides which there were other evidences both on the body and the ground of a murder. From evidence purely circumstantial the crime was brought home to Grant, in whose company the deceased was last seen. '1 he absence of motive was a peculiar feature of the case, but it was conjectured that the convkt attempted an unnatural crime, and—being afraid of detection and the consequent punishment—he made away with the child. The jury found him guilty, with but little hesitation. . .  The stolidity of the convict's demeanour at his trial gave rise to the belief that he was utterly impenetrable to mond sod religions isfluence ; but this has proved a mistake. His conduct in the condemned cell has throughout been of the most contrite character. Although he never made a full confission o: the horrid deed, he repeatedly admitted the " justice of the sentence" (his own words) passed upon him. He attended very reverently to the ministrati ins of the Rev. W. Johnson, a Roman Catholic priest of this city, who daily visited him, and who was with him during his hist moments. It is also said that he sent a message to those of his comrades at Plymouth who were of the same community as himself—begging them to intercede for him at the Throne of Mercy. His deep sense of his awful position seemed to increase, and there is good reason to believe that a material change took place in his vie s in spiritual matters since he toid the police-constable who took him into custody that he supposed he should live to "kick out," but that would be no more for him than it was for the Duke of Wellington and Prince Alb—they had had to "kick out" at last. From the very first he has accepted his fate with apparent resignation, and he is reported to have stated to one of his warders that he would walk as boldly to the scaffold as he would to the battle field. The possibility of a reprieve seems never to have occurred to his mind. Indeed, so atrocious was his case that there was not the least effort in that direstion on his behalf.  Calcraft arrived last night. There was an assemblage of 6,000 spectators gathered round the place of execution, and the utmost decorum was observed by the crowd. Grant displayed considerable firmness, and ascended the scaffold without support. Before being pinioned he shook hands with Calcraft. The bolt was drawn at a few minutes past eight, and almost immediately the wretched man ceased to exist. The culprit was executed in his regimentals.  Tac CHOLERA IN Rresis.—A St. Petersburg letter says : • Special prayers hare just been offered up in the Church of Isaac by the Archbishop of Isidore, to solicit the intervention of Ileaven to stay the cholera. In live weeks that terrible scourge has carried off 5,0G0 victims here. 01 the persons attacked, scarcely one in three escapes, and the epidemic carries off more than twice as many men as women. The Grand Duke Alexander has commenced the tour in the Interior of the empire which the heir to the throne is always bound to perform At the some tbne, his brother the Grand Duke Alxxis is going round the world with RearAdmiral Posist, in order to learn his business in the navy.