The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1871-04-29 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

EXECUTION OF THE STRATFORD MURDERER.  The execution of Michael Campbell, for the murder of Mr. Galloway, at Stratford, took place on Monday morning, within the walls of Springfield Gaol, Essex. _  The prisoner conducted himself remarkably well at Springfield Gaol, and during the last few days he made a statement to the effect that he had led a life of crime and dishonesty. For many years he got his living by picking pockets, and at an early period of his life he states that he and three other lads were convicted of robbery, and he was sentenced to a term of imprisonment, and then he was sent to a Reformatory, but he declared that he was innocent of this offence. He stated that when he regained his liberty he had no means of obtaining an honest livelihood, and he very soon resorted to his old evil practices, but it was only during the last three or four years that he joined a gang of housebreakers, who 'chiefly directed their attacks on to what are called " portico " robberies. The prisoner states that on the night in question he and a man named Galbraith, a third man and a woman being with them, who was to keep watch and give information when anyone was approaching while the rest of the party were engaged in committing a robbery. It appears they were to take it by turns, and it was that of the culprit to attempt to enter the next house that they intended to rob. In consequence of this the prisoner had in his possess' 'on a small strong crowbar, a "jemmy," and it appears that it was with this instrument that the deadly injury was inflicted upon the deceased. The culprit said that they had no other weapon or instrument in their possession. When he came up to the deceased, and found that he was holding his companions and calling for the police, he said that in an instant he drew the jemmy from his pocket and made a stab at the arm of the deceased for the purpose of making him loose his companion, but he missed his arm and struck him in the face.  On Monday the prisoner wrote a letter to his mother, who is the only relative who has visited him since his conviction, in which he expressed his deep sorrow for the crime he had committed, and expressed an earnest hope that his sad fate would be a warning to his two brothers and sisters, and that they would lead an honest and religious life. Mr. Gepp, the representative of the High Sheriff, attended at the prison shortly before eight o'clock, accompanied hy solos of hie officials, and the culprit was shortly afterwards pinioned. At this time he expressed his sincere sorrow for the act he had committed, and expressed a hope that he should be pardoned by God. He shook bands with Captain M'Gunnery, the governor of the prison, and the warders who had him in charge, and thanked them for the kindness they had exhibited towards him, and he, at the same time, said he was quite prepared to die. A procession was then formed to the scaffold, which was erected in one of the yards of the gaol. The prisoner, who was accompanied hy the Roman Catholic priest, kneeled down when he was placed under the beam, and appeared to pray most fervently for a minute or two, and he then resigned himself to the offices of talcraft, the executioner, and the platform shortly afterwards fell, and after two or three convulsive struggles the culprit ceased to exist.