The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1884-03-14 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

EXECUTION AT LIVERPOOL.  SCENE ON THE SCAFFOLD. THE EXECUTIONER CENSURED.  Michael M'Lean. a labourer, 18 yeare of age, wail executed 4 Kirkitale ;poi, Liverpoil, on li/londay morninv, at eight o'clock, for the murder of a Spaitiah iniainaii. named Nmtz, in Blackstone-street, Liverpool. M'Lean was the leader of a gang of young ruffiana who were the terror of the neighbourhood, and oily a short time beforo the murder of Niinez he had nerd:lndy etabhod a policerurm. He was also wanted for ther acts of violen e, but managed to elude the police until after the murder of Nunez, when the whole gmg c.f five were csotured. The jury rrturne 1 a verdict of not guilty in the cmie of three of the pi-limners, and of guilty ag tinst and Dempsey, recoilimending them LI macy on account of their youth. Tao Home S.cr,tary remitted the capital puoidiment in the case of Dempsey, but said he could not see any mitigattil oilounustanes iii M'Lean'a C39e. M.'Lean appeared resigned to hie fate, and mounted the seaff id with a firm at p. Turning then to the ri portera, he sdd in a clear voice, " Gantlemen, I o, adder it a disgrace to the police force of Liverpool and the !awe of the count-y th it lam going to suffer death, and another by is wing to suffer imprison. went for life, for a crime of which we are both innocent, aa God is my judge." The drop was 10 feet 8i inchoe, and death was instantaneous. BMus was the executioner.  The inquest was held soon after nine o'clock by Mr. Brighouse, the coroner. Evidence wee given that Biting, the executioner, came to the gaol drunk on Saturday, and that he gave a drop of 10 feet 81inches, whereas he had said it would be 9 feet 6 inches. Binus volunteered to give evidence, and de,,ied that he had more the,' one glass of beer and a bottle of horehound on the Saturday. He was drowsy, and fell asleep, because he had been up during the week with his wife who was ill.  The jury censured Binna for the inefficient manner in which he had conducted the execution.  The Press Association states that although the execution was successfully aeoamplished. Binns was in a very nervous state while on the scaffold. On his arrival at the gaol on Saturday Binne was conducted to his old quartei s, wid at once fell asleep. When the warders went to wake him he became noisy and abusive, and threatened to use personal violence to those about him. Indeed, so violent did he become that the governor sent for the police, upon which Binns became quiet. Samuel Heath, Binna' assistant, was after this scene aske 1 to undertake the execution, but he could not do so, as Binns refused to surrender his straps and other ap.diancos, and there was no time to obtain otheis. Heath informed the reporters that he had not received his travelling expenses in connection with the previous executions, and that though Mons had received £l5 for the execution of Flanagan and Higgins, together with £3 for his assistant, this money had not bsen paid to Heath. It has been ascertained that when Binna reached Liverpool on Saturday he went to a publichouse near the gaol, where he had dinner, and, it is alleged, only two glasses of ale. After leaving the gaol on Monday, Binns drove in a cab to a publichou.e, accompanied by two men engaged on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. He afterwards visited another publichouse, where he is said to have imbibed pretty freely, and where he exhibited his ropes 4trl straps to a number of persons. He then proceeded to the Lime.street Station and booked to Dewsbury, being apparently very far advanced in liquor.