The Cannock Chase Examiner. — 1877-04-06 (Cannock, Staffordshire, England)

EXECUTION AT ARMLET GALL. SHOCKING SCENE AT THE SCAFFOLD..  In Arraley Gaol, Leeds, on Tueeday morniug, John H. Johnson, 37, lent dealer, was hanged for the inertia ol Amos Waite, at Dradford, on the Brith of December last. On the evening lof that day the pileoner and a woman named Amelia deceit, with whom he lived, were drinking together at the Bedford Arms. The woman went Into the yard, aid whilst there a man went towards her. She called out for the priteener, who immediately responded, and came Into the yard. lie seized hold of the and there was a quarrel and a senate between them. There was a wutlle also between the prisoner and the deceased, hut the former was induced to go house, and Amelia Sewell followed him. About half-past eight o'clock, as two use named Clark and Denby 'sere crossing from the Britannia Arms to the Bedford Inn, they found the deceased in the etreet. One of his fingers was bleeding.. They accompanied him home, and his wife dressed his anger. He then changed hie coat, and they all went out again. As they were going towards the Bedford Arms, the deceased a little in front, there war a shot, and the prisoner °red out, "That will do for thee ' As soon as Denby saw the prisoner fire the sbot he an after him. The prisoner walked at first, bd when he got round a corner he ran. Denby and Clark pursued him ; Clark pushed him on his face, and Denny }inured a revolver which was in the prisoner's hand. A mason named James Brown aseisted the deceased home, laid him on the floor, and found a bleeding, wound in his breast, and unfortunately he was dead. The defence set up was that of insanity, but the jury' found the prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced to death. On Sunday afternoon the relatives of the-condemned man, including his father, mother, brother, and sister, had a final ineerview with him, and of all of them he took an affectionate farewell. He has also written the following letter, .which has been delivered by his brother to Mrs. Waite, the widow of tlic murdered DIAII :  -- Leeds torough Gaol, April lot, 107.—Mrs. Waite,— I take the liberty of writing these few lines to you aoking your kind forgiveness for the injury which I have dime you, by taking away the life of one who, 7 have no doubt, was the nearest and dearest to rut heart, and which rash Oct has been the means of taking away that support which yourself and family stood so much iii need of. I do hope and earnestly pray that God in his infinite mercy ( who feeds the young ravens when they cry) will bountifully supply all your needs, and that yourself and family may never want. I know that this is poor restitution. but it is the only restitution left me on this earth, and I felt in duty bound to make it, and I do hope that you will swept it in the some spirit in which it is written. Oh, Mrs. Waite, you know that I would not, nor could I, have done snob an awful deed if I bad been in say sober genets at the time, and if the prayers of the Ii iug availeth at all for the departtd, may poor Amos's s. ul rest in heaven, where I hope to meet him once snore I ask your forgiveness, and remain a truly penitent sinner JOHN Ifs.