The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1864-12-31 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

EXECUTION OF THE CHADWELL HEATH MURDERER.  The execution of the wretched culprit, Francis Wane, took place on Wednesday morning at nine o'clock, at Springfield Gaul, Chelmsford The facts connected with the crime for which the prisoner suffered will be fresh in the recollection of the public. He was convi3ted of the murder of a woman named Amelia Blunt, and it appeared upon the trial that the prisoner and the deceased had cohabited together for a considerable time, but in consequence of his ill-usage of her, the deceased had left him and gone to live with an old man, named Warren, to whose son she was about to be married at the time of the murder. The prisoner had been heard to utter threats that this marriage should never take place, and the evidence at the trial proved that he had deliberately cut the throat of the unhappy woman while she was engaged in washing, and then endeavoured to make his escape. Ile was, however, taken into custody almost in the fact, and the evidence was so conclusive against him, that the jury almost immediately found him guilty of the crime of which be was accused. Almost immediately after committing the dreadful act, the prisoner appears to have been seized with remorse, and it was stated that be would have pleaded guilty, if some of his relatives had not retained counsel to defend him, and on that account pressed him nut to do so; but he had evidently, from She moment of his apprehension, made op his mind as to what must be the ultimate result. _ .  Immediately after the verdict war; returned, the prisoner seems to have made aj full confession of all the circumstances under which the crime was committed. With regard to the actual murder he appeani to haVe said that he expected the unhappy woman was to have been married the following day, and he wan determined that the marriage should not take place, lie state(' that he watched till the deceased was left alone in the washhouse, and then he went quietly behind her, and she was Ind at all aware of him being there until he put his left arm round her neck, and then with a knife he had in his right hand, he almost at the name instant cut her throat. At the instant he put his arm round her, he stater' that the deceased turned round, and, with &look of horror, exclaimed, 'Oh, Toddy (this was the nickname the prisoner was generally knoun by), what do you want here ?'' and without a single word in reply, he immediately cut her throat. She etruggied only for a brief interval, and then fell forward into the position in which she was found by the old man Warren, who had gone into an adjoining public house to fetch some beer for her, on his return. The wretched culprit was extremely ignorant. He could neither read nor write, and appeared utterly destitute of religious feelings. His position, in this respect, however, materially improved during his sojourn in the prison, and he appeared to pay great attention to the exhortations of the chaplain, the Rev, Mr. Hamilton. The only relations who have been to visit him biLICe his conviction are a brother and a brother.imlaw, and the former has upon several occasions engaged in earnest prayer with his wretched relative.  The hour fixed for the execution WAS nine o'clock, and about half pact eight Mr. Gepp, the under.sherill; arrived at the gaol and prJceeded to the chapel, where the priconer bad been for come time previously engaged in prayer. He was quite calm, and shook hands with the otlicialg' and expressed his thanks to them for the kindness he had received from them. .  Although the pruioner hen tiehwined feet, be mounted the steps leading to the scaffold without any assistance, and when the drop fell he appeared to die almost lin. mediately.