The Warrington Examiner. — 1873-09-13 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

EXECUTION AT LIVERPOOL. SHOCKING SPECTACLE.  The execution of James Connor, who was convicted a the recent Liverpool assizes, before Mr. Justice Brett, of the murder of James Gaffney. took place shortly aster eight o'clock on Monday morning at Kirkdale Gaol.  On the night of the 11th ult. Conner was at the Cambridge Music Hall, Liverpool, and while there he asked a woman, named Shears, to drink with him. She refused, and he afterwards followed her outside, quarrelled with her, and struck her two or three violent blows, which knocked her down. The deceased man, who was passing at the time, went to her assistance, and asked the prisone,- why he had ill-treated the woman, whereupon Connor drew a large clasp knife, and stabbed the de •eased in the neck, inflicting a wound from which Gaffney died next morning. A companion of the deceased named Metcalf sprang forward when the latter fell and knockdd the prisoner down, but Connor immediately jumped up, and picking up the knife, which he had thrown away, ran at Metcalf and struck him a blow which cut through the whole of his clothes, but fortunately did not cause any injury. Connor then walked away, but he was soon afterwards apprehended with the knife in his possession. The defence set up at the trial was that the deceased provoked Connor to strike him, and that the prisoner was, therefore, only guilty of manslaughter. . For some time after his condemnation the prisoner exhibited much callousness. He generally ate and slept well, and took open-air exercise within the prison walls. He was visited on Saturday by his sister who came from Sheffield, and it was said that he showed little emotion until his sister raad a letter from his mother living at New Heywood, the contents of which letter deeply affected him. Under th mini-trations of the Rev. P .ther Bonte, the Homan Catholic chaplain, the culprit ultimately showed indication of a better state of mind, and n Sunday be received the sacrament. Calcraft was the executioner. The only persons present at the execution were Mr. Deacon, under sheriff; Captain Gibbs, governor of the gaol; the chaplain, several prison warders, and the newspaper reporters. Outside a few persons assembled to watch for the heisting of the black flag. The culprit appeared collected and cool, and he ascended the scaffold with a firm step. Arrived under the 'beam he.milingiy nodded to one or two warders in the yard below, and he then stood quietly on the drop. Everything being in readiness, the bolt was drawn. Then a horrible scene was witnessed. The rope snapped in two, and the wretched man fell into the drop hole groaning heavily. lie kept his feet, falling against the front part of the structure. A thrill of horror ran through the spectators, and for a few seconds the officials were almost paralysed. The culprit was. raised by two warders. He was making an un-liccessful attempt to unpinion himself, and asked, "What do you call this P Do you call this minder After this you should let me off." He was placed on a chair while the drop was again prepared, and during the renewed ministrations of the chaplain, who was greatly affected, he said to the rev. gentleman, "After this you should let me off; surely this is enough. I stood it like a brick the first time." The culprit exhibited great nervousness and trembled violently, though he paid great attention to the prayers offered by the chaplain, and appeared to join earnestly in the responses. After a lapse of eight minutes he was again led under the beam and a stronger rope was adjusted. Though still nervous, Connor showed no signs of shrinking. I.,deed, his pinioned arms having become slightly loosened in his struggles, he quietly assisted CAlcraft in pulling the cap over his face. The drop was immediately afterwards drawn. Death ensued in one or two minutes, Connor suffering apparently little or no pain. The breaking of the rope caused excitement indignation amongst the few spectators. The rope was suppliel, as usual, by Calcraft, who was confident of its sufficiency, and who was heard to exclaim afterwards, "I'd hava risked my life on it." It was stated that no such accident had happened at Kirkdale for the past 30 years at least. A.. inquest on the body of Connor was held by Mr. Driffield, county coroner. The Jury, after returning the usual formal verdict, inquired into the breaking of the nip!). A ropensaker, who was on the jury, after examining portions of the rope, stated that so far as could be seen it was a thoroughly good one--manufactured of Manilla hemp. The Jury exonerated Calcraft from any blame in the matter.  and