Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1890-04-12 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

TAU-aced that he was muttering a prayer, \ tlst •—t look proclaimed that his heart dictated h.s On either hand of him, as he came from the cell, were two warders. The chaplain at once commenced in trembling accents to recite the burial service as the procession, headed by the governor of the gaol and the under-sheriff, moved along the corridor. Berry walked immediately behind the prisoner and the reporters followed a few paces distant. With a firm step the prisoner, his head bowed, walked through the corridor, which, in the quietness of the morning, resounded with the slow and measured tread of footsteps. After proceeding about 30 yards the governor and Mr. Greg tinned to the right to enter a passage which led into a yard. A freshly-blowing morning breeze greeted the group as they crossed the open space, and the prisoner raised his eyes to take a last gaze at the sky,from bete et n the clouds of which bright rays of sunlight issued. Just then Berry pulled front his pocket a as bite cap, which he slipped over the head of this prisoner, whose steps were then guided by the two warders on either side of him. The yard was about 40 yards across, and after traversing this distance the procession entered a rather small room with whitewashed walls. A rope dangling from a black painted beam, with two black painted uprights,formed the scaffo'd. The last scene was soon enacted. Tile bolt was pulled and Richard Davies was launched into eternity. At that moment a black flag suddenly appeared, and drooping in the bright sunshine of the spring morning from an elevated staff on the prison walls, announced to the silent watching group that stood opposite the prison entrance that the sentence of death had been carried out.  In conversation with the chaplain after the execution, a correspondent was informed by the rev. gentleman that Richard Davies, whom be had daily been, was truly penitent for the part he took in the crime. Asked whether the demeanour of Geotge Davits indicated the same feeling on his part, Mr. Truss replied that he had appeared "stolidly indifferent."  Captain Price, the governor of the gaol, also said that the condemned youth made a statement to the chaplain on Saturday maintaining his complete innocence of all part in the actual crime of murder, which was at once telegraphed to the Home Secretary. Dr. Fennel, the prison surgeon, said the death of the youth was instantaneous, and Berry informed the reporters that the "operation" of execution occupied five second". After the drop had fallen Berry steadied the rope, and on looking down into the pit it was seen that the. body hung motionless, the cap-enveloped head falling through the dislocation of the cervical vertebne almost at right angles on the right shoulder. Berry said that the poor youth had met his fate very bravely indeed, and that his self-control had been wonderful. He submitted without word or movement to be pinioned in the cell. After the drop had fallen there were a few convulsions of the muscles of the arms and legs,but the doctor said that these were purely reflex actions, unattended with the least pain. After hanging an hour, the body was cut down, and at 11 o'clock the inquest was held.  The body was laid out in a plain wooden coffin, in the room where the execution took place. There was a slight discolouration about the chin, where the rope had evidently grazed and bruised the skin. The mouth and eyes were slightly open and the neck was broken. The jury then adjourned to the governor's room. Captain Price, the first witness called, gave evidence as to the conviction, &c.,_ and said that he was present at the execution, and believed the sentence required by law had been humanely and expeditiously carried out. Asked by the coroner whether the deceased had made any confession or had said anything as to the justice of his sentence, Captain Price replied that to the last he maintained his innocence. Before being pinioned he made a written declaration in pencil to his mother to that effect. He did not hear deceased make any remark on the scaffold as to the justice of his sentence or his innooence, but he made a supplication for Divine mercy.—Chief-warder Lewis save evidence as to the last words of tbw condemned  youtiN, Ana Dr. rennsii, prison surgeon, saw ins a-ntenee had been carried out hutnanely, and death was due to dislocation of the oervical vertebra:.— The jury then returned a verdiceto that effect.