Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1875-01-09 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE LISBON GROVE TRAGEDY.  I 'James Oranwell, aged 50, who was 0014 ioted at the last session of the Cell' ral Criminal Court, of the murder of a woman named Emma Bellamy, by beating her on the head with a shoemaker's hammer, and cutting her throat, was executed on Mouday morning within the gaol of Newgaie. The prisoner, who was a widower, had met the deceased casually in a public-house, aloof five weeks before tie fatal occurrence; and, although it was proved that he hal previously been a sober, *ell conducted man, the connection seemed to h.,ve led to a career of .drink and dissipation. The deceased was a married woman, but separated from her husband, and it was suggested at the trial that the prisoner eomodtted the set out of alealing of auger at discovering that the deceased was not a widow, as she had represented, and that be could not marry her. The prisoner went to bed early on Sunday night, but he slept very little, and got up and dressed himself about six o'clock, and shortly afterwards he was . visited by the Ordinary, the Rev. Mr Lloyd Jones, and also by the • surgeon, Dr Gibson, and Mr Sidney Smith, the governor, and the culprit thanked every one of these gentlemen for the kindness he had received from them durin,; the period that he had been contned in the gaol. To the Ordinary be frequently expressed his regret for the crime, and expressed a hope that he should be pardoned in another world. Mr Alderman and Sheriff Ellis, Mr Sheriff Shaw, and the UnderSheriffs, Messrs :Elliott and Sedgwiac, arrived at the prison shortly after half-past seven o'clock, and a little before eight Mr Sidney Smith, the Governor of NeWgate, introduced them to the cell of the prisoner. He was quite calm and collected, although it was evident that it required an effort on hi a part to subdue his excitement. He thanked all the officials for the kindness he had received from them, and submitted to the operation of pinioning without saying a word, except to request the executioner, Mr Marwood of Tiverton, not to pinion him too tightly. The prison', bell at this moment began to toll, and the officials preceded to the scaffold, the Ordinary reading the 1 burial service in an expres,ive manner. Since the last execution at Newgate an entirely new apparatus has been constructed for the execution of criminals.. Formerly a portion of the old scaffold had been utilised for the purpose, and the culprit had to walk up a ladder and to mount several steps. This was Obviously inconvenient, especially in the' ease of a prisoner who might faint, or who requ.red !Ole istance, and the old scaffold bad been done away with, and an entirely new one, level with the ground, erected, the floor being similar to a cellar flap, and when the drop falls the culprit is almost entirely hidden from view. While the executioner was placing the cap over the prisoner's face he asked him not to put it too much over his mouth, and in a very kw seconds all was ready, and the drop fell. The rope appeared to be of extra length, for after the platform had been dropped nothing was visible but a portion of the tope, and the body of the culprit was entirely hidden from view. The prisoner was a tall, fine man, and he appeared to struggle for two or three minutes before life was extinct. At the moment of execution a black flag was hoisted at the entrarce of the gaol, and the usual certificate w signed by the sheriffs, the governor, and the surgeon of the prison, notifying that the sentence of the law had been duly executed. A coroner's ineinemt wa, held on the body in conformity with the provisions of the Ad of Parliament.