The Poole Telegram. — 1883-05-25 (Poole, Dorset, England)

DOUBLE EXECUTION AT TAUNTON.  On Monday morning, within the precincts of Trunton prison, the ex rein° s nte ice of the law wit, executed epee Joseph Wediake couvrcted for the murder of Mark C .x, at . Winford, and George White,/ convicted for the murder of his wife, at Henstridge, ne .r Wincanton ; and, in accordance with regulations issued by the High Sheriff of the county, the proc sedings were cenducted with as much privacy as the law woull allow. The prison doors were closed against all who were not officially cuineo'el with the gaol, so tia'. the execution was witnessed by the Sheriff, the chaplain. the ward, r., the governors, and the aurreon. Since 1879, when tbe let ex cution t rok place at Tatinton, considerable alteration bee bean effected in the interior arrangement of the gaol. Toe prisons of the country have been taken over by the State. and are not now under the control of the county autheritiee, although we believe Visiting Committees, representing the C .urt of Qearter Session!, are permitted to make periodical v'sits to the prison. Not only has this trend- rred authoryni apelied to the Taunton prison. brit the c.II accommodation for civil prisoners has tern much curtailed, and the greater portion of the gaol is used fir the reception of military prisoners. There are, in fact, now two a. perste establishment made under one roll, e ith two governors and two sels of warders. Mr. Kite ley and his staff of officers hive charge of the c.vil portion of the establishments. The sentence of the law. up at the last occasion was carried out in the van-house. a large room near the interior entrance gut 'a of the Prison, but the °hang s to which we have adverted have rendered it nec.'ssary that ano'her spot should be chosen. For some days the condemned men spent the greater part of the time ie Scripture reading and pravev. B .th w.-re resigned to their fate. Wedlake, who ever since the trial had been very penitent, frequently gave way to fits of remorse and grid ; but White, though equally resigned, had all along been more composed. Mac wood arrived at Taunton on Saturday, having travelled direct f ram Dublin, where, on Friday, he executed Daniel G....rley. one of the Pbcenix-park murderers. 'I he scaffold was erected within the precincts of the civil prison, the site formerly used for such purposes being now included in the section of the gaol which has for the last few years been devoted exclusively to military prisoners. the chaplain' who sa as in constant attendance upc n the condemned remained with them the greater portion of Sunday evening. A few minutes before eight o'clock on Monday morning the gaol bell began to toll, and a procession, consisting of the gaol officials, the Sheriff, and the two culprits. w. nded its way to the place of retention. They took their , routine under the drop, having previously had their arms pinioned ia their cells. Their legs were then strapped, white caps were drawn over their faces, and in a few I 3' conds the bolt was drawn and both men were Launched into eternity, the chaplain, the Rev. W. Howse, reading the burial service. Immediately the drop fell a black flag was heisted over the entrance to the prison, and those aerembled without knew that the dread sentence of the law had b ‘en carried coat The bodies, according to the Provisions of the Capital Punishment Act, were allowed ti hangefor an hour, after which they were taken down and pl aobd in rough wooden c. ffins. The blick hug was lowered on the bodies tieing taken down and placed in a coffin, and the usual declaration was poetise on the prison door, shined by the Htge Sheriff, Mr. Vincent Stuckey, the prime chaplain, the Rev. W. ff)Wllet, and the governor of the prism, Mr. Kiteley, stating that judgment had been executed on both the cendenined men. The certificate of the prison surgeon that the sentence had been properly corned out was poste I alongside of it.