The Sun. — 1853-01-17 (London, England)

THE SHEFFIELD MURDER.  EXECUTION OF BARBOUR,. On Friday morning a communication was received by the authorities at York Castle from the. Home-office, intimating that the result of the further investigation into tthe case of James Barbour, at Sheffield, on Wednesday, was such as to preclude Lord Palmerston from advising any interference on the part of the Crown with the sentence of the law, which was, therefore, directed to be carried into effect at the expiration of the respite for seven days, received on the 7th instant. The fact that such instructions had been received was communicated to Barbour, but the intimation produced no visible effect upon him. The letter wits read to him, but he said nothing, and maintained his wonted sullenness and obduracy.  The Condemned prisoner has never been left alone, another convict and an officer of the prison remaining with him. During a brief absence of the officer, Barbour suggested to his fellow-prisoner a proposal to attempt an escape, but of course such an attempt would have been perfectly futile, as the chimney and windows of the condemned cells are double-barred, and the massive stone walls and iron doors of that dreary abode render the escape of its inmates a physical impossibility. At about seven o'clock on Saturday morning Barbour was removed from the condemned cell to a room on the opposite side of the Castle-yard, and adjoining to the scaffold, in the fixing of which workmen had then been employed for nearly three hours. When it was intimated to him that he must be so removed he evinced a perfect readiness, rather an anxiety than otherwise, to leave the condemned cell, and to be taken nearer to the scene of his final and fatal doom.  The chaplain had an interview with the culprit at ten o'clock, when he told the rev, gentleman that he felt very much distressed on account of his parents. He said, "They will feel my death very much." The chaplain replied, "Yes, no doubt they will ; but it would be a great satisfaction to them provided they knew that you died truly penitent, and had confessed your sins." Barbour said, " Will you write to my parents ?" The chaplain answered in the affirmative, and Barbour then said, " Well, then, sir, I am guilty ! and nobody had anything to do with the murder but myself 1" The condemned prisoner then intimated that he felt very much relieved in his mind, and expressed a wish to receive the sacrament, which was administered to him by the chaplain, and from that time forward up to the last moment he continued to pray. After Barbour had received the sacrament he was handed over to the officers whose duty it was to perform the operation of pinioning, whereupon all his fortitude left him ; he became most dreadful nervous and agitated, and this great change in his demeanour increased more and more, until at twelve o'clock he was conducted to the scaffold, when he became perfectly terrified, being only able to ejaculate in trembling accents the sentence, "Lord have mercy upon me !" which he repeated many times. The sufferings of the wretched creature seemed to be of brief duration. During the execution the rain fell in torrents, and the immense roof of umbrellas under which the spectators were sheltered, formed a curious sight. There were not more than half the number of people present, compared with those who witnessed the execution of Waddington. The body of the culprit, as usual, remained suspended until one o'clock, when it was cut down, and in the after part of the day interred in the burial ground of the prison, adjoining the condemned cell. Barbour will be interred in the same grave which was dug for Waddington last week.