The Sun. — 1863-09-12 (London, England)

ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.  LIVERPOOL, Sept. 12.  The interest and excitement as to the ultimate fate of the four condemned murderers lying at Kirkdale have been intense during the last week. Yesterday afternoon, large crowds of people, many of whom appeared to have made a pilgrimage from the manufacturing towns, were upon the ground in front of the scaffold, the preparations of the workmen, and the ghastly ceremonial for which they were preparing, appearing to afford abundant material for speculation and gossip. In fact, so large was the crowd, that a visitor inquired if there was about to be a " rehearsal" of the 'spectacle of to-day. The weather being favourable great numbers, desiring to have " front plAsaces," mencampedconcourse f or ofthe spectators prsuweorn the ground.ected ,bar. riers of great strength were erected, and an unusually large police force was stationed at the gaol, and in its vicinity. The spectators at the execution of Taylor, it is believed, numbered 80,000; and, though there was not that intense and peculiar interest which distinguished his can attaching to any of the four murderers executed to-day, yet, from the fact that a quadruple execution for separate crimes was unprecedented in Liverpool, there was an equal, if not greater, number of people. The criminals, from inquiries made last evening, were as resigned as could be expected from men in their dreadful situation, and Alvarez and Thomas appeared to have changed their somewhat callous and indifferent bearing which they at one time manifested. Alvarez had been visited by the Spanish Consul and Vice Consul at Liverpool, who communicated to him the unsuccessful result of the efforts made to obtain a reprieve in his case. Mr. Godwin, of St. Anthony's Catholic Church, had also spent a good deal of time with Alvarez. Thomas received the information that the efforts made in his favour had been fruitless with more composure than was anticipated. It may be remembered that he had feigned madness during his trial, but his conduct during the past week confirmed the opinion of the surgeon of the gaol that his mind was never affected. Mr. Hughes and Mr. Saunders, two Welsh Dissenting ministers, have been in frequent attendance upon him, and took the greatest interest in his case. He was seen two or three days ago by a former schoolfellow, who called again at the gaol yesterday afternoon, hut as Thomas expressed a disinclination to see him, Captain Gibbs, the Governor, did not allow an interview. O'Brien had no visits from friends or relatives, but had been most assiduously cared for by the Rev. Mr. Gibson, the Catholic chaplain of the gaol. Hughes had received visits from two of his brothers, and from a daughter by his first wife. Calcraft arrived yesterday afternoon. At no former execution at Kirkdale have more than two criminals been hung, and no foreigner has previously been executed there. The usual preliminaries having been gone through, the procession slowly wended its way towards the scaffold; and Calcraft having adjusted the rope on each of the culprits, they were in a few moments launched into eternity. The immense crowd shortly afterwards dispersed. The bodies having hung the usual time they were taken down, and were be buried within the precincts of the gaol.