Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1883-05-25 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

DOUBLE EXECUTION AT TAUNTON.  On Monday mornine, within the precincts of Tsunt on prisoo„ the ex rem. ii nte ice of the law was executed upon Joseph Wedlake, convicted for the murder of Mark 0 oc, at Winford, and George White, convicted for the murder of his wife, at lienstridge, ne sr Wincanton ; and, in accord. ance with regulatious issued by the nigh Sheriff of the county, the proceedings were coucluated with as much privacy as the law would allow. The prison doors were cloeed against all who were not officially c innecie I with the gaol, so dee: the execution was witnessed by the Sherdf, the chepl an, the ward,re the governors, and the surzeou. Since 1879. when the let ex, eution t fok place at Taunton, considerable alteration hoe been effected in the interior arrangement of the geol. Toe prisons of the country have been taken over by the State. and ere not now under the control of the c mnty authorities, although we believe Visiting Committees, representing the Curt of Q rat ter Sessions, are permitted to wake periodicul visits to the prison. Not only has this transferred authoryni opelied to the Taunton prises'. but the c.ll accommodation for civil prisoners has ben much curtailed, and the greater portion of the gaol is used for the reception of military prisoner& There are, in fact, now two & pirate eetabliehmeet made under one roof, v ith two governors and two sets of warders. Mr. Kiteley and his staff of officers hove charge of the evil portion of the establishments. The eenteuce of the law, cpun the last occasion was carried out in the van-house, a large room near tee interior entrance get a of the prison, but the champ s to which we have adverted have rendered it necessary that another trot should be chcsen. For come dere the condemned men spent the greater part of tho time if. Scripture reeding anti prayer. B fth wire r,signed to their late. Wedlake, who ever since the trial had been vef, Peuitent,frequently gave way to fits of remorse and grit!; but White, Clough equally resigned, had all along been more composed. Marwood arrived at Taunton on Saturday, having travelled direct from Dublin, where: on Friday, he executed Daniel Curley, one of the Phoenix-park murderers 'the scaffold was erected ithin 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 was in constant attendance upon the condemned men, remained with them the greater portion of Sunday evening. A few minutes before eight o'clock on Monday morning the gaol bell began to tull, and a procession, cunsieting of the gaol officials, the Sheriff, and the two culprits, wended its way to the place of execution. They took their rositions 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 seconds the bolt was drawn, and both men ware launched into eternity, the chaplain, the Rev. W. Ilowee, reading the burial service. Immediately the drop fell a black flog was hoisted over the entrance to the prison, and those assembled without knew that the dread sentence of the law had b .en carried out. The bodies, according to the or 'visions of the Cupital Punishment Act, were allowed t bang for an hour, after which they were taken down and pl iced in rough wooden cf fens. The brick fig was lowered on the bodies being taken down and placed in a coffin, and the usual declaration was posted on the prison door, signed by the lige Sheriff, Mr. Vincent Stuckey, the prison chaplain, the Rev. W. Howse. and tee governor of the pris in, Mr. Kiteley, erasing that judgment hod been ex fcuted on both the cenderuned men. The eert•ficate of the prison surgeon that the sentence had been properly curried out was postel alongside of it.