Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1891-01-03 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

TWO EXECUTIONS.  On Tuesday morning two murderers suffered the extreme penalty of the law. One of these was Thomas Macdonald, convicted at the Liverpool Assizes of the murder of Miss Holt, schoolmistress, at Belmont, near Bolton. The execution took place at Kirkdale Gaol. A few minutes before 8 o'clock the bell began to toll, and those having the orders of the Sheriff, eight in number, were admitted to the gaol. The execution was in the building known as the coach-house, situate in the gaol yard. Here ivas erected the new apparatus, consisting of a link chain attached to ths cross beam, which can be regulated with a nicety to the weight of the culprit, The cross beam is 12ft. from the trapdoor, and there is L pit beneath also 12ft. deep. The drop allowed for Macdonald, who was 34 years of age and weighed Bst. 101 b., was 9ft. 2in. The condemned man passed a restless night, and rose early. The Rev. Father Pennington then administered the last rites of the Church, after which the condemned man partook of a light breakfast. When Berry, the executioner, entered the cell, Macdonald appeared more than usually composed, and was paying earnest attention to the ministrations of the priest. Accompanied by Berry, he proceeded to the pinioning cell, and there the executioner strapped his arms. Headed by the priest, reciting the prayers for the dying, and accompanied by the gaol officials, the melancholy procession wended its way to the scaffold, only a few yards distant. Here Berry strapped the culprit's legs, and, stepping back, drew the bolt. The surgeon then went below, and having felt the pulse, stated that death occur e 1 in 3 minutes, the shortest time ever known at Kirkdale. The body was afterwards cut down and an inquest held. The second alecution was at York Castle, the culprit being Robert Kitching, aged 34, gardener, who murdered Police-sergeant Weedy, at Leening, near Bedale, North Yorkshire. Kitching had passed the night in troubled sleep, and as early as 6 o'clock was visited by the prison chaplain, the Rev. H. Vyvyan. He was still engaged with the chaplain, when Billington, the executioner, enter.: the condemned cell a few,minutes before 8 o'clock. Beyond muttering a few inarticulate words and exhibiting a nervous discomposure, he did not shew any acute signs of emotion. The work of pinioning was. sot:ill despatched and all was ready. The gallows projected from an adjoining room, and as 8 o'cl.T.k chimed out the dismal procession moved off frorn the condemned cell. The Governor went first, followed by the chaplain. Then came the culprit with an officer on each side and Billington behind, the rear being brought up by the under-sheriff. The noose having been properly fixed, the legs pinioned, and the white cap adjusted, whilst Kitching was standing over the drop, he seemed to reel and nearly fainted, but the bolt, was instantly withdrawn, and all was over, there being little or no vibration of the rope. The culprit's demeanour during the latter part of his confinement was marked by quiet resignation, excepting when he was visited by his wife and other relatives, on which occasions lie relapsed into violent paroxysms of grief. He paid great attention to the ministrations of the chaplain, and expressed himself very penitent. It is understood that shortly before his execution he left with the chaplain a confession of his guilt. No reporters were admitted to the execution. The body hung for the statutory hour, when it was cut down.