The Sun. — 1869-12-13 (London, England)

THE EXECUIION 'IHE WOOD-GREEN .31URDERER.  The execution of the culprit, Frederick Hinson, for the double murder at Wood-green, took place this morning at nine o'clock, the Secretary of state having made a communication to the gaol authorities, in answer to the memorial sent to him on the prisoner's behalf, to the effect that he cannot find any circumstances of mitigation in the case such as would justify him in recommending the prisoner to the clemency of the Crown. Since his conviction the culprit seems to have been upon several occasions in a state of great excitement ; and, notwithstanding the earnest endeavours of the Rev. Mr. Jones, the ordinary of Newgate, to bring him to a proper sense of his condition, it is to be feared that he has not been successful, as the culprit was evidently under an impression, which it seemed almost impossible to remove, that he was perfectly justified in committing the dreadful acts of destroying the life of the woman with whom he cohabited, and whom he persists in v.,garding as his wife, and the man who he considers was guilty of adultery with her. It has been quite in vain to remind him that it was quite impossible for the wretched woman who lost her life to have stood in the relation to him of his wife, inasmuch as he had a legal wife still living. He still insisted upon his having a right  to regard her as his wife, and evidently seemed to think that he has not been guilty of any etnne in destroying her for her supposed infidelity, and he has upon several occasions quoted passages from Scripture for the purpose of showings that he was justified in taking the life of an adulterer. It will be remembered that it was proved at the trial that the prisoner had a wife, who, it appears is living in Scotland, and from whom he was separated shortly before he became connected with the murdered woman, Maria Death. His mother-inlaw has visited him during the last week, but it was evident that she did not entertain a very kind feeling towards him, for it would seem that almost immediately upon her entering his cell she began to upbraid him w;th the dreadful crime he had committed, and the culprit, actuated, no doubt, by the feeling Le fore mentioned, was about to retort in a manner not at all befitting his awful position, but the officials present, seeing what was likely to occur, and the unseemly scene that would probably take place, very prudently put a stop to it by removing the visitor, and the prisoner, who seemed a good deal excited by what had taken place, was some time before he recovered his composure. Since the conviction of the prisoner he had been visited by his father, his brother, and his sister, but his mother did not see him until Friday aft rnoon, and the interview between her and her unh .ppy son appears to have been of a west painful character. The prisoner was a tall and very powerful and muscular man, and from the state of mind in which he appeared to be, some apprehension was entertained that he might make some desperate effort to resist the carrying out of the sentence. It will be recollected that something of this kind occurred a year or two ago upon the occasion of the execution of a man named Wiggans, for the murder of a woman with whom he cohabited at the east end of the town, the culprit making a desperate effort to prevent the executioner from placing the rope round his neck when upon the scaffold, and the exertions of several of the warders of the prison were required to restrain the culprit until the drop fell. The two children, one of whom was legitimate, and the other the survivor of the family by Maria Death, have been provided for by a gentleman, named Morgan, who resides at Wood-green, and who knew the prisoner, and have been placed in school at Wood-green. The sheriffs, Sir J. Causton and Sir J. Vallentin, arrived at the prison shortly before nine o'clock. When the prisoner saw Calcraft he addressed him, " Good morning, Mr. Calcraft," and at this time he exhibited a good deal of firmness, which, however, forsook him shortly afterwards. W hen the platform fell the culprit appeared to be dead almost in an instant.