The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1875-01-08 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

FOUR EXECUTIONS. THE LISSON GROVE TRAGEDY.  James Cranwell, aged 50, who was convicted at the last session of the Central Criminal Court of the murder of a woman named Emma liellawy, by beating her on the head with a shoemaker's hammer, and cutting her throat, Iva, executed On Monday morning within the gaol of Newgate. The facts of the case were very clear and sirup e. I ,The Pl'18011C: went to bed early on Sunday night, ,but he slept very little, end gig, up and dressed hiweelf about six o'clock, and shortly afterwarcht be was visited by the Ordinaiy, the her. Mr. Lloyd Jones, and alga by the surgeon, Dr. Gibson, and Mr. Sidney Smith, the governor; and the culpit thanked these gentlemen for the kind. nese he had received from them during the period that he had been confined in the gaol. To the Ordinary he frequently expressed his regret for the crime, and expressed a hope that he should he pardoned in another world. The Sheriffs Mes.rs. Ellis and Shaw), and the Under-Sheriffs (Measly. Elliott and Sedgwick) arrived at the prison shortly after half-past seven o'clock, and a little befote eight Mr. Sidney Smith the Governor of Newgwel introdaeed them to the prisoner's celL lie was quite cairn and collected, although it was evident that it refind ed an effort on his part to subdue hie excitement. Ile thanked all the officials for the kindness he had received from them, and submitted to the operation of pinioning without saying sword, crept to request the executioner (Marwood; not to pinion him too tightly. The prison bell at this mom, nt beg-tn to toll, and the officials proceeded to the scaffold, the Ordinary reading the burial service in an impressive manner.  Since the last execution at Newgate an entirely new apparatus has been constructed for the execution of criminals. Formerly a portion of the old -cr.:told had been utilised for the purpose, and the culprit had to walk tm a ladder and to mount vcral steps. This WiL3 obviously inconvenie t, especially in the ease of a prisoner who might faint Or who required astiotanee, and the old scat. fold has been done away with, al an entirely new one, level with the ground, erected, the flour' being similar to a cellar flap, and when the drop falls the culprit is almost entire:), hidden from view. While the executioner was placing the cap over the prisoner's face he asked him out, to put it too much over his ion ith, and in a %cry few seconds all was ready. and the drop tell. The rope appeared ti he of extra length, for after the platform had been dropped nothing was visible but a portion of the rope, and the body of the culprit was entirety li'ddeu from view. The prisoner was a tali, fine roan, and he appeared to etre.: el° for two ir thre • minutes before life was extiLet. At the moment of execittien a bla-k flag was lio!sted at the entrain * Cl the gaol, and the usual certificate was igned by the sheriirs, the govern:4-, and the surgeon of the vri -on, rot ryingt that the vent cue.. of the law hed liecti duly executed. A coronet's inque.,t was lied en the body in confoimity with the provisions of the Act of Parliament.