The Sun. — 1858-04-05 (London, England)

EXECUTION OF JOSEPH SHEPHERD,  AT P,RK.  Joseph Shepherd, the murderer of Bethel Park. inson, on Wadsworth Moor, near Halifax, under went the extreme penalty of the law on Saturday at noon. The culprit was visited on Friday night by the Rev. J. Parkes, who arrived at the condemned cell at 11 o'clock, and remained with the wretched man until 5 o'clock on Saturday morning. Shepherd, if it be possible, was more hardened than ever, for when the rev. gentleman conversed with him upon the concerns of his soul, and offered up prayer iu his behalf, lie laughed aloud. Mr. Parkes remonstrated with the culprit, but all his efforts were of no avail. He told the prisoner that he could not expect happiness and rest in the next world if he acted in that manner, upon which he remarked, with a smile, " If there's no rest for me in the next world, I might as well have as much rest here while I stop," anti then laid himself down on his bed. Several times during the night he re-asserted his innocence. He slept at intervals, and at four o'clock he went into a sounder sleep than usual. Mr. Noble, the governor, also visited the unhapyy man, and in the course of conversation he told him that if he died in his present state, and did not repent ef his sins, ho would surely go to hell. The culprit answered, "Never, I shall be all right in the snowy weather ; I shall be right during one half-year, when the weather's cold." The culprit also made a similar observation to Mr. Green, the deputy-governor. Shepherd was removed from the condemned cell to a room on the opposite side of the Castle-yard, and adjoining the so tffold, at about six o'clock in the morning. When the officers were ready to conduct him, the culprit walked away quietly, his nerves were unshaken, and he appeared determined to meer his fate with perfect coolness, and to retain his self-possession and fortitude to the last. On coming through the office, in which there is a clock, Shepherd looked at it, and observed the li tie pointer at six, remarked, " When that gets to the top I shall be done for ; it will be all over then." On dressing himself ho was full of joke and fun. When the officers of the prison were conducting him across the castle yard he was in high glee, and laughed as before. He looked at Clifford's Tower, and said, " That's the old tower, I suppose." Since his trial the culprit had never been heard to utter a word of prayer, and his conduct throughout had been of the most callous character. When he arrived in the apartment adjoining the scaffold, he threatened that when be was on the drop, if he had the chance, he would " knock Jack Ketch over," The culprit, since his condemnation, had expressed a wish that he could obtain arsenic and poison himself, and had said that he deserved to be hanged, although he did not murder Parkinson, still maintaining his asseveration of innocence. During the 25 years that Mr. Noble has been at York Castle, he has known about 20 men suffer death on the scaffold, but in all his experience he never met with a m in Hee Shepherd, so hardened, so callous, anti so lost to all sense of religion. The Under-Sheriff (William Gray, D'q.), arrived at the Castle at a quarter to 12 ; and at 12 .he procession made its appearance on the scaffold, Shepherd being attended by the Rev. Mr. Parkes and the gaol officials. He was held by Mr. Greenl the under-keeper, until the executioner completed his arrangements, and repeated two-orthree tnrvell " Lord, have mercy on me," after which ttuncll ed was withdrawn, and the unhappy n'an fi short into eternity. lie btruggled veryvimucevreather was time. He made no confessi.on.i aed there were fine, the sun shining brillianot -present, many of from 10,000 to 15,000 Pers°l d from the neighwhom were from the country bourhood of Halifax.  -----=----g TRUE n Sunday last, m ropress of the French were taaing an the Emperor and t d Esevosio- , IN .---._, .