The Warwickshire Herald. — 1893-07-27 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

EXECUTION AT NENVGATE.  D.SORACEFUL SCENES OUTSIDE.  George Samuel Cooke, aged 27, late a constable of the X Division of police, who was convicted at the last sessions of the Central Criminal Court. before Mr. Justice Hawkins, of the wilful murder of Maud Smith, alias Merton, was banged at 9 o'clock on Tuesday morning within the walls of Newirate Prison. Representatives of the press were excluded from the execution by order of the High Sheriff for the county of London. Cooke made the aoquaintance of his victim while on duty in the Strand, he being at that time attached to tn E Division; but, on a complaint from the woman, was transferred to Wormwood' Scrubbs ; where tii3 dead body of Sm th was found on the early morning of May 7th. Her skull had been fractured in two plates, and she had other injuries. Cooke was recommended to mercy by the jury on account of provocation, but the circumstances of the case presented such features of aggravation that small hope was entertained of saving the man's life. The conduct of Cooke throughout the whole of the proceedings was marked by apparent indifference. He did not express sorrow; but, on the contrary, said that "he was glad that she was dead," and that he felt happier for that fact. The convict was confined in Newgate Prison during the interval since his trial, and is said to have maintained during the time of his incarceration the same stolid indifference which he shewed at his trial, and, in fact, to have exhibited no concern as to his fate,although at times towards the close he appeared to be very anxious about the future welfare of his aged parents arid his sisters, and was much distressed when alluding to the degradation which he had caused them. 1 The convict went to bed about 10 o'clock, his , usual hour, but throughout the night he was very restless and slept little. He got up a little before 7 o'clock on Tuesday morning, and quickly dressed lin the clothes which he wore at his trial. The chaplain remained with the convict until within a few minutes of the time fixed for the execution. At three minutes to the hour Billington wee introduced into the condemned cell, where he proceeded to pinion the arms of the culprit. Cooke offered no 1 resistance, nor did he make any observation durine the process. On leaving the cell a procession wan formed for the scaffold. The convict, who walked between two warders, is said to have borne himself at this trying moment with remarkable fortitude. 'fire final preparations were very quickly carried out. The convict stood nearly six feet, and weighed about 12 stone. He was given a drop of over five feet. Death is said to have been instantaneous. Cooke is understoood to have died very penitent for his crime.  As early as 6 o'clock people in goodly numbers began to assemble in the Old Bailey for the purpose of witnessing the hoisting of the black flag—an indication that the sentence of the law had been duly carried out. Undoubtedly the larger proportion of those present were of the loafer class; but there were many well dressed persons of both sexes whose morbid curiosity had attracted them to the spot. By half-past 7 the crowd had increased to over 1,000 persons. It was a disgusting spectacle to witnses a number of half drunken, evidently working women and girls dancing in the roadway to the evident amusement and delight of the loafing portion of the mob, who loudly applauded a remark of one of the women, "Why, it's as good as being strung up." As time went on the now loudly. murmuring crowd assumed muck larger dimensions, fully 2,000 men, women, and lads being in the Old Bailey. By 8.45, when the bell began to toll, several thousands had assembled. At 9 o'clock exactly the black flag was hoisted amid loud ch ears and groans.