The National Register. — 1812-01-05 (London, England)

INTERMENT OF JOHN WILLIAMS.  At ten o'clock on Tuesday morning the body of Williams was removed from the Flouse of Correction, in Cold-bath-fields, to St. George's Watch-house Shadwell, on a raised platform in a cart, so that it was visible to the spectators. It was precisely in the same state as when cut down in the cell; without a hat, coat or shoes, the neckerchief with which he put an end to his existence round his neck, the shirt-neck open, the sleeves tucked up to the elbows, the hair flowing loosely over the forehead. The countenance was serene, and bore no marks which could lead to a supposition that the wretched victim of self-destruction had experienced much agony in the hour of death. Towards the upper part of the face there were marks of coagulated blood, the effect of etrangulation ; but excepting that circumstance, there was very little alteration in the general appearance of the person from his first examination to his exhibition on Tuesday. On the right side of the head was placed, in a perpendicular posture, the blOodyntall, with *filch the murder of the Mari family was effected ; on the left side was placed, also in a perpen' diciliar posture, the ripringchistel which was found in Mare's house, and at the head, in a transverse direction, were laid the iron crow, found in Wiliiainspn's house, and the wooden stake, sharpened at the extreme, destined to be driven through the bOsly. . The procession proceeded at a slow pace up Ratcliff-highway, until it arrived opposite the Lite Mr. Mares house, where the cart was stopped for nearly a quarter of an hour ; front thence it proceeded down Old Gravel-lane, rotted by the London-Dock Bank, and up .New Gravej. lane, until it came to the scene of Williamson, his wife, and servants. destruction, where it was again stopped for a quarter of an hour, and a burst of indignation and horror was heard from the multitude ; it then advanced intßatclifithigliway again, and' turning to the lett paned slowly on till it came to Cannon-street, up which it went, and finally, .stopped in the centre of the cross-roads, formed by the intersection of "the New road, at St. George's Turnpike, by Cannon-street, and Cannohstreet-road. Within six feet of the lamp post, at the corner of Cannonstreet-road, farthest from the Turnpike, a .hole five feet long and as many deep, had already been dug, and towards this the cart was now moved. The crowds of spectators collected here were beyond calculation, the houses covered--the windows were Riled, and the tops of coaches, waggons, and carts were, literally, swarming with people, whose anxiety to witness the disgraceful scene was sufficiently evinced by the hazard they ran in procuring elevated situations for that purpose. As the body approached, a murtnulo of 'contempt and execration was heard from all quarters, which rose to a shriek of satiifaction, when two men mounted the platform, and unceremoniously hurled the remains of the monster, for such only do his decas pronounce him to be, into his last earthly receptacle. 'rile hole being too short to permit the body to lie at full length; 1 it was Crammed down in rather a contracted• position; the stake was F then handed to the person who was appointed to drive it through the lhotly of the suicide, which he did with several blows from the mall already mentioned, a ceremony which again called forth execration on the of the murderer, and expressive of sympathy (Or the unfortu-1 nate victims of his cruelty. The earth was then thrown into the hole, ; together with some unslaked linie, and the paving stones were immediately restored to their former situation. The parties forming the profCe3Sioll then disper•ed , and those persons who bad not an opportunity 1 of witnessing the awful ceremony, advanced, and while regarding the (trave of one who had proved himself such a disgraceto humanity, they 0, seemed to entertain no other feeling than horror for his crimes, and re. Bret that he had riot lived to receive, at the hands of justice, that ignomii Mous punishment which the laws of his country prescribed; but which, whets compared with his guilt, seemed an inadequate .compensation to the enraged feelings of his fellow-subjects.