The Warrington & Mid-Cheshire Examiner. — 1893-01-21 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

THE GLASGOW TRAGEDY.  EXECUTION GF M'KEOWN, HORRIBLE SCENE ON THE SCAFFOLD.  At eight on Wednesday morning William Pil'Keown, who murdered Elizabeth Connor in Wet Lodge, Pollokshields, Glasgow, on October 11, and thereafter cut her body up into bits and buried the remains in the garden adjoining the house, was executed within Glasgow (Duke-street) Gaol. An angry wind moaned all the morning. As day dawned a crowd of 6,000 persons collected outside the prison walls, the experience of previous executions telling them that if the trafhc without was quiet at the hour when the dread 'sentence was being carried out, the bang of the gallows toor giving way could be distinctly heard. However, fifty policemen kept the thoroughfare clear, while an equal number within the precincts of the gaol guarded the various passes, so that no one would witness the death scene but the two magistrates, Baillies Alexander and Patine, the Catholic priest in attendance upon the condemned man, the joiner, master of works, and the two town officers. The last-named carried their halberds.  The reporters were not admitted to witness the execution, but were accommodated in the watchroom within the gate. The policemen who were on guard inside stated that in the dark they could see the rope dangling on the scaffold. M'Keown was restless all night ; indeed, since Sir James Marwick, Town-clerk, informed him on Tuesday that the law was to take its course, the condemned man was excited. The only remark he passed was that he had more time to prepare for death than the poor woman whose life he took. At five minutes to eight a turnkey came to a little room at the front gate, add, having opened it, showed Billington, the executioner, out. He wore a small velvet peaked cap. He was led away to the condemned cell, where he pinioned M'Keown. The sad procession a few minutes after eight o'clock started along the corridor, and at eight minutes past the hour the noise of the platform giving way was distinctly heard in the reporters room. At the same instant the black flag was hoisted. The crowd outside began to get anxious that the sign of the capital punishment having been carried out was not seen sooner. They thought something was wrong, as it was known that M'Keown's neck was tender through his having when caught attempted to commit suicide. Immediately thereafter the i_ncesston wended its way back to the governor's room, the officers. holding their halberds down. Dr. Sutherland stated that M'Keown walked calmly to his doom, but when the platform gave way the rope burst his neck, but the heau did not come off. There was no blood, the wound which the culprit had inflicted on himself at his capture being readily opened up. He did not sleep till three o'clock in the morning, and then his rest was only fitful for an hour. tie was attended by Fathers Clifford and M'Graw, who administered the last rites of the Church to the condemned man. When pinioned he never spoke a word to the magistrates ,or the executioner. As he walked to his doom he made the responses in an undertone to the service read by the reverend fathers. M'Keown, who was list., receivecla drop of 7ft. sin. The Govenor of Glasgow kDuke-st.) Prison states that before M'Keown had the white cap drawn over his face he kissed the crucifix. He was on his knees praying when Billington entered his cell. He had several paroxysms of grief throughout the morning and when he walked to the scaffold his eyes were suffused with tears.