The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1893-01-21 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

EXECUTION OF THE GLASGOW  MURDERER.  SHOCKING SCENE ON THE SEAFFCT4%  THE CULPRIT S NECK TORN OPEN.  At eight o'clock on Wednesday morning Wm. McKeown, who murdered Elizabeth Connor, in West Lodge, Pollokshields, Glasgow, On October 11th, and ! thereafter cut her body up into bits and buried the remains in the garden adjoining the house, was ! executed within Glasgow Gaol. An angry wind moaned all the morning. As the day dawned • I crowd of 6,0:d0 persons colected outside of the I prison walls; experience of previous executions telling them that if the traffic without was euiet at 1 the hour when the dread sentence was being carried oat, the bang cf the gallows Poor gkieg way could be distinctly heard. However, fifty policemen kept the thoroughfare &ear, while an equal number within the precincts of the gaol guarded th vs., ions passe; so that no one wculd witness the death scene but the two magistrates (Dailies Alexander and Parnio), the Catholie priest in attendance on the condemned man, the joiner, master of Ivorks, and the two town officers. Tie last named carried their lialbats. At a quarter from eight the prison bell began to toll the death knell, but the scend was more of an irepatent tinkling, as if it gradged the very warning it gave to him who was beng pinioned in his lonely cell. Outside of the prison a atrest preacher hold forth warning the crowd of the curse of drink, and saying that had it not Wee for the demon drink McKeown would not Le walking to the e.ajold. The preacher's voice could be heard even on the gallows. The reporters were not permitted to witness the execution, but were accommodated in the watch-room within the gate. The policemen who were on guard inside stated that in the dark they could see the rope dangling on the sca'fold. McKeown was restless all night. Indeed, since eir Jas. Marwick, Town Clerk, informed hinson slay that the law was to take its course, the con binned man was eveitel,the only remark he pasE, ed vine bat "lie hal more time to prepare for death than the yaw woman whose life he took." At tivo minutest to eight a turnkey went to a little rocm at the front gate, aid having oilseed it shovrod Millington, the executioner, out. Ile wore a smell eelvet peaked cap. He was led away to the condemned cell, where lie pinioned McKeown. The sal procession started a few minutes after eight o'clock along the corn for, and at eight niinntes past the hour the noise of the platform giving Ivey was _distinctly heard in the rcretrters'-room, and at tlie same instant the black flag was hoisted. The crowd outside lia,:;ati to get anxious that the sign of the capital punishment being carried out eves not seen sooner. They thought something was wrong, as it was known that Mc :ieown's neck was tender through his having when caught attenipeid to. commit suicide. Immediately thereafter the procession wended its way beck to the Goreniora room, the ofilcers holding their halberts down. Pr. Sutherland stated that , McKeown walked calmly to his doom, but when the platform gave way the rep) bu et his neck, hut the head did not come off. There was no blood, the wound which-the culprit bad Mfileted on hieise'f at his capture being readily opened up. He did not sleep till three o'clock on Wednesday morning, ! and then his rest was only fitful. For an hour he was attended by Fathers Clifford and I McGrath, who administered the last rites lof the Church to the condemned man. When pinioned he never spoke a word to the magistrates or the executioner. As he walked to his dcom he made responses in an undertone to the service read by the clergymen. McKeown. who was eleven stone, received a drop of seven feet five. The Governor of Glasgow (Dukeee.reet) Prison states that before McKeown had the white cap drawn over his face he kissed the crucifix. He was on his knees praying when Millington entered his cell. He had several paroxysms of grief throughout the morning, and when be walked to the scaffold his eyes were suffused with tears. At the in-nest medical evidence showed that death bad been instantaneous° The larynx was severed.  BEwARDE