Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1905-08-26 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

OFT-TOLD CRIME.  Considerable constertsation was caused in London towards the close of 1811, on account .of certain nurrders. The fool diceds were oomwitted by an Irinhman caned John Williams.  He was arrested, and during his confinemj. ent Coldbath Fields committed suicide. Prom a contemporary account of the funeral of the murderer-suicide, vae learn that much ceremony was displayed at his cross-road burial. ane told on the night of the funeral, a,hoot 2Lin,e o'clock, a curt was brought for his body, and 01,4 it was fitted up for the purpose of giving the greatest possible degree of expogure to the face and body of Williams.  "A stage and platform was fanned upon the cart by boards," it is stated. "which extendel from one side to the other. They were fastened to the top, and lapprrng over each other froai the hinder part to the front of the cart, in regular gradation, they formed an inf.-tined plane on which the body nested, with the head towards the horse, and so much elevated as to be completely exposed to public view.  "The body was retained in an extended position by a cord, which., passing laeneath the arms, was fastened underneath the boards. On the body was a pair of blue cloth pantaloons and a white shirt with the sleeves tucked up to the elbows, but neither at nor waistcoat. About the neck was the white handkerchief with which Williams put an end to his existonce. There were stockings., but no shoes upon his feet. The countenance was fresh and perfectly free from ditscolouration or livid spots. The hair was rather of a sandy tad, and the whiskers appeared to have Leen remarkably oleo, shaven.. On both hands wero some livid spots. _ _  "On the -right-hrand sido of the head was fixed, perpendicularly, the maul with whin the mucrdeirs of the Marrs were committed. On the left, also in a perpendicular position, was fixed the ripping chisel. Above his head was laid, in a transverpe direction upon the boards, the iron crow, and parallel with it the stake destined to be driven through the body. About half-past ten the procession moped from the watch-house in the following order:—  Mr Machin, constabte of Shadwell ; Mr narrison, Collector of King's Taxes ; Mr Loyd, baker; Mr Strickland, owl merchant; Mr Burford, ..istationor ;  And Mr Gate, superintendent of Lascars in tlie East India Company's service—all mounted on grey horses.  c.xt came The Constables, Headboroutgh, and Patroies of the Parish, with cutlasses; The Beadle of St. George's, in his official (bets; Mr Robinson, the High Constable of St. George's' • The Cart with the BODY; A large body of Constables.  "An immense cavalcade of the inhabitants of the two parishes closed the procession. "On arriving opposite to the house of Mr Marr the prooession halted for about tcn minutes and then proceeded down Old Gravel. lane, New Market-street, Wappingughstreet, and up New Gravel-lane, wheal the procession again stopped opposite to the King's Arms, the house of the late Mr Williamson. From thence it proceeded along Ratcliffe Riga way, and up Cannon-street, to Ole Turnpike Gate, at which the four roads meet—viz., the New Road into Whitechawa, that into Sun Tavern Fields, the back lane to square, and and Rateliff Highway, "The hole—about four feet deep, three feet long, and two feet wide—was dug precisely at the crossing of the roads, four or five feat from the turnpike houpd. About half-past twelve o'clock the body was pushed out of the oart into the hole, which, as it will have been seen from the dimensions, was purposely so formed as not to admit of being laid at lengbh. Tbo stake was immediately driven through the body amidst the shouts and vocifeacus corsetstions of the multitude, and the hole filled and ranu-ned down." The last interment at, cross roads in London of which we have been able to discover say account 000arred in June, 1823, when a.M211 named Griffiths, who had committer' smolt was buried at the junction of Flaitou-stneet & Gerevenor-phice and the Kinfeeaved