Execution at Horsemonger lane

Execution at Horsemonger-lane. - James Longhurst, convicted before Mr. Baron Bramwell, on the Home Circuit, of a most aggravated murder of a child named Harriet Sax, was hanged in front of Horsemonger-lane Gaol. The convict, though twenty two years of age, was quite boyish in appearance. After sentence, he repeatedly expressed to Mr. Jessop, the chaplain of the prison, his deep contrition for causing the death of the unfortunate child, and more than once desired him in effect to convey to the parents his extreme penitence for occasioning them so much grief. He was visited in prison a few days before by his father and mother; and the interview, as may well be supposed, was harrowing in the last degree. He was visited again by his father and also by his brother, and that appears to have been the last interview he had with those who were near and dear to him. On the eve of his execution he wrote a touchingly affectionate letter to his mother, and then prepared himself for his fate. On the appointed hour having arrived, e was conducted from his cell to be pinioned, upon which a shocking scene occurred. At sight of the executioner he was terror stricken, and resisted violently. The chaplain addressed a few words to him, which for the moment appeared to pacify him, but when the executioner attempted to pinion him he struggled frightfully, and it took four or five warders to restrain him. He was at length thrown upon the ground, upon which another struggle ensued, and he kicked severely the warders who were trying to gain the mastery over him. As he lay in that position, exhausted, his arms were strapped, and he was then raised to his feet. He walked towards the scaffold, attended by the chaplain, but at the sight of it he appeared to be again seized with a feeling of horror, and he struggled with all his might to release himself, but in vain. He was dragged up the steps by the warders, and held under the beam until the rope was adjusted. In that state of things the rest of the preparations were hastily made, the bolt was drawn, and the convict soon ceased to live. A great crowd, as usual, assembled to witness the execution.