Barbarous murder of his wife

Among those who received sentence of death, was John Williamson, the barbarous murder of his wife, by confining her in a most cruel manner, and starving her to death. The poor unhappy creature was a kind of idiot, who having a sum of money left for her maintenance, Williamson to possess himself of the money found means to marry her.

They were first asked in church, but her trustee forbid the banns; the villain, however procured a licence, and about eight months ago they were married; since which, the usage the unhappy creature received has been one continued scene of cruelty. He had driven a strong staple into the wall of a closet in the room where they lodged, and to this staple he daily tied her with a rope which he drew round her middle, her hands being fastened behind her with iron handcuffs, and the little sustenance she received was laid upon a shelf, just within the reach of her mouth, so that if she dropt any part of it she could not again recover it; and so very barbarous was this inhuman villain, that he often tied her up so tight that her toes only reached the ground, and if his daughter endeavoured to alleviate her misery by setting a stool for her to stand on, he used to beat her unmercifully.

In this manner she languished till she became a frightful skeleton, and when she was so far reduced that her stomach loathed food, he released her, let loose her hands, and set coarse meat before her, and tempted her with tender words to eat, with a view to screen himself from justice. In a day or two after this she died a shocking sight, no flesh upon her bones, and the skin that enclosed them covered with vermin.

John Williamson, a journey-man shoemaker, was carried in the cart from Newgate to Moorfields, and there executed pursuant to his sentence, for the murder of his wife, by starving her to death; the gallows was erected in the center fronting Chiswell-street. He was attended by two clergymen of the church of England, and a methodist teacher, who prayed by him for a full hour. It was with much difficulty that the clergymen could prevail upon him to acknowledge his crime; but at last, just before the cart drew off, one of the clergymen informed the people, that he had confessed the murder; and further, that his disorderly life had been a principal means of bringing him into that unfortunate situation and hoped the people would pray for his soul.

He was a tall man, about forty-six years of age. It is supposed there were 80,000 persons present, a great number of whom were women. It was with difficulty that the resentment of the populace was restrained; for they were prepossessed that the punishment of hanging was too mild for so heinous a crime. He seemed apprehensive of being torn in pieces, and hastened the executioner to perform his office.