A History of the Cries of London, Ancient and ModernHindley, Charles
History
A History of the Cries of London, Ancient and Modern
Hindley, Charles
Cries -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
knocked out by a blow inflicted while the person was living; there was
also a cut on the cheek, and the jaw was fractured, these two last
wounds were, in his opinion, produced after death; there was also a
bruise on the head, which had occurred after death; the head had been
separated by cutting, and the bone sawed nearly _through_, and then
broken off; there were the marks of a saw, which fitted with a saw
which was found in Greenacre's box. Mr. Girdwood, a surgeon, very
minutely and skilfully described the appearances presented on the
head, and showed incontestibly, that the head had been severed from
the body _while the person was yet alive_; that this was proved by the
retraction, or drawing back, of the muscles at the parts where they
were separated by the knife, and further, by the blood-vessels being
empty, the body was drained of blood. This part of the evidence
produced a thrill of horror throughout the court, but Greenacre
remained quite unmoved.
After a most impressive and impartial summing up by the learned Judge,
the jury retired, and, after the absence of a quarter of an hour,
returned into court, and pronounced a verdict of "Guilty" against both
the prisoners.
The prisoners heard the verdict without evincing the least emotion, or
the slightest change of countenance. After an awful silence of a few
minutes, the Lord Chief Justice said they might retire, as they would
be remanded until the end of the session.
They were then conducted from the bar, and on going down the steps,
the unfortunate female prisoner kissed Greenacre with every mark of
tenderness and affection.
The crowd outside the court on this day was even greater than on
either of the preceding; and when the result of the trial was made
known in the street, a sudden and general shout succeeded, and
continued huzzas were heard for several minutes.
THE EXECUTION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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