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The executioner next proceeded to adjust the noose by which Thurtell
was to be attached to the scaffold. After he had fastened it in such
a manner as to satisfy his own mind, Thurtell looked up at it, and
examined it with great attention. He then desired the executioner to
let him have fall enough. The rope at this moment seemed as if it would
only give a fall of two or three feet. The executioner assured him that
the fall was quite sufficient. The principal turnkey then went up to
Thurtell, shook hands with him, and turned away in tears. Mr Wilson,
the governor of the gaol, next approached him. Thurtell said to him,
“Do you think, Mr Wilson, I have got enough fall?” Mr Wilson replied,
“I think you have, Sir. Yes, quite enough.” Mr Wilson then took hold of
his hand, shook it, and said, “Good bye, Mr Thurtell, may God Almighty
bless you.” Thurtell instantly replied, “God bless _you_, Mr Wilson,
God bless _you_.” Mr Wilson next asked him whether he considered that
the laws of his country had been dealt to him justly and fairly, upon
which he said, “I admit that justice has been done me--I am perfectly
satisfied.”
A few seconds then elapsed, during which every person seemed to be
engaged in examining narrowly Thurtell’s deportment. His features, as
well as they could be discerned, appeared to remain unmoved, and his
hands, which were extremely prominent, continued perfectly steady, and
were not affected by the slightest tremulous motion.
Exactly at two minutes past twelve the Under-Sheriff, with his wand,
gave the dreadful signal--the drop suddenly and silently fell--and
JOHN THURTELL WAS LAUNCHED INTO ETERNITY.
Printed at J. Pitts, Wholesale Toy and Marble Warehouse, 6, Great St.
Andrew Street, Seven Dials.
TRIAL, CONFESSION, & EXECUTION OF C. T. WHITE, FOR ARSON, & AMELIA
ROBERTS, FOR A ROBBERY, AT THE OLD BAILEY.
THE Horrible & Appaling Spectacle WITNESSED ON THE FATAL GALLOWS.
Yesterday morning, before 8 o’clock, an immense assemblage of
spectators, in numbers equal to those who witnessed the fate of
Fauntleroy, crowded the Old Bailey, from one end to the other, to
witness the execution of Charles Thomas White, late a bookseller in
Holborn, for the crime of arson, and Amelia Roberts, for an aggravated
robbery. The unfortunate man White had excited an extraordinary
interest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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