_I, ----, of ----, in the County of ----, Esquire, Sheriff of the said County of ----, do hereby authorise you to hang A---- B----, who now lies under Sentence of Death in Her Majesty's Prison at ----._ _Dated this ---- day of ----, ----._ _---- ----, Sheriff._ This is folded in three, and endorsed outside. _Re A---- B----._ _Authority to Hang._ _---- ----, Sheriff,_ _----shire._ When we enter the condemned cell, the chaplain is already there, and has been for some time. Two attendants, who have watched through the convict's last nights on earth are also present. At my appearance the convict takes leave of his attendants, to whom he generally gives some little token or keepsake, and I at once proceed to pinion his arms. As soon as the pinioning is done, a procession is formed, generally in the following order:-- Chief Warder. Warder. Warder. Warder. { Chaplain. } Warder. { Convict. } Executioner. Principal Warder. Principal Warder. Warder. Warder. Governor and Sheriff. Wand Bearer. Wand Bearer. Gaol Surgeon and Attendant. In some few cases, where the prisoner has not confessed before the time for the execution, I have approached him in the cell in a kindly manner, asking him, as it can make no difference to his fate, to confess the justice of the sentence, in order that I may feel sure that I am not hanging an innocent person. In most cases they have done so, either in the cell, or at the last moment on the scaffold. Of course, the confidences reposed in me at such moments I have never divulged, and it would be most improper to do so; but I am at liberty to state, that of all the people I have executed, only two or three have died without fully and freely confessing their guilt. On the way from the cell to the scaffold the chaplain reads the service for the burial of the dead, and as the procession moves I place the white cap upon the head of the convict. Just as we reach the scaffold I pull the cap over his eyes. Then I place the convict under the beam, pinion the legs just below the knees, with a strap similar to the one used for the elbows, adjust the rope, pull the bolt and the trap falls. Death is instantaneous, but the body is left hanging for an hour, and is then lowered into a coffin, made in the prison, and carried to the mortuary to await the inquest. The inquest usually takes place at ten o'clock, but in some few places it is held at noon. After the inquest the body is surrounded by quick-lime and buried in the prison grounds.