13 MAY 1828

Days like these

Henry Crabb Robinson, diarist and journalist, writes in his diary: "There were to be five men executed, and I was desirous to witness the ceremony within the prison. At half past seven, I met the Under Sheriff, Foss, at the gate. At eight, we were joined by Sheriff Wilde, when some six or eight of us walked in procession through long, narrow passages to a long, naked and wretched apartment, to which were successively brought the five unhappy creatures who were to suffer. The first, a youth, came in pale and trembling. He fainted as his arms were pinioned. He whispered some inaudible words to a clergyman who came and sat by him on a bench, while the other prepared for the sacrifice. His name was Brown. The second, a fine young man, exclaimed, on entering the room, that he was a murdered man, being picked out while two others were suffered to escape. Both these were, I believe, burglars. Two other men were ill-looking fellows. They were silent and seemingly prepared. One man distinguished himself from the rest - an elderly man, very fat, with the look of a substantial tradesman. He said, in a tone of indignation, to the fellow who pinioned him: "I am not the first whom you have murdered. I am hanged because I had a bad character." (I could not but think that this is, in fact, properly understood, the only legitimate excuse for hanging any one - because his character (not reputation) is such that his life cannot but be a curse to himself and others.) A clergyman tried to persuade him to be quiet, and he said he was resigned. He was hanged as a receiver of stolen horses, and had been a notorious dealer for many years. The procession was then continued through other passages, to a small room adjoining the drop, to which the culprits were successively taken and tied up. I could not see perfectly what took place but I observed that most of the men ran up the steps and addressed the mob...I was within sight of the drop and observed it fall, but the sheriffs instantly left the scaffold, and we returned to the Lord Mayor's partner where [we]... breakfasted. The breakfast was short and sad."

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