TRIPLE EXECUTIONS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 622, 20 March 1874, Page 3

TRIPLE EXECUTIONS.

—o — Tiio three murderers Dawson, Gough, and Thompson—sentenced to death at the last Durham Gaol delivery, were executed ou the sth uf January, in Durham Gaol, the e.vecu tioner being William Marwood, of Hoineastle. The culprits retired to rest at ten o’clock on Sunday. Gough was wakeful, but the other two slept soundly until six o’clock, when they all arose. After breakfast the clergymen were in attendance, and shortly belore eight o’clock the condemned men were conducted to the press room, and thence to the scaffold. As they left the loom, Thompson said : “ 1 die for her I love ! 1 have nothing mote to say.” After arrival at the scaffold, DaWson and Thompson were attached to opposite ends of one ciosshar, Gough being placed in the centre of another. Preliminaries were quickly arranged, and soon after 8 o’clock the extreme sentence of the taw had been c nipleted Thompson suffered considerably, but the other two died almost immediately. Tim usual inquest was held, and the bodies afterwards interred in the yard of the gnol. r l he reporters of the press were excluded from witnessing the execution.—Thomas Corrigan, aged 23, a. dock laborer, sentenced to death at the last Liverpool Assizes, for the murder of his mother, was also executed on Monday morning, within the precincts of Kirkdale Gaol, Liverpool, the operator being Anderson, Caltraft’s assistant. The man, though penitent, remained tolerably composed to the last moment, and met his fate with fortitude He was attended by the Roman Catholic Chaplain of the gaol, with whom be engaged in prayer previous to his execution. He ascended the steps with a firm tread, and stood erect on the scaffold, engaged in prayer, but exhibititing no symptoms of fear. When he had said, in response to the Litany recited to him 'ey the priest, “Lord Jesus, into thy hands I commend my spirit,” tie drop fell, and the body was almost motionless in a few moments. fiome minutes afterwards, however, convulsive agitation, particularly about the chest, was once or twice apparent. An inquest was held in the usual form, and a cast lof the countenance was taken by a j phrenologist.