The Last Act.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 90, 16 December 1913, Page 5

The Last Act.

THE MAYFIELD TRAGEDY.

DEATH INSTANTANEOUS. The final act in flic .Mayheld tragedy took place in Lyttelton prison on Saturday morning at 8' o’clock, when Alfred Mortram Biddle, who murdered Mrs Rosanna Lilley on October 12th last, was executed. Death was install" taneous.

The crime for which Biddle has suf-

fered the extreme penalty was a particularly shocking one, Biddle before his capture had taken “rough on rats” and was suffering severely therefrom. Since his sentence Biddle appeared to have taken matters very calmly, and although suffering severely from the effects of the poison in his system had been eating well and sleeping regularly. He was confined in one of the two .condemned cells, and constantly watched by warders. He was also visited daily by the gaol surgeon, who carefully noted his condition and who allowed him such food as the condemned man expressed a desire for. The gallows was brought from Wellington' on Wednesday, and‘was erected within the narrow limits of the court in the solitary confinement ward of the prison. It was a massive structure'of timber, bolted together, and with a platform on the level of the trapdoor reached by a flight of steps. It has been used for several previous executions of murderers at Auckland and Wellington.

A Grim Procession. Apart from the sheriff, the minister, the gaol surgeon, gaoler, warders and a Justice of the Peace, the only persons present at the execution of liiclcllc were two newspaper reporters, ai 7.45 a.m. the condemned man was formally handed over by the gaoler to the sheriff and the grim processionVas formed preceded by the Rev. F. Rule, of the Presbyterian Church, reciting passages of Scripture. Biddle, who appeared to be in a resigned state, was supported by three warders. Through tiie outer court the procession came to the foot of the gallows. In the chapel near by a bell tolled. Biddle seemed to pay little attention to his surroundings. He was assisted up the gallows steps and helped to his place on the trap doors. Then the hangman appeared, and set about his task. While the hangman was. adjusting the rope Biddle was supported by several warders. The white cap was drawn over the doomed i man’s hfeact, arid as the noose was being adjusted he made a sign that ho wished to speak. 1 (s ,( (j *i ij jr> The minister stopped his 1 recital of the burioj service,. in a strained voice aslied 1 : ‘‘Have ! yen' anvtning to say, Biddle?” Biddle partially lifted Iris head, and his face was drawn-and his eyes staring, but in a clear voice he said : “Yes, I thank the Lord Jesus Christ as ray saviour.”

He paused an instant, and the minister said: “Is there nothing more Biddle?” 'j'

The reply came faintly, “No.” Then there was a painful silence. The gallows was ready for its work. It had been tested several times to obviate any possibility of bungling. Two powerfully built warders standing one on each side of the gallows platform supported the condemned man.

Paying the Penalty.

Everything was ready, and there was awful silence while the hangman, after a final look to see that all was in order, stepped out of sight behind a screen at the rear. It was striking the hour of 8 o’clock, but in the closedin courtyard, absolutely screened from sight of the outside world by high walls, there was a profound silence. There was a strained and anxious loon, on the faces of tire spectators. Then the invisible hangman pulled his lever, and the trapdoor dropped, and the murderer went to instant death.

Silence reigned throughout the gaol, and the prisoners were still locked in their cells. The sheriff and gaoler, and all who had been present at the execution, were relieved that everything had gone off without a hitch. In accordance with the regulations the gaol was kept closed for an hour after the execution. There was a crowd of morbid-minded people on the street outside the gaol, but nobody was permitted to enter or leave tne prison until after 9 o’clock.

Immediately after the execution the following declaration was signed by the several witnesses :—“We do hereby testify and declare that we have this day been present when the extreme penalty’ of the law was carried into execution on the hodv of Alfred

Mortram Biddle, convicted at the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court held at Christchurch on the 17th day of November last and sentenced to death, and that the said Alfred Mortram Biddle was in pursuance of the said sentence hanged by the neck until his body was dead.”

Condemned Man’s Last Hours.

The Rev. F. Rule informed a reporter that he had been with Biddle in his cell for several hours on Friday night, giving him such spiritual comfort as was possible. He appeared to ho resigned to his fate, and went to sleep about 10 o’clock. The clergyman wont hack to the gaol at 6 o’clock in the morning. Biddle was then sleeping, hut he awoke a few minutes later. He ate a good breakfast of toast, bread

and butter, and milk, but had little or nothing to say. He appeared to he very grateful for the presence of the Rev. Mr Rule, who was with him to the last. The hangman informed a reporter

after the execution that lie had not been looking for money in carrying out what he conceived to be a public duty. Ho said he was a married man and had money of his own, and he felt that there was nothing wrong in executing a man who had committed such a dreadful crime. The hangman left the gaol shortly after 9 o’colck. At 9.30 a.m. a formal inquest was held by Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., coroner, who took the evidence of the sheriff, gaoler, and gaol surgeon. The surgeon stated that Biddle’s neck had been dislocated. The coroner returned a verdict that Biddle had died from execution by hanging in accordance with the sentence passed on him at the Supreme Court for the wilful murder of Rosanna Lillev.