Page:West-Port murders.pdf/23

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hortation, when the monster appeared upon the scaffold: and the same cheers were renewed at every striking feature of the horrible tragedy. When the first shout was raised, Burke threw a look of defiance upon the assembled multitude. The reverend Mr. Marshall then prayed with the criminal for sometime, after which, he quietly yeilded himself to the executioner. When the fatal rope was placed round his neck there was an universal cry of "Burke him," and when the cap was drawn over his eyes the cheering was tremendous—and frequently repeated during the whole of the horrible process mingled with cries of "Hare, Hare," "Knox," &e. After a short conference with the Catholic clergyman he, precisely at a quarter past eight, impatiently threw away the handkerchief and surrendered his guilty soul to his Maker. His struggles were long and violent and his body was convulsively agonized. His fall was unusually short—scarcely more than three inches, and the noose instead of being as is usual immediately behind the ear was at the very summit of the vertebrae. At every struggle the wretch made when suspended, a most rapturous shout was raised by the mighty multitude. When the body was cut down, at ¾ past eight, the most frightful yell: ever heard was raised by the indignant populace, who manifested the most eager desire to get the monster's carcase within their clutches to gratify their revenge by tearing it in pieces even after the Law had been satisfied, and were only restrained by the bold effort presented by the police. The persons under the scaffold earried knives and seissars and were eagerly possessing themselves of part of the rope and even of shavings from the coffin. The scramble at this time was of the most extraordinary nature ever witnessed at an execution in this country.

As one among many proofs of the excited state of public feeling, this fact may be noticed—that in anxious expection of the gibbet being erected, a crowd of people