Shocking Scenes at a Triple Execution.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 142, 16 June 1888, Page 3 (Supplement)

Shocking Scenes at a Triple Execution.

For the first time for five years an execution took place in Madrid lately. A young woman, her lover, and- an accomplice suffered the extreme penalty of the law. The gavotte was the instrument employed, and all three were executed on the same platform. The scaffold was built inside the prison yard, but at such a height that the public could see it. The bodies remained in full view, after death had taken place, until sunset, Watched by a religions brotherhood, who also ministered to the murderers during the terrible period of the twenty-four hours which they passed in fhapel after they were told they must die. The most harrowing scenes occurred. On» of the convicts was so violent that he had to be dressed forcibly by six warders. Outside the prison 20,000 persons, a groab number of whom were women, assembled to witness the execution. The Queen wished to pardon the convicts, but the Government refused on account of the peculiar atrocity of the crime.