Chipperfield Hanged.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 108, 9 May 1896, Page 4 (Supplement)

Chipperfield Hanged.

A Melancholy Story,

A London evening paper says :—• Chipperfield is no more. The lasb scene in the young man's life—so full of bitterness, bragedy and shadows towards the close— took place ab Newgate this morning. Ab eighb o'clock the unfortunate young man was hanged, and thus tho law exacted the last penalty for the murder of Mrs Chipperfield during their honeymoon. A largo crowd assembled to witness the hoisting of the black flag, and tho morbid sightseers had their wish gratified soon after the fatal hour. Before the execution the Governor of Newgate asked Chippertiold whether he wished bo make any statement: 'No, sir,' said the young man. ' I am perfectly willing and ready to die.' He walked firmly to the scaffold, and, beyond thanking the warders and officials, said nothing further. He died instantaneously. Story of the Tragedy. The crime for which young Chipperfield suffered the extreme penalty was committed in a four-wheeled cab in the Essex Road, on the 18th of December lasb. He and bis wife had only been married a few days, and bad come up from Leighton Buzzard on the evening of thab dafco, arriving ab Huston Station, where the vehicle was hailed. While near Annette-creßcenb, where Chippeffield's father resides, the driver's attention was attracted by the shouts of a paeaer-by, andi looking round ab the eide of the cab, he was horrified to ccc tho poor young wife hanging oub of the window with blood pouring from her neck. There was baroly time to pull up and geb down to tho assistance ot the poor creature before she expired, and a gaping wound in the throat showed too plainly the caupo of her duatiii, while a glance ab tho interior of the cab indicated the full Nature of the Tragedy. which had jusb been enacted. ChipperCeld lay huddled up on the seat, and bo, too, i was bleeding from the throat, and apparently unconscious. An open razor was picked up from the floor of tho cab. Ib was apparent thab this was the weapon with which tbe double crimo had been perpetrated. The body of Mrs Chipperfield was removed to tho mortuary after ib was found thab the medical aid bo promptly afo hand waa of no avail, and the husband waa conveyed to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where he remained for several days with a constable near his bedside. To the officer Chipperfield said, ' I suppose I musb have cut her throat, bub, my God ! I should nob like to think I did ib.1 At His Trial, • which took place on tho 7bh of this month ab the Old Bailey before Mr Justice Lawrance, Chipperfield was defended by Mr Geoghegan, who sought to show thab tho young wife first cub her own throat, and that in a state of mental agony and remorse the husband then mado an attempb on his life. Tbe circumstances, however, point clearly to murder, and, although there was a alight difference of opinion among the doctors as to whether the wound in the girl's throat was self-inflicted, the testimony of Dr. Bond, the well-known surgical experb, disposed of the theory of suicide. Strenuous efiorbs were made by Chipperfield's relatives to Obtain a Reprieve, and an extensively-signed public petition was presented to the Home Secretary, bub on Friday last it was intimated thab the law must take its course. Last Letter from the Youth. Last evening Mr Chipperfield, senior, > received the final letter from the condemned man. Ib is as follows:—' H.M. Prison, Newgate, February 24th. Dear Father,— I trusb you are nob upseb over me now. Do try and keep yourself cool and nob geb into any trouble over me. Forgot all aboub ib. lam quite happy and resigned to my fate, and shall be glad when ib is all over, for your sake as well as my own. lam sure God will forgive me if I did such a rash acb. lam mosb sorry for my poor wife, and I am sure I could nob have had my righb senees about me ab bho time, as I thought too much of her to do her any injury whatever. Tell my brother to keep etoftdy, and take a warning from my fate. Kiss my ejeters for me. I trusb 1 may meet you all in heaven ; so good-bye for bhe present.—From your affectionate Bon, Alfred Chipperfield, God bloss all of you. lam sure you havo done your beat for me.'

Mr Cbippertield desires to convey hiß heartfelt thanks to the many thousands of persons who have helped and sympathised with him in his affliction.