MURDERESS EXECUTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11346, 14 April 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

MURDERESS EXECUTED.

MRS. WILLIAMS HANGED FOR KILLING A BABY. Ada Chard Williams, 24, married, who was sentenced to death at tho February Sessions of the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Ellen Selina Jones, aged 19 months, was hanged a few days ago in Newgate Gaol. The crime for which the woman lias suffered tho extremo penalty of the law was (committed in September. Williams, for some time prior to that month, had been carrying on tho business of a baby farmer, among other places, at Barnes. For the sum of £5 she undertook to nurse the child, whoso dead, body was found subsequently in tho Thames near Battersea. The body was trussed up with a blind cord, and the medical evidence showed that the skull had been fractured, and that the child had afterwards been strangled and its body thrown into tho river. In December, Mi's. Williams and her husband were arrested in consequence of a letter which the woman sent to the police authorities at Scotland Yard. In that letter reference was made to the suspicion upon her and her husband in connection with the murder, the explanation given as to the child's disappearance being that she had "subfarmed" it to a "Mrs. Smith," of Croydon. Williams took tho whole responsibility for the business she. carried on, and exonerated her husband from all blame. He was tried with her on tho murder charge, but was acquitted. Mrs. Williams, after her conviction, maintained the most callous demeanour, and it was only within tho past few days that she appeared at all to appreciate her position. Several visits were paid to her by her mother, brother, and husband, the latter being particularly depressed at the farewell parting. Mrs. Williams was removed from the ordinary cell allotted to condemned females to that used by condemned men, which is in close proximity to the scaffold, and there passed her last night. .She retired to rest at/.he usual time, but was very restless, and slept very little. Sho rose at six o'clock in tho morning, attired herself in the dress which she wore on her trial, and expressed herself quite prepared to meet her doom. A light breakfast was served in the condemned cell at eight o'clock. Colonel Milman, the governor of the prison, and Dr. Scott, the gaol surgeon, arrived at the prison at a quarter to nine o'clock, followed by Under-sheriff Medcalfe, who supervised all the arrangements for the execution. Tho chaplain remained with Mrs. Williams to the last. She exhibited not the slightest sign of fear when, at three minutes to nine o'clock, Billing ton, the executioner, entered the cell and, in the presence of the officials, pinioned her arms. She was then escorted to the scaffold by the male warders. She walked without assistance and being put. in position on the drop, the rope and white cap were quickly adjusted, and the bolt was drawn. Death was slated to have been instantaneous. Williams made no statement of any kind. A small crowd assembled to witness the hoisting of (he black flag.