Newspaper Extracts
The Roche Abbey Murder
No Pardon
An unusually long period of time passed between the conviction, and carrying out the sentence, no effort to save Sargisson was made. No hope of pardon or respite was held out by any officials of the gaol. While in Armley Gaol, Sargisson was visited by his father and a Mr. Foster, a former employer, of Laughton-en-le-Morthen. Mr. Foster asked if his denial of having struck the blow was true, he did not either kick the deceased or take some other part in the infliction of the violence. He asserted that he had not struck or kicked, or in any way inflicted injury on Cooper. He made a similar statement when talking with the Bishop of Ripon. Of Denton, he said, 'If I could say anything that could free him from suspicion, I would, but he is guilty, he struck the blow'.
The Execution 11th September, 1864
The West Riding Assizes was moved to Leeds and for the first time in living memory the scaffold was erected in the county. The novelty brought large crowds. There were about 200 police present. The executioner, Askern, arrived from Doncaster on Friday afternoon and remained in the prison during the night. (Askern, apparently had once worked on the same farm as Sargisson.) The scaffold was nine feet high from the ground, the front screened with a black cloth, which concealed the men from the waist down. About 6 oclock the governor visited Sargisson and found him reading The Bible. He was taken to the pinnioning room and Sargisson appeared so weak, he was given brandy. As he was placed upon the drop, he cried out 'Lord have mercy upon me - the executioner placed a white cap over Sargissons head, and adjusted the rope , Sargisson shouted out 'Are you happy lad' referring to Denton, instantly with a solemn thud amidst the hush of the multitude, the drop fell, and his body was hidden from the view of the crowd. A few minutes before the hour as the crowds began to disperse, the upper portion of the screen was removed - to prove that the sentence of law had been carried out.
The Mob
The road leading to the gaol was like a fair, with stalls for the sale of sandwiches trotters, sweet stuff and fruits. The roofs of houses, mills, walls and even lamp posts were thronged with those anxious to witness the execution. A large platform situated to the right of the scaffold was crammed with morbid gazers who had paid half a crown. The mob, at four o'clock, and at the time of execution, was said to be around 100,000. When the bell tolled, the cry of 'Hats Off' was raised by the multitude. After the execution the crowds rapidly dispersed, although some remained to witness the cutting down of the bodies at ten o'clock. » »