Last modified: 10 November 2026
The Globe, Tuesday 29 July 1879, p. 5 (an evening paper, reporting the execution that morning). [Source: British Newspaper Archive.]
Transcribed as printed; the long paragraphs of the original have been broken up for easier reading. Points to check are marked [?].
By the execution this morning at a few minutes past nine o’clock of Catherine Webster, for the murder of Mrs. Thomas, at Richmond, on the 2nd of March last, the curtain has fallen on the final act of the tragedy.
At eight o’clock last night the Rev. Michael McEnery, the Roman Catholic chaplain of the gaol, was with her for two hours, during which she unreservedly confessed that she was solely concerned in the murder, and that the previous statements made by her, and which have been made public, were untrue. Her statement, or rather confession, was reduced to writing, and instead of being handed to her solicitor it was sealed and forwarded to the Home Office.
Contrary to general expectation, the crowd outside the prison was comparatively small, as up to eight o’clock only about 200 persons had congregated in the avenue leading from the main road to the entrance of the prison. Shortly after seven o’clock the Rev. Father McEnery arrived, and was soon followed by Mr. Abbott, the under-sheriff, and the doctor of the prison. Gradually the crowd increased, and by the time the black flag was hoisted about 400 people had assembled.
At 10 minutes to nine o’clock the prison bell commenced to toll, and simultaneous with its sound a warder appeared on the bell-tower. As the clock struck the hour for the execution about a foot of the black flag appeared above the parapet of the tower, and evidently some short delay was caused, judging from the signs made by the warder to those below.
When the flag went up a cheer arose from those in the immediate vicinity of the gates, and it is due to those who were present to mention that it came principally from young girls who formed the major portion of the crowd.
A little before ten o’clock Mr. Abbott, the under-sheriff, left the gaol, and on our representative inquiring whether the convict had made any confession, he stated that she had acknowledged no one else had participated in the murder, and that she had gone to the scaffold entirely repentant. There was no scene, the prisoner throughout the terrible ordeal conducting herself with remarkable fortitude.
Another account says that Webster, in the first instance, made a confession to her confessor, Father M’Enery, and subsequently to Major Colville, the governor of the prison, that she alone committed the murder, and that all the other persons whom she has at previous times implicated in the affair were entirely innocent. The statement has been taken down in detail, and has been transmitted to the Secretary of State.
It will be recollected that it was proved at the trial that the deceased lady, when she was last seen in the chapel on the evening of the 2nd of March, appeared to be very excited, and the prisoner seems to have stated that she and the deceased lady had had some words before she went out on this evening. On her return the altercation was resumed, and she herself having been drinking, was very excited, and struck the deceased, who fell, and upon looking at her she found she was dead.
The prisoner appears to represent that the act was quite unpremeditated; but upon seeing that her mistress was dead the thought came into her head to endeavour to get rid of the body and to possess herself of the property of the deceased. The rest of the statement is virtually in accordance with the evidence that was given at the trial, and the culprit admitted that she alone was the person who was guilty, and that all the other people whom she has falsely accused are entirely innocent.
Through her confessor she expressed at different times a hope that these persons would forgive her the injury she had done them by accusing them falsely of such a terrible crime.
About a hundred people lingered round the prison for an hour after the execution, but with the exception of the cheer on the raising of the black flag, the behaviour of the people was extremely quiet.
At the holding of the inquest the coroner asked Captain Colville, the governor of the prison, whether it was true that the convict had made the confession attributed to her, and he replied that late last night she had confessed to Father McEnery that she alone had committed the murder. She stated that she had been a little excited by having taken some drink, and that her mistress’s manner so aggravated her that she pushed her down the stairs, and then strangled her.
Captain Colville pointed out to her that in one of her statements recently published she had mentioned the name of a man who she alleged had been connected with the crime. She replied that the statement was untrue, and that he had taken no part in the murder.
Her demeanour since she had been transferred to Wandsworth Gaol had been quiet and submissive. She had been visited by Dr. Withers [Weathers?], the coadjutor bishop, and had expressed herself as greatly pleased by the way in which she had been treated. He had that morning taken leave of her, and she had thanked him for the great kindness she had experienced.
Dr. Winter gave evidence that the convict had died from dislocation of the neck, and the jury returned a verdict to the effect that the order of the court had been carried into effect.
The body was then placed in a shell and buried in proximity to the scaffold.