Biography of Captain John Donnellan -1781

2nd April 1781. Captain John Donnellan was hanged having been convicted of poisoning his brother-in-law [his brother-in-law] Theodosius Boughton 7th Baronet.

A True and Particular Account, of the Trial, and Execution of Captain Donnellan, Who was Executed, At Warwick, on Monday last, the 2d of April, for Poisoning his Brother in Law, Sir Theodosius Boughton, Bart. and also the Solem manne he declared his Inn >cence, at the place of Execution,

Sir Theodosius being slightly indiposed, was advised by the captain to take some Physeick, accordingly, a Draught being sent for, the Captain found some means (as is supposed) to substitute a Vial, contaening a strong water Distil'd from Lawrel (which is the strongest of all Poisons) in its stead, and which the Mother of the Deceased, innocently giving to her Son, he expired in strong Convations in half an hour after, the Captain being apprehended, and Tried for the above Crime and was convicted on the strongest circumstantial evedence, aid was order'd to be Executed and Anasomited. What induced the Captain to commit this Horrid Crime is supposed to be his being Profesed of a fare Estate which would have come to his Wife and Family atter his Brother in Law's Death,

The Behaviour and Execution of Captain Donnellan.

Immediately aftcr the Conviction of Cap. Donnellan, a Divine, acoompanied by a particular friend of the Prisoner's, went to see Him, and to all appearance he was perfectly resigned to his unhappy Fate, It was urged to Him, that as the evidence had been clear, a denial of the fact wou'd be looked upon by the World as a mean Prevarication, and would induce people to thruw an additional insult upon his Memory. To this observation, he answered, he could not help any man's conclusions; he knew his own Heart, and would with with his last breath, assert his Innocence. Some few unguarded and unpremeditated expressions, aggravated by talsehood of the flagrant kind, which was sworn at his Trial, had induced a Jury to take his Life; but time would do him justice, and prove him an in-Man, ruined by those who ought to heve been his friends. —Perceiving the Gentlemen in astonishment at this conversation, he added. that he should dedicate to Morrow (Sunday) to the purpose of drawing up an answer to, and refutation of the evidence and should leave it with a Friend, that he hap no doobt would comply with the last Request he should make, that of seeing it correctly published. He asked whether he had not a desire to see his [his wife] Wife, and take a last farewell. To this he hastily replied, I do beseech you let me not hear a gain of this: if she do nat come, I shall die composed. On Sunday Evening he deposited his case with a Gentleman of Coventry, who assisted him in his Trial, with an earnest request that he would Print and Publish it. He then gave some directions relative to the adjustment of the sad operation which was to take place in the Morning, and appeared remarkably chearful and composed. —At seven o'clock next day he was carried to the place of Excution in a mourning Coach, followed by a Hearse, and the Sheriff 's Officers in deep Mourning; as he went on, he frequently put his head out of the Coach, and earnestly desired the prayers of the People arround him. — On his arrival at the place of Execution, he alighred from the Coach, and ascending in a few steps of the Ladder, prayed for a considerable time, and then joined in the usual service with the greatest appearance of devotion; he then in a audible tone of voice, addressed the spectators in the following terms: That as he was then going to appear before God, to whom all deceit was known, he solemnly declared that he was innocent of the crime for which he was to suffer! that he had drawn up a vindicition of himself, which he hoped the World would believe, for it was of more consequence to him tio speak truth than falsehood, and had no doubt but that time would reveal the many mysteries that had arised in his Trial, and prove that he fell a sacrifice to the malice and black designs of his — —, After praying fervently some time, he let his Handkerchief fall, a signal agreed on between him and the Executioner, and was launced into Eterniiy.— After hanging the usual time, the body cut down, and put into a black Coffin, and conveyed to to the Town Hall to be dissected.