The New York Herald

Execution of Sarah Thomas, at Bristol, (CA.) for the Murder of Miss Jeffries.—The Montreal Courier, of the 5th instant, gives the particulars of the execution of Sarah Thomas, at Bristol, on the 1st inst., for the murder of Miss Jeffries, and her confession of the deed. It says:—The final scene was of a most revolting character. The prisoner, instead of being resigned to her fate, contested it with the officers, and literally had to be carried to the gallows and executed amid screams for life, which did not cease until the fatal bolt was drawn. The following is her confession of the circumstances of the murder, signed by her own hand:—Two days before the murder was committed, Miss Jefferies called me up to her bedroom and attempted to strike me. She also locked me in the kitchen during the whole of the night. At five o'clock in the morning she unbolted the door, and told me to make a fire in her room. I thought then to have struck her, but did not do so. On the following night I slept in her room, but did not contemplate murdering her till between 5 and 6 o'clock in the morning, when I got up, went down stairs, and returned with a stone, with which, while Miss Jefferies was asleep, I struck her on the head three times. Between the second and third blows, she made some sort of a noise, and the last words I heard her say were, "Christ God!" I then dressed myself, robbed the house, flung the dog down the privy, locked up the house and went home. I committed the murder and robbed the house with my own hands, and no one else had anything whatever to do with it; neither did I mention having done so to any person. I regret exceedingly having committed so horrid a crime, and I pray to the Almighty God for forgiveness. I never should have committed so dreadful a crime had Miss Jefferies' conduct been less provoking. After Miss Jefferies had died, I remained in the room for more than an hour. I then went home, and did not return till about 9 o'clock in the evening, when I went for two boxes, but did not go into mistress's room. On leaving the house, I saw a strange man standing opposite, who carried my boxes as far as the infirmary, for which I gave him 9d. then took a fly and went home.