A full and particular Account
OF THE
Life and Execution of

Charles Rotherham,

Who was executed at Nottingham, this day (Monday), July 28, 1817, for the Wilful Murder of ELIZABETH SHEPHERD, by beating out her brains with a Hedge Stake, on the road between Nottingham and Mansfield.

CHARLES ROTHERHAM, who has this day paid the just forfeit of his life to the offended laws of God and his country, for the cruel, deliberate, horrible, and unprovoked murder of ELIZABETH SHEPHERD, by beating her in so dreadful a manner over the head, and other parts of the body, with a hedge stake, as to cause her death, and then threw her into a ditch, after taking from her an umbrella, and a pair of shoes; he also attempted to take off her gown, but could not accomplish it. The deceased was an interesting girl about 17 years of age, and daughter of a woman residing at Papplewick; she had left home the proceeding day for Mansfield, to enquire after some work, and having succeeded in her mission, was on her return home in the evening alone. Her head presented a most shocking spectacle, being so disfigured that her features could scarcely be recognised; the brains protruded from the skull, and one eye was completely knocked out of the socket, and lay upon her cheek. Some quarry men going to work the next morning, near the spot, observed some halfpence lying on the ground, which induced them to make further search, when, to their astonishment and horror, they perceived the mangled body through the hedge, lying as above described. A gentleman and lady, who happened to be riding by in a gig shortly afterwards, and saw the body, gave information of the circumstances at the Police Office in this town, immediately on the arrival, and the most active steps were immediately taken to trace out and secure the murderer. Immediately after committing the horrible deed, he proceeded to the Three Crowns, Red Hill, where he disposed of the shoes, and sung two songs, that he had previously offered them for sale at the Ginger Beer House, near the 7th mile stone. From Red Hill he was traced on the road to Loughborough, and was taken on the bridge leading over the canal near to that place. He was looking over the bridge into the water, when the constable approached him, and accosted him with being his prisoner; he made no resistance.