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In April 1803 the Worcester Journal carried an account of the execution of Colonel Despard, Macnamara, Broughton, Graham, Wood, Wratten and Francis for High Treason.
“A little before nine o’clock, Macnamara and Graham were brought through the felons’ court and, on their arrival in the courtyard, were placed upon a hurdle with clean straw on it and drawn across the yard by two horses. The hurdle was then taken back to the same spot were the remainder of the condemned men were ready and were taken away in like manner two at a time. There being an odd one, Colonel Despard was drawn last by himself.
The prisoners were then conducted to the top of the prison which is covered over with sheets of copper, and they ascended the scaffold in the same rotation that they had been placed on the hurdle. At this moment perhaps there never was witnessed such a concourse of people as filled every avenue round the prison. The awful moment now being at hand, which was to deprive the condemned men of their existence, their enormous crime was almost forgotten, and pity seemed to pervade every breast.

The fatal cord being already fixed round their necks, and the Chaplain joining them in prayer, every man appeared to conduct himself with fortitude. Broughton showed a contempt at the ignominious death which awaited him, and at no time discovered the least resignation. When viewing the mob, he uttered in a low tone of voice: “My dear fellows, you had better keep away from public houses or you may witness another hanging-day soon”.

Macnamara had a Catholic priest to attend to him on the platform and seemed the whole time wrapped in devotion. Graham was an elderly man and, from his very proper conduct, commanded both pity and respect. Wood, Wratten and Francis, by their behaviour, evinced a due sense of their unhappy situation. Colonel Despard was obstinate to the last. He would not join in prayer with the Chaplain, neither in the chapel nor on the scaffold. Death seemed to have no terrors for him. The last few moments the prisoners had to live, they employed, except for the Colonel, in fervent supplications to Heaven for forgiveness of their sins, but not one religious ejaculation escaped the Colonel.
While the cord was suspended around his neck, he fixed his eyes upon the crowd beneath him and in a very audible tone addresses them in the most inflammatory language for several minutes.
All the traitors were then committed to eternity and, having hung for about 20 minutes, they were taken down one at a time. Their heads were severed from their bodies and held up to the spectators when the usual words were pronounced: “Behold the head of a Traitor!” Several troops of horse were in the neighbourhood but the mob dispersed without trouble and their assistance was unnecessary.”

Originally published in the Worcester Journal