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    Having committed the murder, which was all finished by ten minutes past ten (I had my watch with me), I immediately ran out of the house. I had pulled off my shoes when I first went into the garden at five in the morning, and am sure the footmarks alluded to in the evidence at the trial were not made then. The one in the garden might have been mine, as I was in the garden on the following day, when I was examined at Mr. Waterhouse’s by Mr. Torkington. I turned immediately to the right and threw the bloody sword among the young oaks near the privy. I then ran at the back of the hay-ricks, went over that stile where it was said that the steps were, without my shoes, which I put on when I got to the top of Horse Close. In going through Dove-house Close, I saw Parker by the dove-house: but Parker did not see me. There was an old man at work in the church-yard at the same time, but he never saw me. After getting over the stile I turned to the right, and went across the closes into the tunnel; as stated in the evidence; saw the two women on the hill, did not stay in the tunnel a minute; went down the dike and laid down in Mr. Waterhouse’s fields. It was about twenty minutes after ten when I got to the barley field; I remained there till seven at night; and then I went to my own house, round by the town, had my supper, and went to bed; as I was going home I saw folks running about. On Wednesday I was at work at Stanion’s.
    The X of Joshua Slade
    Following a new search of the patch of young oaks Slade had described, the sword was discovered; and on re-inspection of the brewing tub it was clear that the damage had been caused by a weapon less crude than a bill. It is interesting that Slade’s confession dismissed the prosecution’s claims that the footprints, the knife and bill, the bloodstains and Heddings’s statements were correct – without these points the prosecution would have had no case.
    From the time of his confession up until his execution Slade expressed both guilt and remorse for the murder and relief at his conviction. He stated that if he had not been caught he probably would have gone on to commit further serious crimes.
    On Thursday 30 August Slade had the first and only visit from his father, accompanied by two of his sisters. He spent the rest of his time in the company of the prison chaplain. On Saturday 1 September, at just after 11 a.m., Slade was placed in the cart that was to take him to the site of his execution on the outskirts of the town. A large crowd had gathered and he showed a great deal of fear until the final moments when, standing alone on the scaffold, he finally managed to compose himself.
    His body was returned to the prison until it was moved for the dissection, which was scheduled for Tuesday 4 September. The medical examination revealed unusually proportioned toes explaining his distinctive gait. He had also suffered several serious blows to his head during his lifetime. A plaster mould was taken of his face. A touring museum later displayed items connected with this murder, including his skeleton. Two of the few existing exhibits are pictured: a section of the noose and a piece of preserved skin removed from the back of Slade’s neck.
    Joshua Waterhouse left instructions for burial: ‘Let me be buried twelve feet deep – my coffin standing perpendicularly on its foot: let my face front the east: I shall then be ready: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised.’ His grave was dug to almost that depth, but his coffin was placed in the usual position. His tomb can still be seen in the graveyard at the church of Little Stukeley but the inscription (below) is no longer legible:
    Beneath this tomb his Mangled body’s laid
    Cut, stabbed and Murdered by Joshua Slade
    His ghastly Wounds a horrid sight to see
    And hurl’d at once into Eternity
    What faults you’ve seen him take Care to shun
    And look at home –