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Leader (1850-1860), 3rd January 1857, Edition 2 of 2, Page 7, THE FKAUDS ON THE CITY OF LONDON" UNION....

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      Old Bailey Executions. Under This Head M...

      famous crowd round the scaffold . So sure as we hear that the sheriff shook hands with the culprit and ' hoped Jhe was comfortable , bo enre do we learn how the mob yelled , and fought , and cursed , aad sang , ai > d pilfered at the gallows' foot . The wonderful similarity of these crowds to each other must strike every newspaper reader . The admirable description given by Mr . Thackeray in leaser ' s Magazine , many years since , of the execution of Courvoisier , is the selfsame description to the minutest point of detail ( differences of style being , of course , admitted ) as the no less admirable narrative of the execution of the Mannings , contributed to the Times

      by Mr . - Charles Dickens . Both , either , might have served for a description -of the Marley crowd . This < arowd was neither worse nor better than any of its predecessors . It was emphatically the same crowd . The ¦ same crowd that yelled , and fought , and cursed , and ¦ drank gin , and sang ' All round my hat' at the execution o £ Greenacre—that bought and sold pies and sweetstuff and sang ' Jim Crow' at the execntion of Hocker—that carried babies in its arms and sang * Oh Susannah' at the execution of the Mannings—that picked pockets underneath the gallows and sang ' Keemo Kimo' at the

      execution of Marley . The flash songs have changed , the appellations given to the sweetstuff have changed ; * Bonyparte ' s ribs' have been superseded by ' Jenny liind ' s cough lozenges , ' ' Sehastopol-rook ; ' but the crowd has not changed . It is there . In the Old Bailey and in Horsemongor-lane , as soon as the barriers are put up , the same crowd starts up as though from a trap in the congenial sewers beneath the pavement ; and it is there to curse , and yell , and sing , and have its mid-Eight orgies , as it has had them a hundred times before . * It appears to me that the infamy of the crowd is due mainly to the infamy of the locality . "We strangle a xaaii in a back lane—I will first adduce tie Old Bailey , winch , is- little else—abutting on as foul and disreputable -a neighboairbood as can be found in London . We set this miserable in front

      xxp popinjay of the Debtors' Door , -and wonder that all the moral le-prosy of Cock-lane and West-street , and Smithfield-bars , and the ruins of . defunct Field-lane , and Saffron-hill , and the Old-streetroad should congregate about it incontinent . We wonder 4 ihat all the hideous felonry of this hideous neighbourhood should come trooping down lustful for drink and ixlood and plunder , -to ' see the cove . ' ung . We set up Another gibbet a-top of a gate in another back lane—Horsemonger-lane—in another most infamous neighbourhood ; and we wonder again that tlie ' Kent-street Roughs , ' the blackguards aud queans of Tooley-street , the Mint , the Boiough-road , the New-cut , and the purlieus of the Queen ' s Bench , should come trooping down again , twin-brothers to the mob in the Old Bailey . Good Heavens ! If you impale an otter on a spear , -will not the hounds leap up at Mm ? If you put a beehive in the midst of abearpit , will not thegrislies be on the

      honeycomb immediately ? J know that people come iftom great distances to see executions ; "but the nucleus , the backbone , the spinal marrow of the crowd is there within hail , within pistol-shot , over the way , round -the corner , ready to the hand in Clerkenwe-ll as in the Borough . "

      January 3, 1857.] T H E & E A D "E E, 7

      January 3 , 1857 . ] T H E & E A D "E E , 7

      The Resolute. The Final Handing Over To ...

      THE RESOLUTE . The final handing over to Great Britain of the Arctic discovery ship Resolute took place on . Tuesday . The American colours , aide by side with those of this country , hung from the peak of the ship . At a quarter to one o ' clock , Captain Seymour , flag Captain to the Com - mauder-in-Chief , Trent on board the Resolute , to receive her on the part of the tfation . Mr . Penn , the Master of the Victory , Mr . Burdwood , second Master of the Victory , a patty of seamen , and a corporal ' s guard of Royal Marines from the same ship , also went on board . Captaia Hartstein now ordered his crew to take up their proper positions , the starboard -watch forward and the port watch aft . Captain Soymourafter spending a few

      , niiuutca with Captain Hartstein in the latter ' s cabin , ro t urued on deck , and as the dockyard clock struck one , the iUg-ship Victory hoisted the United States stars ^ ind stripes at her main and fired a salute to that flag- of twenty-one guns . Whilst the salute was being fired , Captain Hartstein ordered the American colours to be hauled down ou board the Reaoluto , and the Union Jack then floated alaue , whilst at her main the pennant of a British naval officer was hoisted . Tho salute being ended , and the ¦ change of colours effected , tho crew of the liesolute manned the rigging , and gave three hearty chaers , as a . return for the salute . Captain Ilartstein , surrounded by the Chevalier PuppalardoUnited & tatea VicoConsul

      , - at Portsmouth , and tho American officers , then addressed Captain Soymour tliua : —¦ " Six , —The closing scene of my moat pleasant and important mission has now to bo performed . And permit mo to hope that long after every timber in her sturdy frame shall have perished , tho remembrance of the old Itcsoluto will bo cherished by the people of tho respective nations . I now , -with a prido totally at variance with our professional ideas , strike my flag , and to you , sir , give up this ship . " Captain Soyinour replied : — "I am sure , sir , that this graceful act on tho part of the United States totrarda this country , and the graceful manner in which it lias beau porfonnod by yourself , sir , and the other ollloors of

      the ship , will ever live in the memory of the people of England . " The crew of the Resolute then left her , and went aboard the Sprightly steamer , followed by Captain Hartstein and the other officers , all of whom appeared to feel some emotion in quitting the former vessel . By a quarter past one the Sprightly was under weigh , and the Eesolute remained in charge of Mr . Penn and Mr . Burdwood , the half-dozen British seamen , and the corporal ' s guard of Marines . Passing between the iag-ship Victory and the screw block-ship Pembroke , £ 0 guns , the crews of these vessels manned the rigging , and gave cheer after cheer to the American officers and men , who enthusiastically returned the compliment . The Sprightly then made her way out of harbour , and proceeded to Southampton , there to « tnbark the officers and crew on board the United States mail steamship Washington .

      .Our Civilization. ¦ . . . —«¦ — . More ...

      . OUR CIVILIZATION . ¦ . . . —«¦ — . MORE EXECUTIONS . . John Haots-ah , who was convicted at the last York Assizes of murdering Jane Banham ( with whom he had cohabited ) was executed behind York Castle last Saturday at noon . On ascending the scaffold , Hannah prayed audibly , and then took his farewell of the chaplain and the officials . He appeared to bear his fate with less mental suffering than was anticipated , but he did not die until after a dreadful struggle . Since his condemnation , Hannah , had been very assiduous in his attendance upon his religious duties . He acknowledged the murder , but denied the premeditation ; and the account which * he gave of the circumstances attendant aipon . his commission of ihe crime is similar to that suggested by the counsel who defended him . He stated that he had left Manchester in search of work , having -with him his usual implements of trade as a tailor , and the razor with which , the crime was committed . He reached Leeds , and there saw a notice of "Wild ' s equestrian establishment ; and the suggestion occurred to him that this was the place where Jane Banham might be found ; hut , on making inquiries , he learnt that " Wild ' s was not the equestrian establishment in which the woman was an actress . He was informed Jhat her company was at Armleyy near Leeds ; and he thereupon determined to see her . He had had a considerable quantity , of liquor the day before , and an additional quantity which he obtained at Leeds tended to increase his determination . His arrival at Armley and his endeavours to obtain an interview he detailed much in the same terms as those in which the facts were

      proved at the trial . He stated that , at the outset , the interview was of a friendly nature , but that as time elapsed their words became angry . He was exasperated , and it is supposed that his anger and jealousy were increased by Banham giving hints of her connexion with another man , and by showing Hannah the miniature of that man , which was found upon her after her decease . Thus excited , he says that he struck her a blow , which was returned . A struggle ensued , in which there seemed every probability of the woman becoming the master . For the purpose merely of frightening her , and even then having no intention of . injuring her , he alleges he drew the razor . The struggle was renewed , and again be was on the point of being vanquished , when he inflicted one of the wounds upon the woman ' s face . He then states himself to have been nearly maddened , nnd , regardless of consequences , to have inflicted the injuries which resulted in death .

      Dedea Redanies , the murderer of Caroline Back and her sister , was hung at Maidstone on New Ycar ' s-dny . From the accounts published in the daily papers we lenrn that a Itoman Catholic clergyman , named Lawrence , was sent to visit him , and was so satisfied with the condition of his mind , that he administered the sacrament to him on Wednesday . Notwithstanding this , however , it is probable that a very strong Mahometan notion prevailed in the convict ' s mind to tho ' very latest period of his existence ; for , almost immediately before the execution , he regarded his approaching death with the most perfect indrfi ' orence , and exclaimed , " In a few moments I shall bo in the arms of my deai Caroline ; I care not for death , " lie was allowed tn smoke . On

      Wednesday he was engaged in smoking , nnd , having finished his pipe , lie shook out the ashes , laid tho pipe on the table , and . said , "I smoke no more . " After this ho amused himself , ns he had on previous occasions frequently dorre , by waking a sort of rough sketch of the place , and tho mode in which the tloublo murders were committed ; and when ho had finished he la id the pen by tho Bide of tho pipe , and said , " Now I writo no move ; I prepare myself to go meet my dear Caroline . " He then went to bed ; but it appears that for the first time since his conviction he did not sleep soundly . On tho morning of the execution , moreover , ho could not take any refreshment ; but tie manifested tho utmost resolution to the lant , and died with great composure nnd resignation . Caleruft was tho hangman .

      The Fkauds On The City Of London" Union....

      THE FKAUDS ON THE CITY OF LONDON " UNION . The committco of investigation appointed by the City of London Union to inquire inLo the circumutunces

      attending the late frauds , gave ia their report at a sitting of the Board of Guardians Tneaday . After specifying numerous frauds by Paul and Hanini , they proceed to say : — " It appears by the acknowledgment of Mr . John Thomas Rowsell , that on or about the 27 th of November he was in full knowledge that the said John Paul had fraudulently used for his own private advantage two cheques , viz ., a cheque for 597 Z . 7 s . 4 d ., drawn by your hoard for the payment to the Public Works Loan Commissioners , and also a cheque for 378 ? . 15 s . 6 d . drawn l > y your board for payment to Mr . Kingsforth , one of-the contractors , and concealed such knowledge from the board and the committee of investigation appointed by ihe boarduntil afternoon

      , Wednesday , the 17 th of December , and until the said John Paul had been assisted by this delay in evading justice ; and further , it appears thatEowsell caused to be prepared on Tuesday , the 16 th hist . [ ult . J , another cash-book for that "which , was previously put before the board , and it appears to tis that Rowsell has for many years neglected the most important portion of the duties of his office , and has thereby greatly facilitated the frauds of John Paul and Charles Guenino Mairini on this union . And your committee further report that they have examined many of the receipts and payments of this union , which have been , audited by Joseph Gibbs , Esq ., -the auditor of the -union , and they find that several sums , forming an-aggregate

      sum of 11 , 878 ? . 2 s . lid ., which has been credited since Lady-day , 1853 , to several parishes set forth in the schedule included in our report of Friday , the 19 th hist ., have not been paid into the treasurer ' s account for the union , and the said sums do not appear in the treasurer ' s pass-book ; and your committee report that an ordinary , and even slight , examination was sufficient to show that these frauds had been committed ; and your committee further report that sundry other irregularities appear in the accounts , said to have been audited , which show that such audit was not conducted as directed by the law . " It further appears that Mr . Gibbs , the auditor , though signing a declaration that he had

      compared the several payments credited to the treasurer with the vouchers , and formd them to be correct , subsequently made a statement that he had not compared tha payments with the vouchers , or seen the banker ' s or treasurer ' s books for the purpose of comparing them . " And your committee report -that George Hampton , who is a clerk in this Union , has been in the habit of posting sums in the ledger to the credit of several parishes in this Union without their having been paid to the treasurer , having so credited parishes from the directions of John Paul and Charles Gnerrrno Manini , and more especially sums amounting in the aggregate to 11 , 878 * . 2 s . lid . "

      ^ This report gave rise to a discussion , in which considerable dissatisfaction with the chairman of the board was expressed . A resolution was passed authorizing the investigation committee to borrow 5000 / . The committee recommended that Mr- Gibbs be superseded and Mr . Hampton discharged . They also advised the discharge of B . G . EWred , who , as assistant clerk , had a culpable knowledge of Paul ' s transactions , more especially on Wednesday , the 17 th ult ., when be endeavoured to induce James " jopy , a relieving officer , to accept a bill for John Paul immediately before Paul absconded .

      Paul was captured on Tuesday ereningin the Vicinity of Hackney . He was placed before the Lord Mayor at tlie Mansion House on the following day , when evidence setting forth the facts as above stated was received , and he was remanded till Thursday . He is sixty-two yeaia of age .

      Refkieve Kitfkieve

      Refkieve KiTFKiEVE

      . —Thomas Manscl , convicted at the last Maidstone Assizes of the murder of a comrade belonging to the 49 th Regiment , has been respited until the 5 th of February , in order to afford time for the decision of certain points of law raised by his counsel , reluting to the mode of swearing ( he jury on his trial , lHio Attorney - Gcncral having intimated hia intention to grant his Jiat for the suing out of a . -writ of error . The circumstances lending to this reprieve were stated by us iia the account of the trial . Tiik Stafheld Mukdku . —William Graham , one of the persona charged with the wilful murder of Mr . Charles Fcatherstonhaugh ' s gamekeeper , at Staffield , has confessed that lie was the actual murderer , and that his two brothers , Henry Graliam und Joseph Graham , wero accomplices after the fact .

      Tub MuRDuit in SoJiKRSEramni ; . —An inquest las been held on the body of John Aplin , who was murdered on the night of Tuesday wiiok on tho lugbway near Langley , Suinersetwhire . Tho evidence of tho vurious witnesses confirmed the factn related in o-ur last week ' a paper ; and a verdict of Wilful Murder h « a been returned against Thomas Nation , the young man in . custody , who was accordingly committed for trial on tho coroner ' s warrant , and on that of the magistrates . —An the coroner was summing up , an alarming incident occurred . Tho cast-iron girder hupportiug the cross timbers of tho floor of tho hull suddenly snapped with a loud report . Tho court was crowded , und great dismay ensued ; but the magistrates , with much presence of mind , told the people to retire slowly by six at a time , and tho room was tluia

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 3, 1857, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_03011857/page/7/