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Leader (1850-1860), 3rd January 1857, Edition 1 of 2, Page 7

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      Untitled Article

      famous < srowd round the scaffold . So sure as we hear that the sheriff shook hands with the . eulprit and * hoped he was comfortable , ' so sure do -we learn how the mob yellfert , and fought , and cursed , and sang , and 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 Fraser ' 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 coarse , 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

      crowd 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 ' AH round my hat' at the execution of Greenacre—that bought and sold pies and sweetatuff aud sang ' Jim Grow' at the execution of Hocker—that carried babies in its arras 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flash songs have changed , the appellations given to the sweetstuff have changed ; * Bonyparte ' s ribs' may have been superseded by ' Jenny Liad ' s-cough lozenges , ' or ' Sebastopol-rock ; ' but the crowd has not changed . It is there . In the Old Bailey

      aacl in . Horsemonger-lane , as soon as the barriers are pot 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 midnight 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 man in a back lane—I -will first adduce the Old Bailey , which is little else—abutting on as foul and disreputable a neighbourhood as can be found in London . We set uy this miserable popinjay in front of the Debtors' Door , and wonder that all the moral leprosy of Cock-lane and West-street , and Smithfield-bars , and the ruins of the defunct PieM-lane , and Saffron-hill , and the Old-streetroad should congregate about it incontinent . We wonder that all the hideous felonry of tins hideous

      neighbouriiood should come trooping down lustful for drink and blood and plunder , to ' see the cove ' ung . ' We setup another gibbet a-top of a . gate in another back lane—HorsemoDger-lane— -in another most infamous neighbourhood ; and we wonder again that the ' Kent-street Boughs , ' the blackguards aud queans of Tooley-street , tie Mint , the Borough-road , the New-cut , and the purlieus of the Queen's Bench , should come trooping down again , twio-3 jrothers to the mob in the Old Bailey . Good Heavens ! If you impale an otter on a spear , will cot the hounds leap up at him ? If you p-at a beehive in the midst of a bearpit , will not the ' grislies be on the fconeycomb immediately ? I know that people come from 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 hi Clerkenwell as in the J&orough . "

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      THE RESOLUTE . The final handing over to Great Britain of the Arctic discovery ship Resolute took place on Tuesday . The American colours , side 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-Jtiander-in-Chief , went on board the Resolute , to receive her on the part of the nation . Mr . Penn , the Master of the Victory , Mr . Burdwood , second Master of the Victory , a party of seamen , and a corporal ' s guard of -Royal Marines from the same ship , also went on board . Captain liartstein now ordered his cr « w to take up their proper positions , the starboard watch forward and the

      port watch aft . Captain Seymour , af ter spending a few minutes with Captain . Hartstein in the latter ' s cabin , returned on deck , and aa the dockyard clock struck one , tue flag-ship Victory hoisted the United States stars aud stripes at her main and firod a salute to that flag of twenty-one guns . Whilst the salute Avas being fired , Captain Hartstein ordered the American colours to bo hauled down on board the Resolute , and the Union ( Jack then , floated alona , whilst at her main the pennant of a Britirfh naval officer was hoisted . The salute being ended , and the change of colours effected , tie crew of the Resolute manned the rigging , and gave three hearty cheers , as a return for the salute .

      Captain Hartstoin , surrounded by the Chevalier Panpalardo , United States Vice-Consul at Portsmouth , and the American officers , then addressed Captain Seymour thus : — "Sir , —The closing scene of my most pleasant and important mission has now to be performed . And permit me to hope that long after every timber in her sturdy frame shall have perished , the remembrance of the old llosoluto Avill bo cherished by the people of the ^ respective nations . I now , with a pride totally at vari--ance with our professional ideas , strike my flag , and to you , sir , give up this ship . "

      Captain Seymour replied : — " I am sure , sir , that this graceful act oa the part of the United States towards this country , and tlio- graceful manner in which it has boau performed by yourself , sir , and the other otiicers 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 f < eel some emotion in quitting the former vessel . By a quarter past one the Sprightly was under weigh , and the Resolute remained iu charge of Mr . Penn and Mr . Burdwood , the half-dozen British seamen , and the corporal ' s guard of Marines . Passing between the flag-ship Victory and the screw block-ship Pembroke , 60 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 embark the officers and crew on board the United States mail steamship Washington .. .

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      ¦ —• MORE EXECUTIONS . JoHsr Hanxah , who was convicted at the last ICork Assizes of murdering Jane Banbara ( with whom he had coliabited ) 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 circumstance . 3 attendant upon his commission of the 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 Banhani might be found ; but , on making inquiries , he learnt tbat Wild ' s was not the equestrian establishment in which the woman was an actress . He was informed that her company was at Armley , 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 Ms determination . His arrival at Armley and his endeavours to obtain an interview he detailed rnuch 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 strug-gle ensued , ia 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 , ho alleges lie drew the razor . Tlie struggle was renewed , and again he 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 , and , regardless of consequences , to have inilicted the injuries which resulted in death .

      Dedea Kedanies , the murderer of Caroline Back and her sister , -was hung at Maidstone on New Yenr's-day . From the accounts published in the daily papers we learn that a Roman 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 the very latest period of his existence ; for , almost immediately before the execution , he regarded his approaching death with the most perfect indifference , and exclnimed , " In a few moments I shall be iu the arms of my dear Caroline ; 1 care not for death . " He was allowed to smoke- On

      Wednesday he was engaged in smoking , and , having finished his pipe , ho shook out the ashes , laid the pipe on the table , and said , " I smoko no more . " After this he amused himself , as ho had on previous occasions frequently done , by making a sort of rough ( sketch of the place , and the mode in which the double murders were committed ; and when ho had finished he laid the pen by the side of the pipe , and said , " Now 1 write no more ; I propare myself to go meet my dour Caroline . " He then went to bed ; but it appears that for the lirst time since his conviction lio did not tileep » oimd ] j \ On tlic morning of the execution , moreover , ho could not tn . ko any refreshment ; but ho manifested the utmost resolution to the last , aud died with groat composure and resignation . Calcrni ' t was tho hangman .

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      THE FRAUDS 0 > T THE CITY OF LONDON UNION . The committee of investigation appointed by the City of London Union to iiiquiro into tlie circumstances

      attending- the late frauds , gave , in their report at a sitting of the Board of Guardians on Tuesday . After specifying numerous frauds by Paul and Manini , 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 J . 7 s . 4 d ., drawn by your board for the payment to the Public Works Loan Commissioners , and also a cheque for 378 Z . 15 s . 6 d . drawn by your board for payment to Mr . Kingsfortn , one of the contractors , and concealed such knowledge from the board and the committee of investigation appointed by the board

      , until Wednesday afternoon , the 17 th of December , and until the said John Paul had been assisted by this delay in evading justice ; and further , it appears that Rowsell caused to be prepared on Tuesday , the 16 th inst . [ ult . ] , another cash-book for that wMch was previously put before the board , and it appears to us 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 Gueriino Mauini 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 inst ., 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 otber irregularities appear in the accounts , said to have been audited , which showthat such audit was not conducted as directed bv the law . " It fur ther appears that M > . Gibbs , the auditor , though signing a declaration that he had

      compared the several payments credited to the treasurer with th e vouchers , and found them to be correct , subsequently made a statement tliat he had not compared the payments with the vouchers , or seen the banker ' 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 Guerrino JVfanini , and more especially suras 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 5 OO 0 ? . The committee recommended that T \ fr . Gibbs be superseded and Mr . Hampton discharged . They also advised the discharge of B . G . Eldred , who , as assistant clerk , had a culpable knowledge of Paul ' s transactions , more especially on Wednesday , the 17 th ult ., when he endeavoured to induce James Jopp , a relieving officer , to accept a bill for John Paul immediately before Paul absconded .

      I aul was captured on Tuesday evening in the vicinity of Hackney . He was placed before the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House on the following day , when evidence setting forth the facts as above stated was received , and he Mas remanded till Thursday . He is sixty-two years of age .

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      Reprieve . —Thomas Mansel , convicted at the last Maidstone Assizes of the murder of a comrade belonging to tne 49 th Regiment , has been respited until tho 5 th of February , in order to afford time for the decision of certain points of law raised by his counsel , relating to the mode of swearing the jury on liis trial , tho Attorney-General having intimated his intention to grant his Jiat fur the suing out of a writ of error . Tbo circumstances leading to this reprieve were stated by us in tho account of the trial . Tjib Staffield MuttDEK . —William Graham , one of the persona charged with the wilful murder of Mr . Charles Feathcrstonhaugh ' s gamekeeper , at Stafficld , has confessed that lie was tlie actual murderer , and that his two brothers , Henry Graham and Joseph Graham , were accomplices after the fact .

      The Mukueii in Somicrsutshire . — -An inquest has boon held on the body of John Aplin , who was murdered on the night of Tuesday week on the highway near Langley , Somersetshire . The evidence of the various ¦ witnesses confirmed the facts related in . our last week's pn ncr ; and a verdict of Wilful Murdor lias been returned against Thomas Nation , tho young man in custody , who was accordingly committed for trial on the coroner ' s warrant , and oix that of tho magistrates . —Aa the coroner \ ma summing up , an alarming incidont occurred . Tho cast-iron girder supporting the cross limbers of the floor , of the hull suddenly snapped with a loud ' report . Tho court was crowded , and great dimuay onsucd ; but tho magistrates , with much presence of iniiiil , told tUo peoplo to retire slowly by six ut a time , and tlio room was thus

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      — OUK C 1 YILIZATI 0 K

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      January 3 , 1657 . ] T H E L E AD E B , 7

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 3, 1857, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2174/page/7/