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THE CONVICT PEACE.CONFESSION OF ANOTHER MURDER.The Sheffield Independent of Wednesday says:_We have every reason to believe that Peace hasa greater surprise iu store for the public than any thing that has yet been made known with respect to him—that before his execution on Tuesday next he will confess to a murder for which he lias never been tried, andforthe commission of which an innocent man narrowly escaped the hangman's rope and for which he is now suffering. Between his prayers and his meditations. Peace has for the last few days been busily occupied in preparing plans similar, though on a larger scale, to that which he furnished of Banner-cross, and when not engaged upon these ho has spent his time in writing what is believed to be a confession. Neither the precise locality with which the nlaDs deal, nor the nature of the confession, has been allowed to leak outfrom Arrnley; but from information upon which we can rely, we have reason to believe that both the oueand the other relate to the murder of a policeman named Cock at Wlmlley Range. a suburb of Manchester, on August 1st, 1876. Peace, as the Banner-cross plan proved, has a wonderfully accurate recollection of the scenes of his exploits, and if we are not mistaken the plans upon which he is now working will show that he remembers the precise spot where Cock fell and all the roads in the vicinity. There is no doubt that Peace was in Manchester at the time of the murder. It was there that lie went when the warrant was issued against him by Mrs. Dyson towards the end of July, and it is known, too, that he went there not only to escape the execution of the warrant, but to do a little business in the way of burglary. For this purpose he took his housebreaking implements with him, and his revolver, without which he never went on such expeditions, formed part of his stock. Two or three days after his arrival in Manchester Police-constable Cock was shot undercircumstances which bear a close resemblance to theBlackheath affair when Peace fell into the hands of Robinson. He. is watched into the private grounds of a gentleman’s house; he is followed by an officer ; and in endeavouring to escape he encounters a second. Cock probably, attempted to arrest him and was shot by Peace, who in the darkness of the night escaped unseen. Three brothers named Habron were apprehended for the murder, and one of them was found guilty upon evidence of a purely circumstantial character. On account of his youth — he was then only 18 years old— lie was recommended to mercy, and though he was sentenced to death, that sen tencewasaftorwards commuted to penal servitude for life. Peace, after the murder, went to Hull came to Sheffield, and returned to Hull again ; and when he had quarrelled with his family he went back to Manchester. He was in that city when the three Habrons were put on their trial, and there is reason to believe that he was present at the trial and heard the unfortunate youth sentenced to death for the crimo of which he himself was guiltv. Early the next morning he went to Sheffield and called upon his mother in Orchard street. Hoand friends. Another communication from Peace appeared in the Sheffield Telegraph of Saturday. It is not in the convict’s handwriting, but was written by a prison official at his dictation. The letter states:—I expect that my death will take nlace in about » fortnight. I shall do my very best that I can do to prepare myself to meet my God, and to obtain His forgive-iiesa, if it is possible, for the sins of my past life. My dear -—, I hope this will be one consolation ami comfort to you, that is, by thinking of my sentence of iifo nnpnsoninfliit before my present sentence of death was passed upon me. You must understand that I should have had a lonp: and dreary and miserable life of imprisonment, for imprisonment is much harder now than it has been ever known, ami if I had nothins: against inv character I should have had to have been 20 years in prison without a report or the scratch of a pen against me before 1 could he recommended for my freedom, mid even then, it would eutiroly deueud upon the merits of the case, so that I think I never should have gained my freedom, but should have died 8 miserable death on a prison be(h and being suiroumled by a class of men that vvas anything but good and God-fearing men. It is almost certain 1 should have died at .Sheffield a miserable sinner, anil been east into everlasting punishment at the great day. Now, my dear , let this lie a comfort to you and your family that I am neither a fool or idiot to say or think that thero is 110 God, hut, on the contrary, I know there is a merciful God, whom I have sinned against and broken ail His commandments all the days of my life.tbrew a Manchester paper down 011 the table, and said. “Tliore. that's where I've been.” The paper waslookedinto by one of his relatives, and it wasfound to contain a report of the trial and conviction of the young mail. Tiiat same night Peace went to Banner-cross and shot Mr. Dyson.Mrs. Hannali Peace or Wa'ul arrived in Deeds by the morning train on Monuay 110111 Sheffield. She was unaccompanied by any 01 her relatives. Shortly before noon she visited the town hall, and was at once provided by Mr. Thornton, the visiting committee's clerk, with an order allowing her to see Peace. The convict was hardly as well pleased at seeing her as on the occasion of her first visit. The woman cried a good deal. She tohl him of the stensshe was taking to secure possession of some of the things formerly in the Evelina-road house.A Leeds correspondent states that Peace gives the prison authorities at Arrnley very little trouble He is perfectly resigned to his fate, and there h. every reason for believing that the convict is now repentant. A notable change has come over the tone of his conversation. He no longer delights in boasting of his evil ways. There seems to be an opinion that Peace will commit suicide. The onitiion is not shared by tile prison authorities. When in bed he is not allowed to have his hands underthebedclotlies.nor are the clothespermittedto be drawn up farther than to half cover liis chest, Peace is a very fervent prayer. Before tellingMr. Keene anything he offers up a beautiful prayer, anil then says, “My dear governor, do you think I could tellyou alie after havingprayedlikethat?” Befor his relatives visited him Peace frequently expressed, desire to see Mrs. Thompson, for whom he seemed to entertain feelings of the warmest affection. But after his friends had been to see him he sent for the governor and told him not to admit Mrs. Thomp-son. Mr. Keene made some remark with regard to ln I her changeableness, whereupon the convict er-,is I plained, “ I’ll write a letter to poor Sue.” Having of I done so, he asked the covernor to read it to her, a- but not to deliver it up. Shortly afterwards he j wrote a note to Mr. Keene, asking liini to cut off the1 last two lines of tho letter he had written, and to-i, I give them to her for a keepsake. This Mr. Keene | did. Since then Peace has said very iitr.le about -1. . Mrs. Thomnsoit-lint v nmntmnest I Mrs. Thompson, hut occasionally lie mentions her ss I name with tenderness, and at times even says he ! would like to see her or.ee more before he dies, le J Mr. John Tait, schoolmaster at Consett. writes a . to tho Consett Onardim that Peace visited his school somo years ago. He says, too:—“Many of s. my old sclmlars will remember him performing the I gravediggers’ scene in Hamlet. His acting was 53 I admirable, but tlie contortions of bis countenance, ,-1 tlie amazing transformations lie effected in his visage, baffle all description.” Mr. Tait furthera j states that Peace visited Mr. Dawson’s school atSpennymoor about the same time, iind#performed the same part as lie did at his school, with tho addition of decamping with two musical instruments he borrowed, and attempting to persuade a girl to elope with him.On Wednesday afternoon the convict Peace was visited at Armlev gaol by the Rev. J. H. Little-wood, vicar of Darnall, who 011 Tuesday received from the condemned man the following letterH..M. Prison. Anuicy, Feb. 17, 1S70.From Charles Peace.The Rev. Mr. Littlewood, Vicar of Darnall.Dear Sir,—This is from that poor, miserable man Charles Peace, non lying under sentence of death ill this prison. Dear sir, I hare a great desire to sec you as early as possible this week, if you don't think it too much trouble or think that I am so base and bad that it is not worth your while to see me ; but oh. sir, do come and see mo at once, for I have a great message for vouto bear to the people of Darnall, and I think you yourself will notreject coming to see me. You will havo to bring this letter with you. and the governor will give vou further instructions. Please write back and let nie know per return of post.—Believe me to. remain yours.Charles Peace.The interview lasted for nearly two hours, and in the course of it Peace made a full and mo-mentouB statement with regard to his past life, and especially with respect to the murder of Mr. Dyson.Particulars of tho interview Mr. Littlewood was unable to supply, as be gave theconvict, at his request, a faithful promise to disclose nothing that he might say as to his past career until after his execution. Although declining most positively to reveal anything the convict said as to his' past life, Mr. Littlewood expressed his conviction that Te ce is earnest and' sincere m liis repentance. anxious to bo prepared for the dread event of next Tuesday. He frequently asked the rev. gentleman if he did not believe his statements, to whieli Mr. Littlewood replied that he did thoroughly believe that he was speaking the truth. He also said that lie would rather die than spend the remainder of his days in penal servitude.Peace.it is said, promised his wife that ho would not see Mrs. Thompson any more. Pence handed to her two documents—one a deed of gift, by which he disposes of his effects in her favour, with the exception of a watch and his patent for raising sunken snips, which he makes over to Willie Ward in the hope that he will make somo use of the patent. He gave his wife another document, his last will and testament, duly signed and attested by the Governor of Armley gaol.Among the hosts of amatory messages despatched on Friday from tho Sheffield Post-office was a largobox-valentine, addressed tog ‘ Charles Peace,” and iperstill continues the writing of letters to his relative,entrusted to the care of the Sheffield police. It was forwarded, unopened, to Armley gaol, Leeds. Peace
Newspaper Details
Lloyds Weekly Newspaper
London, Middlesex, GB
Sun, Feb 23, 1879
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
University O.
IA, USA 24 Jan 2025
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