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CONVICT PEACE.CONFESSION OF ANOTHER MURDER.The Sheffield Independent of Wednesday says:— We have every reason to believe that Peace has a greater siurprise in store for the public than anything 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, andfortke 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 plaDs 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 murderof a policeman named Cock at Whalley Bang, suburb of Manchester, on August 1st, 1876. Peaceas 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.'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 m 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—ho was recommended to mercy, and though he was sentenced to death, that sentence wasaftorwards 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 guilty. Early the next morning he went to Sheffield and called upon his mother in Orchard street. Ho threw a Manchester paper down on the table, and raid. “There, fhat's where I've been.” The paper wasl ookedinto by one of his relatives, and it was found to contain a report of the trial and conviction of the young man. That same night Peace went to Banner-cross and shot Mr. Dyson.Mrs. Hannah Peace or Waul arrived in Deeds bv the morning train on Monuay nom Sheffield. She was unaccompanied by any ol 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 told him of the stens she 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 Armley very little trouble. He is perfectly resigned to his fate, and there is 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 opinion is not shared by tile prison authorities. When in bed he is not allowed to have his handsand 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 place in about1 fortnight. I shall do my very best that I can do to prepare myself to meet my God, and to obtain His forgiveness, if it is possible, for the sins of my past life. My dear , I hope this will be one consolation and comfort to you, that is, by thinking of my sentence of life imprisonment before my present sentence of death was passed upon me. You must understand that I should have had a long and dreary and miserable life of imprisonment, for imprisonment is much harder now than it has been ever known, and if I had nothing against mv character I should have had to have been 20 years in prison without a report or the scratch of a pen against me before J could lie recommended for my freedom, and even then, it would entirely depend upon the merits of tile case, so that I think 1 never should have gained my freedom, hut should have died s miserable death on a prison bed, and Itein# stu rounded by a clnss of men that was anythin# but good and God-fearin# men. It is almost certain 1 should have died at .Sheffield a miserable sinner, and been cast into everlasting punishmentat the great day. i\uw, my dear , let this he a com-fort to you and your family that I am neither a fool or idiot to say or think that there is no God, but, on the contrary, I know there is a merciful God, whom I have sinned against and broken all His commandments all the days of my life.EXTRAORDINARY LIBEL ACTION.In the Queen’s Bench on Wednesday, before the Lord Chief Justice and a special iury, was tried the case of “Chamberlain v. Barnwell,” which was an action for libel brought by one clergyman against another, and who is also his nephew. The plaintiff, who is 08 years of age, is a cleric in holv orders, andhas been vicar of the parish of Keevil, In the county of TV ilts, since 1840, and the defendant is also inundertliebedclothes.uor are the clotliespermittcdto 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 tellyoualie after having prayed like that ?” Before his relatives visited him Peace frequently expressed a desire to see Mrs. Thompson, for whom he seemed to entertain feelings of the wannest affection. But after his friends had been to see him he sent for the governor and told him not to admit Mrs. Thompson. Mr. Keene made some remark with regard to ■ her changeableness, whereupon the convict ex I plained, “ I’ll write a letter to poor Sue.” HavingI done so, lie asked the covernor to read it to her, but not to deliver it up. Shortly afterwards be , wrote a note to Mr. Keene, asking him to cut off the‘last two lines of tbo letter be had written, and to . give them to her for a keepsake. This Mr. Keene j did. Since then Peace lias said very iitr.le about . Mrs. Thompson, but occasionally lie 'mentions her I name with tenderness, and at times even says he J would like to see her or.ee more before be dies.J Mr. John Tait, schoolmaster at Consett. writes . to tho Consett Ouardim that Peace visited his school some years ago. He says, too:—“Many of my old scliolars will remember him performing the I gravediggers’ scene in Hamlet. His acting was | admirable, but the contortions of bis countenance, the amazing transformations lie effected in his I visage, baflie all description.” Mr. Tait further j states that Peace visited Mr. Dawson’s school at Spennynioor about the same time, und#performed the same part as lie did at liis 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 Armley gaol by the Rev. J. H. Little-wood, vicar of Darnall, who on Tuesday received from the condemned man the following letter :— H..M. Prison. Armley, 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, 1 have a great desire to see 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 ; hut oh. sir, do come and see me at once, for 1 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 hnro to bring this letter with you. and the governor will give you further instructions. Please write back and let me kuow 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 the 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 in 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 whicli Mr. Littlewood replied that he did thoroughly believe that lie was speaking tho truth. He also said that he 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. Peace 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 sonio 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 largo box-valentine, addressed tos“ Charles Peace,” and entrusted to the care of the Sheffield police. It was forwarded, unopened, to Armley gaol, Leeds. Peace still continues the writing of letters to his relative.holy orders, but without care of souls, atMelkslinni, in the same county. One of the libels complained of was contained in a letter addressed on the 4th October, 1S77, by the defendant to Admiral ulnnls, of Plymouth, and purporting to be written as “ the friend and nephew of ‘W. H. C.’ (meaning the plaintiff), and on behalf of himself and his inno° cent family and the church and parish,andstating that the police had for some time been watcbingtjio plaintiff so as to detect him in acts of the gravest indecency towards young persons of both sexes in the village, until at last matters bad come to such a pitch that they would have proceeded to action, but the chief constable, happening to be an iutimato friend of mine, consulted me as to how a public exposure could be avoided.” He (the defendant) hail, therefore, called on the plaintiff at the vicarago and advised him, in order to avoid misery to his family and public scandal, to get a year's leave of absence from the bishop with a view to his resigning hi* living at the end of that period. The writei enclosed in his letter a copy of an ultimatum wind lie had sent to the plaintiff at Wevmouth on thlt; 18th September, 1877, with a letter beginnins “QuumJleus vult pcrdero prius dementat ” ami warning the plaintiff that ho must not return to his living, and calling on him to sign a form detacl ed in the following woids September 15, 1S77.—I hereby solemnly pledge myscit to tender my resignation of the vicarage of totlm hisliop and the patrons within three months before the termination of my licence of non-iesideuce. To tho Rev. E. J. Barnwell.The second libel was also contained in a letter dated October 8, 1877, from the defendant, ami was of almost similar effect. In it the writer said :—If he gives tlio written pledge required, and realises the fact that ill no case can lio ever do duty a-aiu in Keevil, lie knows the worst that befalls himself and his family. “ And adding—I am sorry to add that nothing but a written plcd-e will meet the case. ”The alleged publication was that on tho 1st of Novemher, 1877, the defendant had shown this “ ultimatum ”nnd“ pledge” (which the plaintiff, however, had not signed) to Mr. E. D. B. Locke, to wdiom he had repeated the charges against the plaintiff, and in respect of which he said fresh evidence had been obtained.Medical evidence having been produced to show that the plaintiff was suffering from disease of the heart, so that his examination in a public court might be perilous to liis life, bis evidence, taken bv commission, was put in and read. In it he denied all the acts of indecency and depravity alleged, the details of which were of tho most disgusting character.The case had not concluded.
Newspaper Details
Lloyds Weekly Newspaper
London, Middlesex, GB
Sun, Feb 23, 1879
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
University O.
IA, USA 26 Jan 2025
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