The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-08-10 00:00:00

THE CONFESSION.

James Seal states that on Friday the 30th of April,
he entered the howie with the full intent of murdering
Sarah Ann Guppy. He asked her about Rachel Hutch-
ins by way of excuse. He remained quarter of an hour
in the house talking to the deceisaed, during which time
she toil him that if he did not go away she would get a
policeman. She went to the cupboard to get a lace frr
her boot and mune for her bonnet duo to the winelew
in whieli there wad a razor, awl where he was bitting.
She trembled, tumbled over some furze in the room, and
fell on her right aide. He took up the razor and went
towards her. She screamed, cud said, "Don't kill me,
Jim, and then I'll give you some viutuals." He then
placed the razor to her throat, and with his right
hand pressed the tip of it into her neck. the
heel of the razor making the cut, he keeping her down
with the other hand. She bled a great deal, made a
gurgling noise in the throat, moved her feet, and died
directly. After this he left the ilotll4o and saw ti e
woman Gonda, with whom ho talked. She shortly
left him. He then went to his father's house, and with
some rag hound up hie fingers which he had cut before
with a piece of glaas. He then returned to the house

where the deoeaded was and met tire to the pre:Mara aid'
1101110 matchiai ho found in a box over the mantel-pieee.
He declared lie had never had any ill feeliuga to-
wards the deceased, but murdered her that
he might destroy the things of Hutalmina, WilOill lie
did not like, because lie did not lend him some money,
and told him not to come there again. He is not aorry
that the fire burnt Hutehinie things, as that was what
lie wanted, because they should not live there, end if the
old woman hail gone hack to see the girl lie would have
returned and killed her too; had thought about it while
walking with her on the road, for lie could have tripped
he up, but thought it was not worth while, as sumebo.ly
might have could along. Upon his returning from
bar hauling on the 30th of April lie made up Lis inind
to murder the girl, as she btood In the way of his
revenge on the Hutchins' whom lie wished to drive out
of the plane and destroy the premises.
Upon being solemnly adjourned by the Chaplain in
_ _

_
the prerlolloB of the Governor to speak the truth as
before God lie declared most poeitively that this state-
ment wee entirely true in every partieular : that he
made it KM one who bad not long to live, and that he
had nothing to add.
I think it right to append to thin confesnion,
wind' I have num to believe is true in every
particular, an observation or two upon the
subsequent demeanour of the prisoner to this
effect, that for the last few days he appears to
have been •wakeneil to a true sense of his situa-
tion as a sinner, and to feel the enormity of his crime.
A very favourable feature in regard to hie spiritual Gen-
Widen he tide—his free and ingenuous acknowledgment
of hls sins of Subbath•hreaking, stealing, lying, curing
and wearing, to which lie had long been addicted, and
for which lie expressed his sorrow and contrition, as
also for the revengeful feelings he had entertained to-
wards the Hutchins', which led to the Collllllhl/iOll of the
murder, and for which, up to the last few days, he had
not expressed the slightest contrition. The ignominious
end of one so youiig should serve as a warning to all,
to be careful how they yield to the Brut temptation to
break the Sabbath, and to forsake the House of God -
as this appears to have been the first downward etep in
the career of the miserable convict.
DACRE CLEIIETSON,
Chaplain County Prison.

- - JAMBS SEAL, •
August 10th, 1858.
On attemp log to dig II grave yesterday afternoon,
next to that to Shuttle Brown, a large and benutilul
specimen of Homan tessellated pavement was unoovercst
awl the digging was of course, stomas'.
Shaw his incarceration he hes not, it is said. shed it
tear. Ho cried a little on leaving the County Hall after
the trial, but he lies been quite atolid in his manlier
otherwise, Baying, however, at the last that he was
lieppy. His parents have visited him time, end yestei •
day a loan whom they sent saw him, hut no chenge am
apparent in hint. He has been in the condemned ward,
having a warder with him by day and two at night.
Last night lie spent in peaceful slutohi r, and this MUCH-
ing lie mite a large quantity of beef and breed fur
imeakfast. . . . .

'file crowd of sight•seers, though large, was very or.
derly, and went quietly away atter the bouy had been
taken down.