The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-02-15 00:00:00

THE CONVICT PEACE.

On Monday afternoon no fewer than eleven of the
convict's relatives and friends arrived in Leeds from
Darnall. The party repaired to the Town Hall, where
five of them succeeded in procuring permits from the
Visiting Committee to visit the condemned man. The
party proceeded to Armley Goal, where Mrs. Bolsover
and her husband (L'eace's daughter and son-in-law),
his brother Daniel Peace and his wife, and John
Peace, one of his nephews, were admitted to see him.
The others (Ellen Tyler and Mary Ann Neil, his
nieces, and two other women and two men) remained.
outside. The appearance of the party in the vicinity
of the gaol attracted considerable attention, and a
crowd soon collected. There was an affecting
scene between Peace and his daughter, who
carried her child in her arms, The woman
sobbed bitterly, and even Peace himself cried.
He inquired affectionately after her mother, and
seemed disappointed at her not being among the
party. Mrs. Bolsover told him that she would tell
her mother of his desire to see her, and that in slI
likelihood she would visit him. Although he seemed
depreased, he chatted freely, and showed no reluctance
to talk on any subject. After an interview of more
than an both. the party took an affectionate good-bye
of him, some of them promising to come back again if
they could get admission.
The improvement reported to have taken place in
the convict seems to be substantial. He is now
(Monday) eating very fairly, and is recovering from
the physical weakness under which he was un-
doubtedly suffering on the day of his trial. The
strict surveillance established over him since he was
removed to Armley Gaol is maintained, and the
behaviour of the condemned man affords no ground
for complaint, although his natural querulousness
exhibits itself occasionally. It has not yet been
decided whether reporters will be allowed to witness
the execution.

The Standard of Tuesday says :—" Our Leeds Cor•
respondent visited Armley 'Gaol, where Peace is con-
fined, yesterday morning, and aseertained that the
rumours which have been circulated respebting the
emaciated appearance of the convict and his desperate
resolve to starve himself to death are unfounded. He
takes his food readily, is more submissive and tranquil,
and attends to the ministrations of the Rev. Osmond
Cookson, the chaplain, most becomingly."

The Daily News of Wednesday says :—" Peace
appears daily more fully to realize his dreadful posi-
tion. He has no hope of a reprieve—indeed he has
had no hope since he was sentenced to death. He
eats, sleeps, and behaves well, and the prison
authorities have no more trouble with him than
they would expect to have from any other convict con-
demned for a similar offence. He is closely watched
night and day by two warders, his custodians being,
of course, changed at frequent intervals. Although
not very ready with his pen, in addition to a statement
upon which he is engaged, he writes one or two letters
daily. When tired of writing he will occasionally
assume an attitude of devotion and mutter a prayer,
after which he throws himself upon the bed and rests
himself awhile. At intervals he will read a little. It
is thus he spends almost every day, The arrange-
ments for the execution are in the hands of the High
Sheriff, with whom it rests to decide as to what per-
sons shall be 'present."