The Express.
London, England, 1862-09-18 00:00:00

xnutAcrs PROM THE LETTERS OP THE
MURDERER TAYLOR.

Taylor, after his coudetuuation for the murder of
Mr. Evan Metier, kept upon active correspondence with his

ii;:n7t.

The letters 11;- wrote have uino;

been forwarded to a gentleman in Manchester, by his state
wbo resides at Duuster. We ManeAester Ouardian) have
been fay aired by the gentleman referred to with au upper.
tunity of inspecting the letters, from which we append
few extracts. Miss Taylor in her communicatiou says "I
have sent all the letters but one which I have mislaid.
In this one he said in answer to a request which I
had made to him to see one of our own minister%
that he did not like to do so, as the man was a
et/sager. He added, ' You know lam not very COMMIIOIO3I.
ties, at the Lest of times ; but comfort yourself, 1 know
the way ; man cannot carry my soul to Heaven ; religion
is a personal thing between mortal man and his Maker ;
but you pray for me, and be assured I do not forget to
pray for myself.' Yon will see Ly his own words, that it
was not a callous heart that made him object to see a
minister, as the oewrpapers reported. The awful new.
that he refers to in his letter of Friday was the amerce I
sent him from the Secretary of State that he regretted to
say he could nut interfere with the law. This, I am
happy to find, did not move him. In one letter he coot.
plains that I have spoken rashly to him. I had told him
that he ought to love and forgive hie enemies, and grieve
for having sent poor !defier unprepared, I fear, into the
presence of his Maker. I told bun that. I should
have but little hope of him while he continued
to justify himself in what he bad done. I also
told him that I thought Martha did not love the dear
children as I did, or she never would have consented to their
death. This is what he calla rash. Imu glad to &rad by his
last be owns that he wen wrong, and forgives and
millhis enemies."—The brat letter is dated
a August 27, 1862." It announces the departure
of his wife from Liverpool, and her antral at liatherlfth
with ber uncle. He adds :—" My health bears up
my heavy trials. I am informed that it is appointed for
me to die on Saturday fortnight. If so, I hope God will
support and strengthen me and receive my spirit. I hope
you are doing all in your power to secure so me my life
and a free pardon and restoration. You know the ex.
tenuating circumstances of the case, but the law is
broken, but do all in your power. and then you will have
no painful reflectioas that if you had dose so and so my
life may have been spared, bat if all is done that can
be done, and after that soy life is taken, you must
submit. I hope to be restored, but I await the event with
fortitude and resignation. lam within theme walla, and
can do but little or nothing. I have petitioned the Seen-
tary of State and memorialised her Majesty. I can do no
more, and I doubt not but my dear wife is doing all in her
power at Whicantou with the matter among her friends,
May God crown the efforts with seomme, defend the right,
an avenge the innocent. I Jo now desire life, but
I fear not death. I can look beyond the grave with
feelings that are not disagreeable. I heed not ask you
to pray for me. I know you have my spiritual welfare to
heart. I can feel all the anguish that distresses you on
my account. lam truly sorry that I should be the cause
of so much pain of mind. Remember me kindly to all
who may inquire after me. Do write to me soon, and
tell me whether anything has been done, and what his
been done at Dangler in the matter. Do write to Martha,
and console her all in your power. Ido feel for you
all, and my dear aged father is for ever before my eyes.
I saw the anguish of his soul at the Town-hall. M.!Ly
God bless bun." The next letter is dated Awe! 28,
1862, and it. it he alludes to the murdered children :
" Your note to hand. lain sorry you are so ill, but you
are too rash. You know not the cauae of the death of the
dear children. Martha loved them as her own. You
know my paternal feelings as well as Ido myself. It the
full particulars of my case are looked into, and the cir-
cumstances of Seller's conduct towards us justly and
fairly dealt with, I as put you and all the world in pones.
don of fade that ought to have been known long ere this.
Mani should have been, with my dear wife, acquitted at the
bar. If lam restored, as God grant I may, I shall see your
tears of sorrow mingling with ours over the loss of our dear
children. Impost, • not a shadow of guilt.' Yea, sod the
whole world would rejoin and re-echo the sound ' not a
shadow of guilt,' and would yawn and swallow up that guilty
family root and branch. I claim at the hinds of justice
that consideration my case deserves. I admit that I

have broken the law in taking the robber's life, had
you add all the world mast know my trim's,
and I am not • God ; I feel all the weakness
of human nature, but I hope you will nut use such rash
language. Your words are veryswords ; but I know it is from
you, and, therefore, I bear them patiently, but if my life is
spared you will tell me that you are sorry that you should have
been so .rash. My dear, you do sot know our troubles,
nor our hearth,. If you did, you would not write so mahly
as you do now. I fear not the world ; they would rejoice
and do all in their power to dry our tears. 1 hope the
Lord will bless your efforts to restore me to you and my
dear wife, and U not I submit with silence to the hand of
the law—may I say, the iron Ingrid of the 14w ? No ; I hope
it will be softened by sympathy, if not mercy."
In the next letter, which is dated Sunday, August 30,
Taylor expresses a hope that hie father will not allow sor-
row to weigh him down. He continues—" As each of you
feel sorrow pressing sorely on yen on my account, may thia
be your consolatioo— W. It. Taylor has done nothing
whereof he is ashamed. Oh, that all the world did know
my real position ; but watery and obeonrity envelopes
the whole, and I am to fell by the iron Laud of the law.
One more Sabbath and my Sabbaths on earth will bs
ended. I am sorry to find so much error to have got into
your mind respecting my feelings. lam not displeased with
any of my friends. I am sorry that people do sot
rightly understand me. I am just now in peas. with all
men. I feel no envy to any man, and all that is said to
me by anyone I take it with pleasure, and for what I
think it is worth. las glad you have seat • petition to
the Si wetary of State fir me. You do not know the
effect it may have. God ruleth in the kingdom of men.
Mailer murdered my four children. Can fish and blood
endure it! I am prepared to convince the world of
the fact. May God avenge them and support me and
their loving mother, under our hervy trials. Mine. I
suppose, will soon be over ; but, oh, what will be the
feelings of a loving wife, and an affectionate mother.
And then your own feelings, and my dear, sorrowing
father's, to behold a loving husband and a son die so
ignominious • death. Yes • and for what? For defend-
ing his wife, his helpless little innocents, and his home,
from the ravages of a wild beast, a perjured person, •
thief, • robber, and • murderer ; and now the law says,
I will assist the beast to complete his work of devastation
and annihilation. A 1.., for me, my feelings are more
than I can bear. Was it not for my dear wife, I should
leave the world with contempt and just indignation. May
God look down in mercy ion me, and east His shield
around me. My ~roles thrust sorely at me, but lam
just now in that state I fear not what man can do unto
me. I can say all is pace, and I believe God willet
assist me, and enable me to bring my affairs fairly before
the world, but if not, the Day of Judgment will reveal the
matter to their utter confusion. I tell you and all the
world I desire life, and not only life, but restoration. las
charged with murder and condemned, but the term is so
way applicable to my case. But I will say no more. We
left all the matter to the world, and now I leave all to
God."

The seat letter was not written until September 11.
He exeunt' for not having written earlier by ranee that
be had been waiting day after day hoping •' to be in •
position to say something definite respecting hie real state
and legal position " from • reply to a letter he bad seat to
the Secretary of State. No reply had, hemmer, arrived,
and he bad been informed that he was to die on the fol-
lowing Saturday, at twelve o'clock. The letter continues:
" If so, I am ready, and shall bail with joy the light of
that morsiag that will light me from time to eternity!
I have not joy, bat all is pesos. I desire not life. I
the Secretary of State in my letter that restoration was
all, and the only thing I could ask ; imprisonment I could
not endure. I feel obliged to my fneuds for their good
feeling for me in my deep affliction. It is now the 11th
of September, but I am far happier and in a better state
of health, both of body and mind, than I was on the 11th
of May. Do not grieve respecting me. If I die I die in
peace. In leas than 48 hours I shall join the Impel
spirits of those dear departed angels that we all so dearly
loved. They left this world and knew no sin or pain
except dear Harriet ; sad, oh ! her Pufferinp must
have been excruciating. Her shrieks and groans, Dever
after that fatal night, ceased to sound ID my ears ; wherever
I moved her little lovely form was ever before me ; my grief
consumed my flea from my bones, and I was fast dropping
into the grave, and my whole powers seemed to be leaving
me • but after that awful rupture of May last, my
strengthi both of body and mind reassumed its former
Mete. I em now in good health, and I lay this body
down with all the calmness and resignation to the will of
God. I do say, Thy will be done.' 1 have no torment-
ing fears of death. In fact, I hail its approach with de-
light mad peaceful pleasure. Him my hied love to ray
doer father. I do hope he will not grieve at his only son
leaving this world in so ignominious a manner, to be sue.
peruled between Leaven and earth by the noe as if not
worthy of either. I hope you will not give way to grief.
I do not, for Christ himself was so suspended, not tied op
by the neck, but according to Jewish law suffered equally
ignominiously • but, thank God, through faith m His
death, I enjoy ihat peace which earth cannot give or take
away. 1 -do feel thankful that my dear wife
is where she is. I hope she will be happy. 1 could sot
' have died and left her in prison. I would mach rather
have takes her to pass through the dark valley with me.
if it had bees Gods' pleasure ; but He has preserved her
for • good purpose. Keep up • frequent correspoedenoe
with her, and you will feel bound to love her rod and
great soul. I could now with all thankfulness endure any
amount of suffering abed pain for her sake. After I am
no more, she will darer* consolation ; the world to her
will be a void. This, I suppose, will be my last address
to you. May we all soon meet with those we love where
sorrow and sighing will flee away, and farewell a sound un-
knowa."
On the day before the execution, Taylor again wrote 46
follows :" Your note of the 10th instant to hand. I am
i to tell you that the awful intelligence it coutaieel
raPiee move me in the least. I am as calm as possible.
Death has not a terrible form to me. I welcome its
approach with composure and calm resignsiioe, bet I
still retain the feelings of an injured man, dealt en"
justly with, and bounded as it were out of time ; but; by
the grans of God, I can my; ' Thy will be dose. 1
rem this morning at half-past 6, sad took a walk me
hoar and • quarter before breakfast ; then partook of
• Marty breakfast, cocoa and brows bread rod

(ter. I desire life, bated dare not fear to di& I have
mutich beyoed the gra to fear death, sad I have quite
on earth to cause me to desire life. I hope I shall
'nse to.morrow more in the same spirits as I did this morn.
It 14 iny present intention to lay before the world
-few facts in truth, if my feelings will allow of it. I
bye to lay before the world a detailed account of the
whale affair, and then you will not be ashamed that your
brOtila out of time through the scaffold. I
world Jr 184, Taylor is no murderer, but a
,„„„g, good, *ad faithful husband and father. I oared
lf, nor for m • for mysey worldly good, if that fellow had
1110 JO the skin, winch you know he cbd nearly ; but
gbe, )teller, is guilty of the blood of my four dear children.
I,hall by to-morrow 'is sun, God willing, show it to the
ou.faction of the whole company within the sound of my
The law is acting in the dark. I know Heller is
acid he died by my hand. Wools( that he could stand
tomorrow before the world and hear my words. I
„ ~
.1.0 he is a thief and robber, and perjured person and a
.oderer. I write all this, but 1 am calm and col-
•-etol. and feel truly happy by the grace of God under
Lesv trial. You stated your Dote that I should .
iny Heaver' who had tra
passed through troubles
;id truls equally grievous. If such is the case, I hope lam
ve
Lot Unit is left on Berth, or ever will be on eart that
• have to pass such a thorny road to Heaven as your
uufortuoate brother. 1 wrote you yesterday a nice
44; letter, and new I must close with my love to all. It is
ue.a soon, and to-morrow the angel will say concern-
or that time shall be no longer. Ido feel assured,
me.sah a simple reliance by faith on the merits of the
a•neuient that to be aboeut with the body will be present
cw the Lord. Ob, may my strength be proportionate to
~ dat is my constant prayer. Give my love to father, and
I of, he will not vat on my account. He will soon meet
,rs„ain in far more pleasure than we met at Liverpool,
Feu, my deer sister, do not give way to grief and
You know that sorrow only breaketh up the con-
gison I have felt enough of that in my day.
~, I came in here my frame was reduced to almost a
..ieteu. Remember me to all my friends at Dewier.
feevell, farewell."
The last letter was dated nix o'clock on the morning of
aeasution, and was addressed to his eider and father.
It ■A as follows :—" I have you in the arms of faith and
~„tir this my last ruorniog on earth. It must be a
trial for you, more heavy by far than for me. Oh,
• ihe Lord give you strength equal to your day. Do
rc way to melancholy and inconsolable grief. Yon
Wv that death must come to all, but do not grieve at
ungoominy of my death. It is cot death to me ;
a only a transport from a world of grief and
snow and eufferiug to the Heaven of God, the
ykutiou of my father and your Father, and to
e_s4le free from sorrow with the spirits of those
w ,o dearly lows that has gone before. My dear
-, I can tell you all is peace. Hell happy in the love
ei,od through faith in His Sou Christ Jesus. Last
t.ht, at nine, I was enabled to approach His throne with
auple faith and call God my Father. I may also my my
konigs were almost joyous,but truly delightful and peace-
hl
m the infinite mercy of God. I opened this morning,
.0043 AS dressed, my Bible. God &reefed me the Nth
NT. Do read it daily ; it was most appropriate. The
Lod gave me comfort in prayer. Ido feel truliopeace-
fi sal happy. The thought of death is to me de • htful.
I kite no fear of death ; the fear is taken away ; the
attempt of the men of the world and the things of the
mi.': is taken away. I feel no indignation. It is the
had of God. I submit with humble resignation. It
gam like a thunderstorm, but the clouds are nearly
pied away ; the calm pence and quiet in delightful. I
se the brightness beyond the cloud, dark as it has been
la so long a time. Oh, my wanderings have been fat
from God ; but I do, lan praise him that He has not in
go wrath cast me off for ever. I see you now with the
are of my mind in deep distress ; give over sorrowing for
me; hope in God and we shortly meet to part no more.
I fevl no distress of mind, but human nature cannot but
hel under such trials. Ido not mean to say that lam
nousible to this my position. lam fully sensible, and I
mourn over my folly, and am grieved for having offended
a such a way, but I am weak, human nature and the deal-
ers of base wicked men with me has been intolerable,
let lam not without fault. Men with less of spirit and less
independent feelings would have escaped from such evils
But you know your brother's spirit,—no cruelty or hard
dealings would ever cause him to fear or turn his back to
the enemy. My lofty spirit has been my ruin. Ido for-
me my enemies, though they have done me this great
arm. May God pardon and forgive them. My best love
to —. I have sent you a lock of my hair. Farewell,
Wessell, farewell."
An hour later, Taylor wrote a long letter to his wife,
which has already been published.