The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-18 00:00:00

THE CONDEMNED MURDERER, TOWNLEY.

After sentence of death had been passed upon
Townley, on Saturday, he was removed to a private room in
the County Clan, where ha made a hearty dinner imme-
diately afterwards. Toweley's mother and aunt were in the
sheriff's gallery during the trial, bat when Mr. Baron
Martin was bringing his summing up to a close, Mr.
Bourner, the actiug under-sheriff's clerk, node a corn-
municetion to them, and they immediately withdrew,
proceeding to the County Hotel, close by. The statement
thaWrovroley's father was in court during the passing
of the sentence is incorrect. He had est beside his so-
licitor, Mr. Leech, during the trial, but happened to be oat
of court at the time the jury gave in their verdict, and was
thus spared the epeeist' of bearing his eon condemned to
die upon the scaffold. On the intelligence being broke to
Mrs. Townley she was completely prostrated, and Mr.
Gisborne wee called in to attend her. The condemned
criminal was got away from the court by a ruse on the
part of the governor, and his departure was not witnessed
by the dense mob who bad congregated outside
the court. On arriving at the goal his clothes
were taken from him and the prison dress substi-
tuted, and he was conveyed to the condemned cell, where
two turokeysremain with him day and night. His father and
mother had an interview with him the same evening, and
we believe Mr. Moody, M.P., chairman of the visiting
justices, has given then, permission to pay frequent visits
to their unhappy son, a privilege which they avail them-
selves of very freely. In addition to the assistance of the
gaol chaplain, Townley has the privilege of selecting a spiri-
tual adviser during the brief time he has to live, and he men-
tioned the name of the Rev. Mr. Gordon, of Manchester, a
clergyman of the established church, and that rev. gentle-
man arrived in Derby on Monday morning last, and had an
interview with him in his cell oo that day and also on Tues-
day. The Rev. Mr. Moore, the gaol chaplain, also visits
him daily. His condemnation has not made the lightest
alteration in his demeanour. Hepartakes of bis meals
heartily, sleep. well, and repeatedly smarts that he
was perfectly justified in taking away his victim's
life, and that he feels no remorse for the
deed. We understand his friends are actively engaged in
getting up memorials to the Home Secretary, not only from
Derby, but also from Manchester. Of course the royal
clemency is asked for on the ground of insanity, and it is
stated that the memorial will be influentially supported by
medical men and the general ',Wolk. The high sheriff has
fixed the execution to take place at noon on Friday, the Ist
day of January (New Year's Day), the interval between the
seateoce and execution being rather more protracted than
is usually the case.
The Advertiser of today says :—" It gives as a special
gratification to be able to animism that not only has Mr.
Baron Martin adopted the view which we expressed on the
morning after the sentence of death was pared on George
Townley, as to the present state of his mind, but thaltorX
recommendation to the Home Secretary which we then
made has been acted on by the learned kedge. Mr. Baron
Martin concurs with us in the opinion that, though Townley
may have been sufficiently roe at the time he committed
the murder of Mies Goodwin to be legally responsible for his
acts, there are good grounds to doubt his present sanity.
The learned heron also concurs in and enforces the sag.
gestion we then made, namely, that application should be
made to the Home Secretary, Sir George Grey, for the ap-
pointment of a commission to inquire into the existing state
of Townley's mind. This suggestion is so reasonable in
itself, and comes with so much weight when made by the
judge who prodded at the trial, that we cannot doubt the
Home Secretary will adopt it."