The Express.
London, England, 1858-04-19 00:00:00

TSB SALIKARIZT MySpIR.-CONPESSION OE

TA IT

It will be satisfactory to those who object to
capital punishment, in cases of conviction upon circumstan-
tial evidence, to know that Laid, who at first so strenuously
denied his guilt, has since his conviction admitted that the
unfortunate Helots, Thaubin met her death at his hands,
and that thus all doubts as to the justice of the verdict, re-
turned against him by the jury, if any such lave existed, are
now removed. When first placed in the condemned cell,'where
be has been watched night and day by turnkeys. Load pre-
served a silent and even sullen demeanour; but bring con-
stantly visited by the .priest attached to the Serdinian
Chapel, he yielded to the influence of religious exhortations,
and gradually became calm. Each communication that has.
passed between him and his spiritual adviser, upon the subject
of the murder, is' of course, a matter of ream upon
the part of the latter; but in conversing with his
attendants, Lain has not scrupled to allude to that
subject, and, apparently, has gained ease of mind
by dwelling upon it. He has felt aggrieved at the
supposition, PO freely expressed by many, that he sought the
society of his unfortunate victim, after being repulsed by
other women of greater external wealth, with the desiga of
murdering her for the sake of obtaining possession of her
watch and ornaments—a supposition which be indignantly
repudiates, asserting that, in the accomplishment of the fatal
deed, be acted only upon an impulse arising out of provoca-
tion received by him. He shine that being about to enter
upon a long voyage, he sought, as he should for ita duration
be debarred from the company of women, for amusement in
their society for the last time ; and that when he went with
Thaubin to her apartment, it was with that view only.
Everything, he adds, was quiet and pleasant between them
until the middle of the night, or rather an early hour in the
morning, when he detected her in the act of rifling his pockets,
and jumped out of bed to prevent her from robbing him. A
struggle between them was the coneequenoe in the course of
which he threw her upon the bed and held her down, without
the remotest intention of inflicting any serious injury
upon her; but, still further provoked by a scratch which she
gave him on his face, he eative/y mat him self-control, and
equeeaed ner too itgiitly round the throat. Still, he had ao
idea that he had inflicted more than a slight chastisement
upon her, until, finding that she became quiescent beneath
him, be released his hold and found, to his surprise and
dismay, that she was senseless. He endeavoured to awaken
her to consciousness, but without success, and there soon
dawned upon his mind, with an overwhelming terror, the
fact that she was deed. For some little time he was
Evirted, mentally and bodily, but the necessity of exertion,
der to escape, restored his faculties to their proper
state; and after dressing himself and before he quitted
the room, a sudden impulse urged him to steal the pro-
petty of the woman he had just killed. Hastily peeemaing
himself of her watch, her ring, her mantle, and a few
articles, he quietly opened the door of the room, and
made his way down stairs, where the sight of a women
(Mrs. Dishes, the lodger), lying on the landing oecsaioned
him a momentary trepidation; but passing her without let or
hindrance, he soon reached the street, made his way to his
betel, completed his preparations for departure from Eng-
land, and was just imagining himself secure from pursuit
and punishment when he was arrested on board ship a
Greenwald.

Such ie the nature of his confession, which, it most be ad-
mitted, is not without an air of probability. but which is
nevertheless not credited by the officers of Newgate, who
do not believe that Helolls Thaubin attempted to rob him, as
he asserts. At the same time, however, they do not charge
him with baring sought her company with the intention of
murder lurking in kis soul, but rather cling to the opinion
that he has pretty faithfully described the events of that
fearful night, with the exception of that part which charges
Thaubin with having attempted to rob him. In their
opinion Lani went to Arundel-court to seek female so-
ciety, with or without an intention of robbery they hesi-
tate to my ; but they conclude that be ruse from bed, leaving
his companion asleep, and commenced appropriating her
property to himself; that she woke up suddenly, detected him
in the act, and threatened to call in assistance, and that then,
fearful of being handed over to the polico, and prevented
from setting out upon that voyage to South America for
which he had already prepared, he sprang upon her with the
Intention of reducing her to silence while he made his
e sad killed her, by tring a little too far. This solution
of mystery seems to be much more likely than the con-
vict's own statement, and is, probably, not far from the
truth. It is not, however, to be concluded that Laud is a
ruffian in outward appearance. On the contrary, he is rather
mild-looking and inoffensive of mien. In the condemned
cell he conducts himself even serenely, baying, to all
appearance, resigned any hope he may have at one time har-
boured of a pardon, and reconciled himself to that ignotnislons
death which, in another week, he will meet on the scaffold,
There le nothing warm about him, and, on the whole, be
may be pronounoed "u mild a mannered man es ever did a
murder."—Stordey

ANOTHER CANDIDATE FOR THE REPRESENTA-
TION OF FORTBMOUT/I.—At a meeting held on Friday, of
the chairmen, deputy-cbsirmec, and secretaries of Sir James
El phinstone's distric t committees, it was resolved that Admiral
81r Thomas Cochran., K.C.8., be solicited to come forward
as • candidate "upon independent principles," in conjunct-
tion with Sir James Blphinstone, to represent this borough
in Earliament.
THE CASE OF MR. BARBER.—OR Saturdays
deputation, including Lord Bbringtos, M.P., Mr. Collin,
M.P., and Mr. Bmdy, M.P., waited upon the Home Secre-
tary, to urge the claim of Mr. Barber to compensation from
government. It will be remembered that Mr. Barber, who
was a solicitor in considerable practice, was prosecuted is
1844 by the Bank, at the direction of the solicitors of the
Treasury, for f and transported ; but afterwards hie
Innocence ea. and he was allowed to return.
The Home Secretary =premed en opinion that as this bad
not been oniony • government proseoution, the suite ought
not to be liable. The Crown bed deem no wrong, neither
had the judge or jury dose wrong. Mr. Barber wee rightly
eosvirted, though it subsequently turned out that there had
been a fetus of intim by reason of the non-production of
other evidence. He admitted, however, that the point SO to
Mr. Barber's not baring been allowed a separate trial IMO a
strong feature in the can. He would stink upon the matter
to Lord Derby and the government, and see what could he
dose.

AOCWEXT. ON THE RlVER.—Yesterday morning
(ilandey), about 101 a.m., • boat containing five young mum
ran actor the bow of a stammer which was landing pas•
singers as the Lambeth side of Westminster-bridge, and
drifted under the larboard paddle-wheel. One of th• youths
caught hold of the Addle-wheal
,„ and the others endeavour-
ing to do likewise, orarbalonood the boat, which filled, and,
turning keel n warde, floated down the river, leaving the
youths imsxawd in the water. However, by the mertlons of
the steam-boat people end others, they wan rescued from
their perilous eitme, but greatly exhausted. At the ems
place, immediately after this, soother boat, in which won
eight primers (one of whom was • woman) and two
was carried by the force of the tide mom the
an eal the landing-beige, and were with Miami*
co to the deck. Only • her minutes elapsed when a
dm-cured cutter came broedside-on to the slid=dbut
oisand sad west on hir way. A dams fog
the river about 10 a.m., and Wei until 11, mock int:
replbg the *radio.