The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-14 00:00:00

SERMON TO THE CONDEMNED.

Yesterday morning, Samuel Crook, aged only 20 years•
who is ordered for execution on 'Wednesday next, tas con-
ducted to the Chapel of Newgate, when the Rev. Mr.
Cotton, the Ordinary of the prison, assisted by the Rev.
Charles Collier, Rector of Rambledon, Rutlandshire, per-
formed the devotional exercises on the solemn occasion.
The formula of the church having terminated, the Rev,
Ordinary delivered a discourse from the 11th verse of the
25th Psalm, " For thy name's sake, 0 Lord, pardon mine
iniquity, for it is great."
The unhappy youth listened with profound attention to
the sermon, and appeared fully sensible of the awful situ-
ation in which he stood.

At the close of the day the prisoner was conveyed to his
cell, whither he was attended by his spiritual advisers and
Mr. Sheriff Kelly, who united with them in directing his
attention " to another and a better world."
'ln the course of yesterday some female relations, who
are very respectable, were admitted to the condemned
room: it scarcely need he named that the interview was of
a most painful description.
It is pleasing to remark, that the unfortunate youth
is extremely contrite. From the investigation which
has been made, it appears, that up to the commis-
sion of the offence for which he will suffer, Crook
sustained a good character, and his filial regard to an
aged mother was exemplary. He was tried in the Sep-
tember Se.asions, with his brother, William Crook, Edward
Muon, and Mary Cabell, for stealing fourteen pieces of
silk, used for the manufacture of parasols, and valued at
1501. the property of Mc.sers. Waterloo. .It appears, from
the evidence taken on the trial, that on the night of the
19th September, a dog that was generally Wm in the ware-
house was called down stairs by Samuel Crook, who shortly
afterwards returned, but whether with the dog or not, the
witness who deposed to the circumstance could not posi-
tively swear, on account of the extreme darkness of the
night ; the dog came in at half-past eight on the following
morning. Samuel Crook was seen going into Manon's
lodgings, and there the property was subseqnently found.
Mary Cabell lived with Mason, and William Crook was in
the room when the property was discovered, but neither of
these two prisoners were proved to have had any direct
participation in the robbery, or even to have known that
the property was in Mason's lodgings. In the absence of
direct evidence on this point, the Jury acquitted Mary
Cabell and William Crook, but found Samuel Crook and
Edward Muon Guilty. Samuel Crock and Mason received
a good character. Mason is 21 years of age.

COMMERCIAL EMRARIAIIIIIIIIPree.-We raj et to state,
that the recent failure of Mr. Samuel Williams has oc-
casionfsl a suspension of payments on the part of a house
largely concerned in the purchase of goods o► American ac-
count, whose chief residence has hitherto heen in London,
and who bad a very heavy amount of paper running on
Mr. Williams at the time of his stoppage. Whether this
suspension may ultimately be attended with loss, is yet un-
certain. We believe, however, that the inconveniences it
may produce will affect chiefly the manufacturing districts
of 'Yorkshire. There have also this week been two or three
failures of London house connected with the Manchester
trade, one of them of very old standing, hut the amount of
their debts we understand is not very heavy. In this town
two or three insolvencies have been made known, but not
for very large stuns.—lllanchester Guirdian.