The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-30 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS —Continued.
London Financial Association, lira., 24 31,
London General Omnibus Company, 3} i
Milwall Iron Works, 4i I
I. ational Discount Company, lim., 16i I
National Provincial Marine, 31
North British and Mercantile Insurance, lim., 19,
Nova Scotia Gold and Land, lira.,
Ditto (Cl),. 6
Ocean Ai arine Insurance),:26ii
Peel River Land and Mineral, 41
Peninsula and Oriental steam, , Si
Ditto, new, 481 9
Smith, Knight, and Co., lim., 3i
Thames and Mersey Marine (Insurance), lim., 7i
Universal Marine, Insurance, lint., 5:
Warrant Finance, lim., 9

The Condemned Convict Butler,

A public meeting of the inhabitants of Worcester
was held at the Guildhall in that city yesterday to
adopt a memorial to the Home Secretary for a re-
mission of the capital sentepce pissed on John But-
ler for the murder of Carolina Gulliver at Holt. The
chair was taken by the Mayor (Mr J. D. Perrins)
and several aldermen and members of the local Town
Council were present.
The MAYOR, in opening tbo proceedings, said he
had convened the meeting in compliance with the
requisition signed by a body of his fellow-citizens,
and having explained that there was no desire to
arraign trial by jury, he called upon
Mr E. L. WILLIAMS, engineer to the Severn
Navigation Commissioners, who spoke at some
length, reopening the whole of the facts connected
with the trial of Butler. These may be briefly re-
capitulated here. Butler, it may be remembered,
was lock-keeper at the Holt lock of the Severn nevi•
gation, and the deceased woman was his housekeeper.
One Saturday night Mrs Gulliver went to a neigh-
bour's and complained of Butler's ill-treatment, that
he had threatened her and thrown her bonnet into
the river. The neighbour offered her a bed for the
night, but she said she would go back to the house,
and did so. Shortly afterwards she was heard cry-
ing out " You -- old rogue," " You -- old vil-
lain," and this we s followed by a noise described by
the witnesses as of the bleating of a sheep. Next day
Mrs Gulliver was missing, and, being questioned
about her, Butler said he supposed she was gone to
see her friends. Suspicion arose, and the river being
dragged, the body of the woman was found a few
days later in the river at the mouth of the lock with
marks of violence on the head. Upon this evidence
the prisoner was found guilty of murder, and Mr.
Justice Bytes expressed his approval of the verdict
and sentenced him to death. Mr Williams now
maintained that the evidence did not warrant such a
verdict, and stated that the barristers engaged
in the case both for the prosecution and the defence
had expressed opinions that there ought not to have
been a conviction upon such evidence as was given
on the trial, and that several magistrates had ex-
pressed a similar opinion. He therefore felt it to be
his duty to do all he could to save from an ignomi-
nious death one who for 20 years had faithfully
done his duty in his position as lock-keeper under
the Severn Commissioners, It was not for him (Mr
Williams) to say that Butler was innocent. God
only knew his innocence or guilt, but he had his own
opinion on the matter, :and there was sufficient
doubt in the case to warrant them in the step which
they proposed to take. The question for them to
consider, then, was whether the evidence brought
forward on the trial was sufficiently reliable and
strong to warrant the taking away of the life of a
human being. He maintained that it was not, and
proceeded to analyse the evidence of several of the
witnesses, charging one of them (Police-sergeant
Mathews) with going into the prisoner's cell at one
o'clock in the night to " tout" for evidence against
him. He arraigned the evidence of another witness
us not reliable, and accounted for the taciturnity of
the prisoner after the woman's disappearance by his
characteristic moroseness of disposition. In conclu■
sion, he put it to the meeting whether, supposing
that Butler had in the heat of passion struck the de-
ceased woman a blow which had resulted in her
death, they were on that mere supposition to take
away his life.
Mr R. T. REA, coroner, mentioned some facts
connected with the case which were not brought
forward on the trial, and
Mr CLUTTERBUCK, attorney, on the same point,
recommended that supplementary evidence be laid
before the Home Secretary and the judge before
whom Butler was tried.

Mr Alderman LEA moved the adoption of a
memorial to the Home Secretary. He wished to ex-
press no: opinion on the subject of capital punish.
ment, but he bad signed the requisition to the
Mayor from his own personal knowledge, as a
sworn 'commissioner, of Butler, and his conviction
that he never contemplated wilful murder.
The memorial was then read. After stating the
fact of the condemnation of the prisoner, it went on

to state—" That ,many of your memorialists were
present at the trial of the prisoner, and heard the
whole of the evidence against and for him, and
were unable to concur in the verdict of the jury,
notwithstanding it met with the approbation of the
judge who tried the prisoner. That, in the judg-
ment of your memorialists, such evidence did not

exclude the probability that the deceased might
have come by her death by voluntary or accidental
drowning. Your memorialists respectfully submit
that there is grave and serious doubt upon the pro-
priety of this prisoner's :conviction, and that the
mind of society is entitled to be relieved from the
dread apprehension that [Allies it that while the
majesty of the law is being vindicated to man, a
sight more fearful in the eyes of God may be en-
acted in the mistaken sacrifice of another human
life. Your memorialists, therefore, humbly pray
that the recommendation by the jury of the pliso-
Der to the merciful consideration of the Court may
be brought under the gracious consideration of the
Crown, and the life of the convict be spared."
Alderman HILL, in seconding the adoption of the
memorial, said he did not hold himself responsible
for the whole of the statements that had been made
by Mr Williams, and expressed a fear that if they
went to the quarter where the memorial was ad-
dressed they would be unfavourably received. He
supported the memorial on the broad basis that the
life of a fellow creature ought not to be taken on
such evidence as that given at the trial.
On the motion of Alderman WEBB, seconded by
Alderman WOOD, a deputation was appointed to
present the memorial, and the meeting broke up.
The memorial had received about 100 signatures
at 5 o'clock last evening.

MARKETS—This Day.

MARK LANE.

The arrivals of home-grown wheat fresh up to our
market to-day were small. The trade, however, was in a
sluggish state for all descriptions ; nevertheless good and
fine dry samples were disposed of at fully late rates.
With foreign wheat the market was well supplied. Gene-
rally speaking the trade was quiet, no change took place in
prices compared with Wednesday.
Floating cargoes of grain moved off slowly at previous
currencies.

There was a fair supply of barley on the stands. Malting
descriptions were in slow request at late rates. For grinding
and distilling qualities the demand ruled inactive on former
terms.

Malt changed hands to a limited extent on former terms,
There was a moderate supply of oats on the stands.
Nearly all descriptions were in steady request, and prices
ruled tolerably firm,

Beans and peas End a slow sale at late currencies.
The flour trade was quiet on former terms.

ARRIVALS THIS WEEE.
Wheat. Barley, Malt. Oats. Flour.
English.
Irish
Foreign

- 9,300

eke
brls

BOROUGH HOP.

The amount of business passing in our market is very
moderate, Prices, however, continue firm, awl are with-
out quotable change from our last report.

per cwt.
New Mid and East Kent
New Weald of Kent
New Sussex
Yearlings ..

NEWGATE AND LEADENIIALL.
The supply of meat on sale is moderate, and tho trade
is slow, at our quotations.
Per Sib. by the carcase.
stied
inferior beef .. 2 10 3 4
Middling- do. .. 3 6 4 0
Prime largo do. 4 2 4 4
Do. small d 0... 4 6 4 8
Large pork 3 6 4 2
rufrior mutton. 3 6 4

sdsd
Middling mutton 4 2 4 6
Primo do .. 4 6 4 Jo
Vaal .. 3 10 4 10
Small pork . 4 4 4 8
Lamb 0 0 0 0