The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-03 00:00:00

HAMPSTEAD HEATH.

Mr. H. CANE FUCKER brought forward a motion
of which he had given notice ; —" That a deputation
be appointed to wait on Lord Palmerston, to urge
upon the Government to take immediate steps for
the purchase of Hampstead-heath, o.r its exchange
for Crown lands, for the perpetual use and benefit
of the public, and with power to confer with Sir
Thomas Maryon Wilson thereon."
This motion was supported by the rev. rector,
and carried unanimously.

THE CONVIC7 COOPER.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

Sru,--The quality of mercy, what is it ? Is it (for sake
of example) our duty to send our fellow-creatures to an
ignominious death in cases of murder, irrespectively of ex-
tenuating circumstances, or comparative justification
through being goaded on to desperation by ingratitude and
unfaithfulness; if this be our duty (to society) then Robert
Cooper ought to be hung ; if it be our duty to encourage
false testimony (as is the evidence of Sarah Bambara), then
Robert Cooper ought to be hung; and if it be our duty to
encourage the wiles and cunning of a tantalising and profli-
gate woman, then Robert Cooper ought to be hung, butt
not otherwise. Surely, if ever a poor wretch was goaded
on to a desperate act, this was he. The fact of Cooper's
having committed bigamy has nothing whatever to do with
the case. His first marriage, we are told, occurred 13 years
ago, and there is no evidence to show whether he left his
wife or she him ; therefore the question ought
to be dismissed from our minds altogether now, as
we find Cooper married to Anne Jane Barnham,
contributing towards her support, and loving her even to
folly and injustice to himself. Can it be said that his is not
a case for mercy, particularly as we find the abandoned
creature (whom he murdered) not only prostituting herself
before his eyes, and tantalising him as well, but refusing
him all sympathy, love, or consideration. Are not these
extenuating circumstances, and ought Robert Cooper in the
face of them to be hung ? Was it not rather the duty
of the Burnham to have screened the poor wretch's
fault of having married twice. They at least
had no cause to complain so long as the first wife
did not come forward, at all events as the facts were not
found out until after Anne Jane Barnham had had two
children by Cooper. She ought to have screened his fault
~rom the world, even if she resented his conduct privately;
but the simple fact is, she made this a pretext to justify
her in becoming an abandoned prostitute, and her mother
has not only encouraged her in her vice, but has come
forward and vindictively asserted that Cooper did
not contribute anything towards her daughter's sup.
port, which is false—palpably false. How, then, should.
we hope for mercy if thin' be not a case for mercypart cu-
oi
mercy
:pe
reutier
nynfonaouirl
sinning.
Unfortu-
nate,
rn no
anunee Isidbtle against
gaa entreatedtalnational
on nosatcl
disgrace t o com-
municate
larly as so tame a defence was made in the prisoner's
questions to be considered
be-
half by his,iht
mt
ec
doot counsel.
mhs
wretch,
a this
k .
oeAp hirtanehsi
snoe
much
actupart
cur:heee elaestsl
cruelty
irrespectively of the doubt of the policyerretgcarding capital
Rob
that
to be hung. The writer assures th
punishment ? If they are not,
publicth,:
natinducese,iri
immediately to B. C. J., Post-office, Kilburn-
gate, so who are
that an early meeting may be called for the
purpose of preventing of
hanging a man who, to some extent, merits our pity. The
writer of this letter judges the case entirely by the reports
as they appear in the public journals, as he knows nothing
of any of the individuals concerned.
November 1.

ALARMING
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inrdh aayd Lincolnshire,
Yorkshire last i
t proceededa ai l
carriagesalarmingfwo Rail-
way y t
Doncaster
n tcha
we:
to a point between Barmby Dun and Kirk Sandell; about
five miles from Doncaster, when great oscillation of the
and almost immediately the engine and
tender ran off the line into the canal which runs on one,
side, the river Don being on the other. The first paesenge!'
carriage, in which several persons were seated, was dragged
off the rails, but, fortunately, the tender was a sufficient
barrier to prevent it running into the canal. The second s
carriage was precipitated down the embankment toward
the river Don, but the water only flooded it to the dteyth
eir
of three feet. The passengers were extricated from h
perilous and unpleasant position, and it was found thatenr:
one had been seriously hurt, though many of them w
muchthe f() srhmaekrenw. i thT he
someeng
ashore. The engine
a
head, and the latter having to swim
i na
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v- de rr iov eor
ulnae]
as
bt ookuetr bottheh
fea socea etidt;
bweai
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visiblep l ete I
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os
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Thatt h e cua no a
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h Neadby
g accidentarded a as
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Canal and the river Dcz,
praenamaureklabwlei,thas tahuedlibneetwateet en
seen fun