The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-14 00:00:00

THE CONDEMNED CRIMINAL BARBOUR.

The Sheffield magistrates concluded on Wednesday
evening the investigation ordered by the Home Secretary
into the "confession" made by the convict Barbour, now
under sentence of death at York Castle for the murder
of Alexander Robison, at Sheffield, on the 2d of Septem-
ber last, whose execution had been respited for that pur-
pose till Saturday next. The police have been unable to
discover any evidence confirmatory of Barbour's " con-
fession," inculpating George M'Cormack as the mur-
derer ; but on the other hand, have discovered
additonal evidence as to Barbour's guilt. Indeed
M'Cormack's innocence is made quite apparent. It
is proved by two witnesses that for two hours before
and two hours after the time that the murder was com-
mitted, and when Barbour states that he gave M'Cor-
mack the murdered man's pack to take to the Royal
Standard, M'Cormack was at the Rein Deer public-
house, two miles off. He also disproves the statement
of Barbour, that when he called at the Rein Deer that
afternoon, M'Cormack gave him the murdered man's
watch to take care of. M'Cormack's attorney stated
that he was prepared to call Mrs. Swann, the landlady
of the public-house, and two or three other witnesses, if
necessary, to speak also to the same facts. The disclo-
sure by Barbour of the place where the pistol was hid,
has brought to light additional evidence against himself.
Barbour, in his confession, alleges that on the Monday
morning after the murder, M'Cormack, after produc-
ing a pistol, and saying, " This is the pistol that
cooked Robinson's goose," swore him to secrecy, and
afterwards they walked together to a field adjoining the
Botanical Gardens ; that M'Cormack there secreted
his pistol in a fence wall, and they returned into the
town together, each smoking a cigar. M'Cormack states,
and is confirmed by other evidence, that during the whole
of this day he was engaged in waiting upon customers,
two miles from the Botanical Gardens. But on the other
hand, Barbour is proved to have been seen, at half-past
ten that morning, within five minutes' walk of the place
where the pistol was hid, and walking in the direction
of the very place. Two hours afterwards, he is also
found at the Ball-in-the-Tree public-house, within 100
yards of the Botanical Gardens wall. Apart from this
evidence, Barbour's own account bore:the stamp of impro-
bability on its face. It could scarcely be credited that 10
M'Cormack having—as the " confession"states—confessed
10
himself to Barbour as the murderer of Robinson, should, 1.0-1
when Barbour, whom he knew to be innocent, was to be
tried for the offence, and he subpoenaed to give evidence St.
against him, allow the pistol to remain for four months 20
in its hiding-place, ready to be produced as damning evi- 12
dente against himself at any moment that Barbour might
make the disclosure. Another important piece of evi- 5
deuce, in disproof of Barbour's implication of M 'Cormack, St.
is the production of two letters written by Barbour,
while at York Castle, to Mr. Pigott, with whom he had 26
lodged. In both of these letters Barbour writes, " Give
my best respects to Mr. M'Cormack." This to a man
whom he knew all the time to be guilty of the foul mur-
der for which he, an innocent man, was then awaiting his
trial, with the knowledge, also, that this man, the real
murderer, was one of the witnesses subpcenaed to give 1005
evidence against him !
100

SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.—A meeting of this society
was held last night ; Mr. Payne Collier in the chair.
Several new donations were announced to the secretary,
amongst them were Isaac Casaubon's Scriptores Sex,
Augustm, with the autograph of Ben Jonson
on the title page. Some interesting exhibitions were
placed upon the table ; among them rubbings of the
egravings on the ancient candelabra at Aix-la-Chapelle,
and a cast of a Runic monumental stone, dug up, not
long since, near the front of St. Paul's. Several papers
were read, among them one of great interest by Mr.
Akerman, giving curious and novel details regarding
the discovery of Roman pottery on the borders of the
New Forest, now far removed from any dwellings, but
formerly surrounded by a dense population. The con-
jecture was that the whole district had been depopulated
by William the Conqueror for purposes of the chase.
THE LINEN TRADE.—The quantity of linen exported
from the port of Newry during the past year amounted
to 7,215 packages, being the largest quantity shipped
from any Irish port, with the exception of Belfast.

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