The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-25 00:00:00

THE CONVICT SOLETHU.RS7'.

Since the condemnation of Dr. Smethurst for the
murder of Miss Isabella Bankes, and his transfer
from Newgate to Horsemonger-lane Gaol, consider-
able speculation and disappointment has been occa-
sioned as to the course the officials of the gaol would
adopt so as to give the condemned convict the free-
dom of communication with those friends who be-
lieve him innocent. The visiting justices of the
county prison of Surrey are alone the authorities
for giving permission to friends of the prisoner to
see him, although in strictness the high sheriff of
the county, Sir Walter Farquhar, could override
their decision.

Numerous applications have been made to see the
wretched man, all of which have been refused; and
so stringent has been the regulation that Mr. Keene
(the governor of the goal) refused admission
to Mr. Humphreys (the convict's attorney),
and that gentleman was obliged to obtain the
authority of the visiting justices to see the con-
vict. Yesterday afternoon, accordingly, he had a
very lengthened interview with him on the subject
of the trial and the course to be adopted in placing
the matter before the Secretary of State for the
Home Department so as to procure a remission of
the extreme sentence of the law. The result of
the interview was that immediate steps should be
taken to memorialise the Secretary of State for a
remission of the sentence, which will be supported
by the convict's counsel engaged in the case.
The memorial will be presented to-morrow, but
of necessity a few days must elapse before any final
decision can be come to. It is as follows :—" To
the Right Hon. Sir G. C. Lewis, Bart., Chief
Secretary of State, &c. The memorial of the un-
dersigned respectfully showeth—That your memo-
rialists have watched with much interest the pro-
gress of the trial which has resulted in the convic-
tion of Thomas Smethurst, and the sentence of
death passed upon him by Lord Chief Baron
Pollock. That whilst, on the one hand, your
memorialists would jealously uphold the sentiment
of respect with which the decisions of a British
court of law are universally regarded, they feel
bound, in the present instance, to express an
opinion that the prisoner has been convicted upon
a tissue of probabilities, none of them inconsistent
with innocence and unsupported by that clear and
indisputable medical testimony as to the cause of
death, which should alone hare warranted a verdict
of guilty of murder. Your memorialists therefore
submit, that in a case surrounded by so much doubt
it would be most unsafe to allow the law to take its
course; and pray you to advise her Majesty to ex-
ercise the royal prerogative, and commute the sen-
tence passed on the aforesaid Thomas Smethurst
accordingly."

THIS DAY'S MARKETS.

CORN EXCHANGE.

IMPERIAL WEEKLY AVERAGES. ^ Wheat, 44s ld ;
barley, 31s 1d ; oats, 25s 5d ; rye, 30s 8d ; beans, 44s
6d ; and peas, 37s Bd.
THE Six WEEKS' AVERAGES. Wheat, 44s 4d ;
barley, 30s ld ; oats, 25s 4d ; rye, 35s 2d ; beans, 458 8d ;
peas, 38s ld
ENGLISH GRAIN SOLD LAST WEEK.—Wheat, 79,149;
barley, 1,386 ; oats, 4,872 ; rye, 374; beans, 899; peas,
514 quarters.