The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-11 00:00:00

THE CONVICT BARRETT.

The respite of the sentence of death passed on Michael
Barrett for participation in the Clerkenwell outrage ex-
tends over seven days from the date originally fixed for
execution. It is believed that this will afford ample

time to complete the investigation into the truth of the
alibi. Preparations had been actively made at Newgate
for the execution when the respite arrived. Since the con-
viction of Barrett, a large number of constables, armed
with cutlasses and revolvers, have night and day patrolled
the streets in and around Newgate, and every precaution
has been taken by the City police authorities for the pro-
tection of the prison.
A public meeting, convened by large posters, took place
in the Bell Hotel, Glasgow, on Saturday evening. There
was a crowded attendance. Mr. Peter M`Corry, one of
the witnesses in the alibi set up for Barrett at the Old
Bailey trial, entered into a lengthened history of the steps
which had been taken with a view of getting a full inquiry
into the truth of the defence which had been set up. He
made a minute analysis of the evidence, and maintained
that there would be nothing more infamous and diabolical
than to bring Michael Barrett to the gallows. It was re-
solved that a petition should be sent to the Home Secre-
tary praying for a respite to Michael Barrett till further
inquiry be made, and that Mr. 111`Corry be empowered to
send it up in name of the meeting.
Mr. M`Corry then read the following letter which ho
had received from the convict :

" Condemned Cell, Gaol of Newgate, 6th May, 1868.

" Mr. P. M`Corry, —Dear Sir, lam afraid that before
this you will have thought me the most ungrateful
creature in existence in not having written to you
sooner ; yet I can assure you that such is not

:he case. Indeed there is nothing but the atten•
Lion which it was necessary for me to give to the
instructions of my spiritual director that could have so

long prevented me from doing so. I may just say that it
is utterly impossible for me to collect my scattered
thoughts sufficiently to convey to you any idea of my un-
bounded thankfulness and gratitude towards you for all
that you have done for me since first it pleased God to
bring these troubles upon me, knowing me to be innocent
of the crime for which I am called upon to suffer, and no
other object in view than to vindicate that innocence, and
render an act of justice to a fellow-creature. I do, most
acutely, feel for the terrible and unbearable humiliation
which the verdict of the jury (in. the eyes of some) is cal-

culated to bring upon you and those other poor men who
also endeavoured to have justice done me without either 4
fear of punishment or hope of reward. What a strange
and striking contrast to the paid witnesses of the Crown,
with the gold of Government jingsing in their pockets, and
their gilded bribe dangling before their eyes, ready to be
grasped the moment they had secured my conviction. I
am wholly at a loss to know by what means the jury came
to the decision they did, the only evidence upon which the
_ _

Attorney-General dared ask them for a verdict being that

of the terrible man Mullany and the two people who were
in the habit, they said, of seeing me at his place ; yet, in
every other particular, they not only contradicted Mullany,

but they contradicted each other also. I am certain
there are other juries who will return a different verdict;
yet, however that may be, it is almost impossible for

human nature to bear up under such an indignity. If
there was one thing more than another required at the
hands of their masters to complete the degradation of the
Irish race, it is now added. Well may they cry with the
Psalmist of old, ' How long, 0 Lord ! how long ?' I can
no longer allow myself to dwell upon this subject, lest
my feelings should so far master me as to draw me into
expressions that I have no desire to indulge in. God for-

bid that I should insinuate that the jury (however strange
their conduct may seem) did not act in accordance with
the dictates of their conscience; but, even if we allow such
to be the case, it only aggravates instead of lessening the
degradation. To all my old comrades I send my most
sincere love, and trust that they will not grieve for my
untimely end. For my part, I am entirely resigned to
the will of God. It is He who gives, and He who has a
right to take, wherever and however it may please Him.
As I hope myself to be forgiven, I forgive every one who

has injured me, and trust that my friends will entertain
no ill-feeling towards anyone on my account. This being
the only letter I shall write to you before entering into
eternity, permit me to say that I am your most grateful
and truly sincere friend, " M. BARRETT."
A vote of thanks to Mr. M'Corry concluded the pro-
ceedings.

A Pontifical Aldershot is being established on the lofty
plain nearly at the summit of the Alban Hill, which from
having once been occupied by the great Carthaginian
general is still called "Il Campo di Annibale." The life
of the Papal Zouaves is by no means alluring. They are
up at 5.30 a.m., and have to be in their barracks by 8.30
p.m. Their food consists of somewhat scanty rations of
bread for breakfast, and beans for dinner, so that service in
the Papal army has the additional merit of beipg a perpetual
fast. Their pay is Id. a day, and those who enlist for not
longer than six months have to pay 60f. for the Privilege
of serving his Holiness. The number of British Zouaves
is under 200, exclusive of the 130 Canadians. The Ponti-
fical Government has contracted for 10,000 Remington
rifles, of which half are to be made in England and half in
Belgium.
TERRIFIC THUNDERSTORM. —A letter has been
received in Edinburg► giving au account of a fearful
thunderstorm which lately occurred at the Island of Coll.
In the township of Cornaigmore the storm was attended
with considerable injury to person and property. At that
place there are five tenants named M`Kinnon, whose
houses were struck by lightning. Breaches were made in
the walls, stones were broken as by a blast, and planks
shattered into a thousand splinters. One of the tenants,
named Donald M'Kinnon, lost ten head of cattle, valued at
£lOO, and his neighbour lost three milch cows. The following
is an extract from the letter referred to :—" Of the
thirteen head of cattle struck dead there was not a scar to
be seen, and when dragged out of the byres they presented
a most distressing and painful sight. But this is not all
nor perhaps the heaviest loss sustained. Donald M`Kinnon
and his wife, their son and his wife, and one of the chil-
dren have been injured by the lightning. The man and
the child are now considered out of danger, but not so
the women. The elder one has remained ever since in
a state of stupor. Her hair and nightcap were burnt,
her right ear almost roasted, besides sustaining a dreadful
wound on the crown of her head. She is in a very critical
state. The young wife was . asleep at the time of the
accident, with her infant sleeping on her arm. The sleeve
of her gown and the arm under her baby were burnt,
while the infant escaped. The poor woman's body has
been fearfully burnt, and she suffers much from internal
injuries. Although able to get out of bed occasionally,
she is not yet considered out of danger. The three other
families received no bodily hurt, but in consequence of the
losses they have sustained they are brought to the verge
of pauperism. Each family consists of nine persons, the
eldest of the children being about 13 years,"

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4 34

HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, May 10.
The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise,
drove out yesterday afternoon.

The other members of the Royal Family also
went out.

Her Majesty, Princess Louise, Prince Leopold,
Prince and Princess Christian, and Princess Bea-
trice, attended divine service this morning in the
~rivate chapel.
II is txrace the Archbishop of Canterbury preached
he sermon

Prince and Princess Christian remained at the
Castle to luncheon.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INIELLIGENCE.

The Avon, 2, twin screw, composite built, gun-
boat, 120-horse power, Commander Fitzroy, fitted
out and commissioned at Portsmouth for service in
the China and Japanese seas, was put through her
official trial of speed over the measured mile in
Stokes Bay, near Portsmouth, on Friday, with the
subjoined results. The vessel's draught of water
was Bft. 10in. aft and 7ft. llin. forward, with every-
thing on board and complete for sea service. Six
runs, with the engines non-condensing, gave the ship
a mean speed .of 10.03.1 knots, and condensing,
10.345 knots. She sailed from Spithead at daylight
yesterday morning for China and Japan.
Mr. John Lloyd Crawley, acting sub-lieutenant
o❑ board her Majesty's ship Pallas, was tried by
court-martial on Saturday, on board her Majesty's
ship Victory, in Portsmouth harbour, on charges of
drunkenness. Thq prisoner pleaded " guilty," with
extenuating circumstances, and the court sentenced
him to be dismissed from her Majesty's navy.
The first of a fleet of small screw steamers, build-
ing for the Imperial Ottoman Government, was
launched on Saturday from Mr. John White's ship-
building-yard at Medina Dock, West Cowes. The
vessel was named the Sahir, with the customary
formalities, by Miss G. E. Prothero. The Sahir
is
119 ft. between perpendiculars, 20ft. in breadth,
lift. 10in. in depth of hold, and measures 225 tons
o.m. Her engines will have a combined nominal
power of 50 horse, and have been made for her 14
.Messrs. A. Day and Co., of Southampton.
Her Majesty's screw troopship Crocodile, Capt.
G. 11. Watson, will sail this morning from Ports-
mouth for Alexandria, to bring to England troops
from the Abyssinian expedition—the 4th and 333
Regiment. She calls at Malta on her way out, and
takes to that place the following passengers
Rear-Admiral R. Fanshawe, the newly-appointed
Admiralty Superintendent of Malta dockyard ; Mrs.
and Miss Fanshawe and servants ; Lieut. B. Clark
and Mrs. Clark. For the flagship, for disposal in
the fleet :—Lieuts. E. W. Shirley and Lockhart,
Sub-Lieut. S. Johnson, Paymaster W. P. Broad-
wood and wife, Navigating-Lieut. W. Horn, Navi-
gating-Cadet J. J. Jago, Midshipmen Keppell and
Foot, Engineers Watson, Murray, Spalding, and
Newland; Mr. Pullen, clerk; two warrant officers'
four instructors in gunnery and musketry from the
Excellent, and 30 first-class boys. Captain N. A•
Langford, R.N., proceeds in the ship as far as Alex-
andria.

The crew of the armour-plated screw steam fslooP
Research, 4, Commander Arthur Morrell, were paid
off at Devonport on Saturday. Her masts and
yards are standing, and she will be placed with the
ships belonging to the Steam Reserve in Hamoaze•
The gunboat Sepoy (tender to the Coastguard
rigate Dauntless, at Hull) will be paid out of cons'
mission to-morrow at Devonport.
The screw steam storeship fox, 2, Staff-Cora"
mander William S. Luke, left Devonport with
stores on Saturday for Portland, Portsmouth, and
‘s, oolwich.