The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-06-26 00:00:00

THE VERDICT.

At half-past five this afternoon, after the learned Judge
had charged the jury, commenting upon the evidence as he
proceeded, and pointing out to their particular attention those
parts which most immediately bore upon the guilt or inno-
cence of Gould, the gentlemen of the jury retired to consider
their verdict, and returned at six o'clock, when they pro-
nounced the prisoner Guilty.
The Judge immediately passed upon him the sentence of
—Transportation for Life.

CONDUCT OF COURVOISIER IN NEIVGATE BE-
FORE AND SINCE HIS TRIAL, AND ATTEMPT
TO DESTROY HIMSELF. • •

(From the Morning Herald of Tuesday.)
Now that the jury have recorded theit verdict against
Courvoisier, we are enabled to lay before our readers some
additional particulars which may be relied upon for their ac-
curacy. At the conclusion of Thursday's proceedings, when
he was removed from the felon's dock to the cell, he dis-
played the same firmness and outward appearance of inno-
cence that he had done from the first day he was incarcerated
in Newgate. When addressed by any of the civic authori-
ties he evinced a readiness to enter into conversation with
them, and on their quitting him he sat down composedly,
and perused a French Testament which he has all along bad
in his possession. There was no frivolity in his conduct, but
it was marked with that degree of fortitude which rarely
supports the most guilty prisoner. On Thursday night he
slept soundly, and did not wake until aroused by the turnkey
in attendance—one or other of the officer,s having been al-
ways in his cell since his co►nmittai--he then partook of some
refreshment, and was brought into the press-yard, with other
prisoners, for the purpose of being identified by Madame
Pielaine, On Friday evening, after the close of the day's
proceedings, Courvoisier betrayed great nervousness, and
'when spoken to by the sheriffs, or governor of Newgate, he
shewed much reserve. Up to the time of his going to bed he
seemed absorbed in thought, and appeared to be struggling
with his feelings as to whether he should confess his guilt.
He applied himself, as usual, to his Testament, and slept
but little throughout the night, and the next morning be
made his confession.
On being taken to the condemned cell, on Saturday night,
after the jury had delivered their verdict, the culprit ap-
peared to be sullen and reserved, and he endeavoured to
choke himself by cramming a towel down his throat ; but his
object was happily frustrated by the vigilance of the officer
in whose charge lie remained. Before Courvoisier's convic-
tion a French gentleman frequently visited him and adminis-
tered to his spiritual comfort ; but since then the culprit has
directed that his visits should he discontinued, alleging that
he had made up his mind, and is quite prepared to die. The
Rev. W. Carver, the chaplain of the prison, continues, how-
ever, unremitting in his attentions to the misguided man.
After attending the prison chapel on Sunday, Courvoisier
appeared to be less nervous than previously, and he passed
the night in a profound sleep. Yesterday it was understood
he made full confession of the atrocious crime of whiph'he
has been found guilty, to the governor of Newgate, and the
statement has been reduced to writing, and signed by the
prisoner; but.the authorities object at present to its publi-
cation. In addition to what has already appeared, the pri-

goner says lie was dressed when he committed the Aced.; drat
he turned up the sleeves of his coat before using tthe knife ;
and that all the movement which the ill-fated nobleman
made upon the fatal wound being inflicted was a slight trem-
bling of the right hand. He stuffed the .napkin in the wound
Lao to prevent the blood from spirting over , and then went
down into the kitchen and cleaned the knife. He did not
return to see if his lordship was dead, but went up stairs,
and, having taken off his coat, threw himself upon his bed.
It will be remembered that Courvoisier was first seen by the
servant, Mancer, dressed all but his coat, and some doubt
has all along existed whether he had lain inside the bed.
In the course of yesterday and Sunday the criminal repeat-
edly expressed a wish that his fellow-servants might be ex-
culpated from the slightest blame, and he declares that the
whole of their statements against them were founded in truth.
There is one remarkable fact connected with the trial of the
prisoner, and if the mistake had not been corrected, in all
probability the ends of justice would have been defeated. The
Lord Chief Justice, it appears, fixed Wednesday as the day
on which the prisoner was to be tried, but his lordship after-.
wards found that that was the last day of term, and, in con-
sequence of the judges being unable to attend, the trial was
postponed until Thursday. Now, if this had not been the
case, as one of the authorities observed to the reporter, the
additional evidence of Madame Piolaine would not have been
forthcoming, as Courvoisier was only identified by her on
Friday morning, and inasmuch as the trial would have been
shortened, it is extremely doubtful if, on Thursday evening,
it would not have ended in a verdict favourable to the mur-
derer.

The criminal has a father and mother living in Switzerland,
and he also has a sister residing in Paris. No communica-
tions have, it is said, passed between them since his confine-
ment in Newgate ; but, subsequent to his conviction, he has
expressed a strong desire to see his uncle, who is in the ser-
vice of Sir George Beaumont. A message, the reporter un-
derstood, had been conveyed to Caurvoisier's uncle, who
declined to accede to the request of the former.
The unhappy man appears in former life to have received
a religious instruction, and in conversation shows that he is
tolerably well acquainted with the Holy Scriptures.
The sheriffs have fixed Monday, the 6th of next month, for
the execution of Courvoisier ; and upon the same day the
next sittings of the Criminal Court will commence.

From the confession of Courvoisier it would appear that
his scheme of plundering the propeity of his master was most
deeply laid. It will be recollected that Mrs. Piolaine in her
evidence stated the parcel containing the plate, &c., was
brought to her house by Courvoisier on a Sunday evening,
which is supposed to have been the evening of the Sunday
previous to the murder, and on the Tuesday following, on the
night of which the murder was committed, it appearS from
the evidence adduced on the trial that John Harris, an up-
holsterer, Henry Lovett, a bell-hanger, and John Winter, a
plumber, with other workmen, were on that day engaged in
the house, and even in his lordship's bed-room in executing
repairs, so that it is evident from Courvoisier choosing that
night for the secretal of the remainder of the•property, it was
his intention, had not his perfidy:been so unexpectedly dis-
covered by his lordship, to remove all suspicion from his
shoulders, and affix it on that of the'worktnen.

It has not appeared in the course of the evidence on the
trial, that during the taking of the depositions of the ser-
vants, a day or two after the dreadful event, while taking
that of Courvoisier, on Inspector Jarvis asking him where
was the plate which had on the previous evening been used
at his lordship's dinner, he replied that on going to bed he
had left it in the pantry, and that it was all stolen, whereas
it had then for some days been left at the Hotel du Port de
Dieppe, and he had been using the plate from the reserve
cfrawers in his bed-room, and had replaced it at night to pre-
vent detection.

(From the Times of Wednesday.)

A circumstance has just been communicated to us which,
were it not for the confidence we have every reason to place
in our informant, we should consider wholly incredible. He
assures us, upon authority which in this case is unquestiona-
ble, that the miscreant who is now in Newgate under sentence
of death for the murder of. Lord William Russell has con-
fessed that he is also guilty of the murder of Eliza Grimwood,
an unfortunate woman, who, as it will be remembered, was
found about two years since in a house in the Waterloo-road,
under circumstances which left no doubt that a murder had
been committed, although the utmost ingenuity of the police
could never discover a clue by which the criminal could be
traced.

It appeared at the time, from what meagre evidence could
be procured, that the crime had probably been committed by
a foreigner ; but the absence of any apparent motive, or of
any article of property by which the murderer could be iden-
tified, rendered it, as in the late melancholy occasion, im-
possible until now to connect any person with the crime.
We give this information as we have heard it ; but we are
further informed that means have been taken to prevent this
confession from being made known to the public, and that
the most strict injunctions have been laid on all persons ad-
mitted to the prisoner to preserve the most scrupulous silence
upon the subject.
Now, what, in Heaven's name, can be the motive for this
secrecy ? Why should not every circumstance connected
with the case be sifted to the utmost, and the statements of
the prisoner be compared, while he is yet alive, with those of
the witnesses examined at the inquest? Surely it cannot be
the duty of any public functionary to impede the course of
justice ; but that seems to be the inevitable result of the pre-
sent proceedings. We have as yet no proof that there was
not some other party implicated in this horrible crime, and
the public have a right to know that all means have been
adopted to secure the ends of justice, and that no criminal is
allowed to escape from any overstrained regard to the feel-
ings of the prisoner. A very general impression prevails that
in the confession of his last crime Courvoisier has not truly
represented the circumstances which preceded the murder ;
and it is but just that his account of this former murder
should be closely examined, and that the absence of
.an ac-
complice should clearly appear.
It has been suggested that the sheriffs, in the course they
have adopted, have been influenced only by a desire to avoid
the excitement in the public mind which might lead to a con-
fusion on the day of execution, but we can scarcely believe
them to be so unlit for the duties of their office as to be ac-
tuated by such a motive. The assemblage will, under any
circumstances, comprise all the amateurs of such awful ex-
hibitions, but with the present police force and proper pre-
cautions no danger need be anticipated.

(From the Morning Herald of Wednesday.)
On Tuesday morning a female, who stated herself to be
related to the unhappy man, and two youths, who were re-
presented to be his cousins, applied to Newgate for permis-
sion to see the culprit, but upon the fact of the application
being made known to the sheriffs,-those gentlemen refused
the applicants an order of admission.
On Monday night the prisoner slept well, and his appetite
has not fallen off since his conviction. His diet consists of
the usual prison allowance, and the room in which he is
placed is the same one occupied by Greenacre from the time
that intervened between his conviction and execution. The
towel with which Couivoisier endeavoured to suffocate him-
self was allowed him to wash -with;• and since the extraordi-
nary attempt he has been very narrowly watched by the
gaolers who attend him.

- During Tuesday, and yesterday, the sheriffs received a
number of applications from clergymen residing in the me-
tropolis to see the criminal, and administer spiritual instruc-
tion to him, but their services were not accepted, as Cour-
voisier has recently expressed his entire satisfaction with the
chaplain's exertions, and has stated his desire not to be
attended by any other reverend divine. The wretched cul-
prit has a number of religious works for his
,use, but he
confines his reading to a rench Testament, and yesterday
and Monday he was engaged the greater part of the day in
fervent prayer, and appears to feel the enormity of the offence
which he has committed. He does not entertain the slightest
hope of a reprieve, and in his confession it is said he acknow-
ledges the justice of his sentence ; but the particulars of the
official document will not 'be allowed to transpire until after
he has expiated his crime upon the scaffold.
In the confession .made by Courvoisier to his counsel he de-
clared that he knew nothing of the gloves and handkerchiefs
spotted with blood that were produced at his trial, and were
represented to have been found in his box, and he labours under
the impression that they were placed there by the police for
the purpose of obtaining a conviction. It was this declara-
tion on Courvoisier's part which he has throughout persevered
in that led to the severe (Toss-examination of Inspector
Pearce and the other members of the metropolitan police.
It is understood to be the intention of the sheriffs to cause a
rigid investigation to be made into this and other circum-
stances which for the present it. is necessary should be
suppressed. It is a matter of surprise to those well acquainted
with matters of police that no inquiries were instituted at the
several foreign hotels and coffee-houses in London with
respect to Courvoisier, and that the carving-knife was not
submitted to the examination of some eminent professor for
the purpose of ascertaining whether the spot which it is said
was upon it, was rust or a stain of blood. The prevailing
opinion of the city aldermen, with whom the reporter has
conversed, appears to be that this diabolical murder will lead
to the establishment of a detective police.
On Tuesday the Old Court and the avenues leading to it
presented a very different appearance from the previous day,
and the order usually observed was quite restored. The extra
seats that have been put up, the sheriffs intend should re-
main until after the trial of Oxford. Up to last evening the
uncle of Courvoisier, whom the latter had a strong desire to
see, had not visited-him.

(From the Times of Yesterday.)
With reference to the statement which we published yes-
terday respecting Courvoisier, and which proves to be incor-
rect, we can only say that we had our information from a
source on which we were disposed to place full reliance. The
report that Courvoisier had confessed to the murder of Eliza
Grimwood was generally circulated through town on Monday
'and Tuesday last; and it was the subject of conversation in
almost every place of public resort, It appears, however,
that our informant was deceived by a person from whom he
received the statement communicated to us ; and from in-
quiries we have since caused to be made, we have every rea-
son to believe that we were in error, in stating that the con-
fession of a second murder was made by Courvoisier. The
mistake probably arose in consequence of Courvoisier having
made a second confession respecting the murder of Lord
William Russell. '

(From a Correspondent.)
We understand that Mr. Flower, the solicitor who .con-
ducted the defence of the wretched convict, feels considera-
bly aggrieved at the conduct pursued by the sheriffs fn with-
holding from him the detailed confession which Courvoisier
made to him on Monday last, in the presence of Mr. Cope, the
governor of Newgate, with respect to the murderof Lord
Russell. The circumstances connected with that confession are
these :—lt will be remembered that after Lord Chief Justice
Tindal summed up the evidence in the case on Saturday, the
jury retired to consider their verdict, and Courvoisier having
been removed from the bar in the interval, sent for Mr.
Flower, who immediately came to him, but, suspecting that
his object was to describe the circumstances connected with
the murder of Lord William liussell more in detail than he
had previously done, Mr, Flower told him that he had better
wait until the jnry had returned their verdict, when he would
see him again, Mr. Flower then went away, having been
told by Mr. Cope that he should have access to the prisoner
when the verdict was returned. After the decision of the
jury, Mr. Flower applied to be admitted to the prisoner, and,
having waited a considerable time, he was told that the
sheriffs had directed that no person should see him, they
having been to visit Min themselves soon after the verdict of
guilty was returned. Mr. Flower then went away, and re-
turned to the prisoner on Monday morning, accompanied by
his clerk, and, being admitted to the cell in which the
oonvict was confined, the latter made a full and lengthened
confession of all the circumstances connected with the
dreadful act. His statement was taken down in writing by
the clerk of Mr. Flower, in the presence of Mr. Cope, who
also wrote down the confession ; but when it was concluded
he made a request of Mr. Flower to lend him his copy,
as his own, he feared, was not very accurate. Mr. Flower
immediately handed Mr. Cope the statement which his
clerk had written, observing, that having done his duty
to. the prisoner, he was now desirous of doing his duty
to the public, and he felt no hesitation in handing the state-
ment to Mr. Cope, being convinced that he would make a
proper use of it. He, however, at the same time stipulated
that the statement should be returned to him whenever he
demanded it, to which arrangement Mr. Cope acceded ; but
when Mr. Flower subsequently required it, as the confession
was in the hands of the sheriffs, who positively refused to de-
liver it up' under any circumstances. Mr. Flower added, that
he supposed the object of the sheriffs was to obtain another
confession from Courvoisier, or an aromdpd statement, as
they had both visited the convict very frequently since in
company with the rev. ordinary, and he complains of the
breach of promise committed by them through their officer,
Mr. Cope, in not returning the document to him. He also
considers that his wretched client, having made a minute and.

ample confession of his guilt, ought not to be pressed any
further on the subject, but that he should be left to pass his
few remaining days in endeavouring to make atonement for
thei dreadful clime he has committed.

Mr. Flower has formally applied to the sheriffs by letter,
requesting them to restore the document, for a copy of which
he had been applied to by the solicitor of Sir G. Beaumont,
in whose service the uncle of Courvoisier lives, and who had
furnished funds to defend the wretched man, under the belief
that he was innocent. Whether the sheriffs will comply with
the request of Mr. Flower, or refuse it, remains to be seen.
Mr. Flower is, however, under the strong impression that
the statement of the prisoner, which was taken down in his
presence and that of Mr. Cope, ought not to be retained by
the sheriffs without at least assigning some cause for with-
holding it.

(From another Correspondent.)

The following is a verbatim copy of the confession made
by Courvoisier to Sheriff Evans, as it was taken down on
paper by the sheriff.
" After I had warmed his Lordship's bed, I went down
stairs and waited about an hour, during which t►me I placed
the different articles as they were found by the police. I
afterwards went to the dining room, and took one of the
knives from the sideboard. I then entered the bed-room and
found hiu► asleep. I went to the side of the bed, and drew
the knife across his throat. He appeared to die instantly.
" FRANCOIS BENJAMIN COURVOISIER:”

" Prison of Newgate, June 23."
" This declaration was made before me this 23d June, 1840.
" WILLIAM EVANS, Sheriff."
In the conversation which sheriff Evans had on the day
this declaration was made, and which lasted for an hour, the
murderer assured the sheriff that there was no truth in the
statement that Lord. William Russell had gone down stairs,
and, after charging him with dishonesty, threatened to dis-
charge him next day without a character. Nothing at all
of the kind had occurred. His lordship never went down
stairs in the night at all, and never threatened anything of
the sort. His Lordship had certainly spoken to him in a
cross tone, and told him to be snore attentive to his business,
but that was all. There was no further provocation.
The Sheriff having expressed some surprise at the variance
between the two accounts, the murderer said that his uncle
had entreated him most solemnly to tell the facts exactly as
they occurred, and he determined to state nothing but what
was accurately correct. Ile therefore acknowledged, not
only that he had committed the murder under the circum-
stances just described, but that he had contemplated the
murder and robbery for a week previously.
The Sheriff questioned him, a good deal upon the acknow-
ledgment that he had so long contemplated the murder, as
well as the robbery, and he persisted in stating that the
murder was premeditated, and not as had been previously
stated, the suggestion of despair at losing his character. He
declared, and he wished the Sheriff to let it be known to the
world, that the idea was first suggested to him by reading
and seeing the performance of Jack Sheppard. Tire hook
containing the history of Jack Sheppard had been lent him
by one of the servants of the Duke of Bedford, and he
lamented that he had ever seen it.

Upon being asked by the Sheriff whether he had committed
any other atrocities; he replied that he had merely stolen
two books belonging to Mr. rector, when in that gentleman's
service.

" I am most anxious," said the Sheriff, " to know whe-
ther there is any foundation in the report which has got
abroad that you had something to do with the death of Eliza
Grimwood, who was murdered in the Waterloo-road. Ha`•e

you anything to say upon that subject ?"
Courvoisier assured the sheriff that he knew nothing in
the world about that or any other murder, except the murder
of Lord William Russell. He knew, he said, that he must
die, and if he had committed any other dreadful offence, he
would not hesitate to mention the fact to the sheriff. He
expressed much regret that any imputation should, for a mo-
ment, have been cast upon either of the poor unoffending
female servants,. who had been so unfortunate as to have
been in the house with him.
The sheriff then asked him how Lord William Russell's
finger happened to be cut? The murderer replied, that when
he drew the knife across the throat, his lordship's hand start-
ed up as if by a convulsion, and must at the moment have
.come in contact with the knife, and immediately fell back
again, for death was instantaneous : his lordship never waked.
" How," said the sheriff, " did you get rid of the blood,
for your hand must have been bloody ?"
Courvoisier replied that his hand was bloody, but he wiped
it on the towel, which he immediately afterwards placed on
his lordship's face. He then, he said, went up to bed, but
did not sleep.
These were the strongest features of the conversation be-
tween the sheriff and Courvoise.r. The murderer frequently
in the course of it stated that Lord William Russell never
walked down stairs, as seemed to be the general opinion, but
was taken off exactly as he .(Courvoisier) described to the
sheriff, and he frequently, too, declared that he was indebted
for the idea of committing this atrocious crime to Jack
Sheppard.

TRIAL AND CONVICTION OF JONES FOR
RIBBONISM.
(From the Dublin Evening Mail of Wednesday.)

This case, which occupied the Commission Court the entire
of yesterday, has not been brought to a concluSion at the
hour in which we write (two 'clock.) But facts of the most
serious character have been brought forward in evidence;
and upon these, when completed by the finding of the jury,
we shall without prejudicing the case of the prisoner, be free
to offer such observations as the peculiar nature of the
conspiracy, and the still more peculiar proceedings of the
government in its treatment thereof, seem to require. For
the present we are restrained from comment by tenderness
for the prisoner's situation. •

THIS DAY-FINDING OF THE-JURY.

Shortly before going to press our reporter supplied us with
the following brief note of the summing-up and finding :-=-
Jones was again placed at the bar this day. Sergeant
Greene recapitulated the evidence on behalf of the erown.
Mr. Justice Ball addressed the jury, and his summing-up
occupied nearly an hour. • He read all the documents proved
in the case very minutely, and made observations upon
them : 'the tone and bearing of his charge were strongly
against the prisoner. He•was of opinion that the documen-
tary and parole evidence given on the part of the crown was
very satisfactory.
The jury retired, and at a quarter before three o'clock re-
turned into their box with a verdict of Guilty and a recom-
mendation to mercy, on the ground that the offence com-
mitted occurred very recently after the passing of the act un-
der which the prisoner was convicted.

STATE OF' THE COUNTRY-SEIZURE OF RIB-
BONMEN WITH THEIR DOCUMENTS.

(From the Dublin Evening Mail.)
Ribbonism is not to be frightened by discovery—nor put
down by mock prosecutions. The inquiry in the Lords has
not checked its progress : the impending danger of its moat
notorious leaders has not abated its zeal. _

The following letter from a local correspondent will show
that, undaunted by the display of executive energy in Dub-
lin the provincial lodges of the conspiracy pursue their patri-
otic labours with unabated vigour :
" TO THE EDITOR OF THE DUBLIN EVENING MAIL.
" Belturbet, June 22, 1840.
" SIR—I beg to inform you that on Thursday night last,
between the hours of eleven and twelve o'clock, when- Ser-
jeant Hayes and his party of constabulary, stationed here,
went round to inspect the public-houses, they discovered
two men in the house of Mr. Patrick Prunty, one of whom
had papers in his hand, which, upon seeing the police, he
attempted to destroy by eating them. I am happy to say
he was prevented from doing so, and that both were con-
ducted to the police barrack.

". On Saturday an investigation took place before the ma-
gistrates at pettit sessions.; but as it was with closed doors.
I cannot send you the particulars. However, the documents,
which are connected with the Ribbon conspiracy, fully war-
ranted the bench to commit him to Cavan gaol forthwith, to
be tried at the next sessions. The other with htis.rieen held
to bail.

" The fellow who was committed is of •ilie name of John
Clarke, residing at Derrilin, about ten miles from this town,
where he has been master of a school.

" With this, and the many proofs coming to light of a
widely-ext Ended conspiracy, who will not urge the necessity
of Protestants being upon the qui rive 1-
" Great credit is due to Constable Hayes and his men for
their ever prompt and efficient discharge of their duty.

" I am, sir, yours, &c.— •
" A CONSTANT READER."

COUNTY LIMERICK.

MOST DARrN G ATTACK FOR FIRE Anus: AT THE
HOUSE OF MONTIFORD WESTROPP OF MELLON, ESQ.—
Between the hours of six and seven o'clock yesterday morn-
ing, four armed fellows,perfectly undisguised, approached
the house of Montiford estropp, of Mellon, Esq. Two of
them remained outside, while the"other two entered. One
of the latter immediately desired a female servant to spew
him her master's room, with which request she, of course
complied.. Mr. Westropp was at the time in bed. The
fellow approached the bedside, and after ordering him to part
with his steward within a week, decamped With two loaded
pistols, which were lying on the bedroom table. The other
fellow who entered the house went at once to the bedroom of
John Westropp, Esq., son to. Montiford. Westropp, Esq.,
and demanded fire arms. The young gentleman said
he had none in his possession, on which the fellow
declared that he would break open a press which was
in the bedroom, and make a search. Mr. WestropP
hereupon told him that there was no occasion for him
to break it open, as he would open it for him himself,
which he accordingly did. When the fellow found no
arms inside, he left the house. We regret to learn that
the family thus attacked made no effort to arrest the villains.
That they might at all events have made the attempt, and
with great chance of success too, would appear unquestiona-
ble, when, if we are rightly informed, there were two Eng-
lish gentlemen sleeping in the house besides Mr. 'Westropp
and his two sons. There were, moreover, nine servants in
and about the house, we are told, who might have rendered
assistance; and when we say that those nine persons are
Mathewites, and that they witnessed the attack, we think it
does not speak over powerfully in favour of the teetotal sys-
tem, when we say that they used no exertion whatever to ar-
rest the villains. Subsequently the Pallaskenry police went
in search of the p'arty, but did not succeed in discovering
them. It will be recollected that a short time since this very'
Mr. Westropp's horse was shot, and that at a more recent
date a threatening notice was posted' for him on one of his
outhouses.-7-Limerick Standard.