The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-08-01 00:00:00

AND CXECUTION OF ABEL HILL.

PROM TON lITAPPOODSIIIIII ODPROTIBiIt or JIM( 79.)
.iicl Hill was emssenitted to our bounty gaol on the
I:.rh day of March last, by Enoch mac gent.
(coroner), charged with the wilful murder •f Mary
Nlartin, and her son, Thos. Martin, (a child about
n oaths old,) by drowning them in the canal, near
• the Rouud-house, a little distance\ front Bilaton, ou
the 23e1 day of February, 16/0.
While he wait in gaol, Hill appeared indifferent
to his awful situation, and thoroughly disregarded
religious instruction. Fully persuading himself that
he,should nut be convicted, he sent to his parents.
with whom he had resided at Abigal-lane, in the
parish of Sedgley, that be should be at home at the
wishes. On the Friday preceding his trial, he was
visited by a worthy Rev. tientletnan (who has taken
great pains on similar occasions to bring sinners to
repentance), who exhorted him to prepare for ano-
ther world, as, in case of conviction, he would not be
here after Thursday morning. Hill answered with a
Loth. " I shall be somewhere else." In this hardened
state he continued till the trial, which came on before
Mr. Justice Richardson, op Tuesday morning last, at
eight o'doch, and was not finished until seven in the
evening. It came oat in evidence that Hill had co-
habited with the unfortunate Mary Martin for more
than six years; that he was the father of the infant
child, Thomas Martin ; and that its mother, the In-
molded victim of his brutality, was again pregnant
by hip. Mary Jearons (the mother of Mary Martial
by a former husband) was examined, and staled'
that she kept a public house at Bradley, near ELI
stun ; that the deceased would have been 13 rotten
old on the 10th of March last ; prisoner assisted
in the support of her daughter's child, and seem-
ed fond of it ; her daughter and the child left
her house about six in the evening of the 234 of
ischrsary last, and returned no more. Another wit-
:improved that prisoner had endeavoured to cause
abortion, by giving Mary Martin a powerful usediciue,
but it did not produce the intended effect. It also
appeared, that on the evening the murder was perpe-
trated, Hill had persuaded the unfortunate woman to
meet him at Bilston, and bring the child with her,
under pretence of purchasing it a hat and hock ; and
they were este together by several persons in kidskin,
and ewe aim', observed to approach the canal, as
though on their way home. Cries of " Murder r
yen heard from near the place where the bodies were
afterwards found ; the prisoner was also observed to
have his shoes, stockings and clothes wet a consider.
able way up his body, and marks of fingers and nails
were fund on various parts of the bodies, which
proved that force bad been used in drowning them.
the bodies were found on the 3d of March by a boat-
ma, the child about 40 yards front the mother. It
was attempted to be ebewn that the prisoner could not
be the man who committed the murder, as be was at
home al too early an hour to allow him time to return
, fees bilstos ; bat unfortunately for the prisoner re-
veal of the witnesses for she prosecution proved his
harteg desirellabem to mark the time when they saw
Lie, en the ormieg of the 13d of Feb. One witness
swore be had heard Mary Martin say she would make
awaywith beret] f and child. The Learned Judgeetentmed
up in the most ample and perspicuous manner, =t-
lug, es be proceeded, upon the nature of the
and the Jary, after consulting about two mist,
returned a verdict of Guilty, which the prisoner heard
whitest the least emotion or change of countenance.
The Judge then passed sentence in the most affecting
and' impressive manner
" Abel Hill, the circumstances of this most atro-
cious End important ease, in which you have Wee the
principal actor, have engaged the attention of the
Curt a great many boors ; more perhaps than was
areessary to substantiate the case itself, but not more
than was due for the satisfaction- of the public. After
a calm and dispassionate investigation, a Jury of your
country have promonneed a verdict of guilty against
yoe--a verdict which meets my entire approbation—
looking as every English Court invariably does,
Ilesply to the evidence, without saffeeing the mind to
be distracted by the tremendous circumstances of
aggravation which have presented themselves through-
out this mut painful trial You are convicted of the
Lel offence of murder, stet of oei only, hardly can it
be said of two—one almost your aillanced wife, the
object of your lust and seduction, the other the or
siring of your own 'Leine. and probably a few
months would have given birth to another. A ease,
think. can tcaroely be found, combining such
a complication of terrible and appalling citrate-
%Wces as yours. Yee appear to be a young ac-
thei Man, who was well and tally employed ; led to
idulirat commission of crime by your owe lawless
lost, and lastly to the palpate*, a *pretest her-
rill/ulnae% by a stied to every feeling Which
Ceeld actuate a Christian, weeny men;
else sorry um I to oboe,* the yes are, perhaps, the
meet ledillosent person runt le this crowded Court.
It is ray dirty to proeseamt the Bedews of die law
up us you, winch menet be carried inee execution spee-
dily. You Pm expect se .trey here, for indeed mercy
extended towards such a person u you, would be an
act of lie inmost iskstities to the rest of mankind.--
Yon- baro $ verg short hint, perhaps, not forty-eight
10111'S to live, and let we 11111811811 i re to employ it well.
for (cod's sake do not let your yes wander from ob-
)sat to object, but keep your attention fixed upon your
Aloha shanties. Do net imagine that byen apparent
ladifference, did a denial of year guilt, yen can ex-
Shrewish the isdignatiow of year Maker. The very
short time whisk remains, foe Ood's sake make the
meet of. Consider if as ms logger a creature of
thin world, but eadeaveer to make your pease with
the next; it is not tee late to obtain the mercy of a•
aA beiteteoes sad all merciful-God,. If you set about it
formally, red employ day ea sight for he seam-
foment. The smornee of the law is, that you, Abel
ill, be taken hence to the place from whose, you!
come, and hem *nee, en Thursday, the 77th of July, I
to a place of executima. nn- ghat yea be bung by the
neck till yew be limit t led that ref body, when taken
guru; be theseled mad seatilmised t and oil 41", of
Lis Winks mercy, have*inercy area year soul."
. • *ills. the Judge was passing seateact,. the eyes of
:broodrer were wandering rued the Court. sad be
)0111ferest, while the anditers were ibsubed

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