The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1840-09-30

lfieu at tns wells AssIZes. Engldnu, lnvoIv-
ing some very peculiar considerations. Tho
culprit. Edward Gsnei, a shoemaker. being re-
duced to the extremity Of distress, rssonsd 10
an appalling escape from his misery by pourn.
laudsnun down the lhroats Of his children. and
then swallowing portion himself One Of the
children died, sad for this crime he was
brough, TO rhs bar OF justice, tried, found guilty,
and sentenced 10 death.
The tale, as stated by the witnesses, was one
Of woe and misery; the nan was pe.cesble.
honest, industrious, but bent 10 the very earth
by want aod indulgence. lie was a shoemaker,
and bad wife aod three young children, all Of
whom he ienderiy loved. He saw his children
20 crying 10 bed, because lac had food TO
give them; aud this lskiog place night after
night, drove him TO distraction; it tore from
the father his better feelings. or rather, we
should say, plunged him into such gulph of
misery and despair as 10 rob him Of his senses
and, in this moment Of oppression and perplsx-
ily, too much for human weak ness To bear up
against, he seized the means Of destruction that
happeHed to be within his roach-s bottle Of
landanurn-p0ured part Of IL down the throats
Of his darling infants, and then swallowed tho
remalodsr himself not having the foritude 10
die himself alone without taking with him The
wrstcbed beings who owed their birth 10 him
He was ksd and most ahectionats father
The world hal gone wrong with him.
Y fie had written to his friends to assist him
his application met with a cold rsfusal he was
pressed by his creditors, whom he could DOT
pay he was goadsd TO madness, by the starving
crles Of his children, whose mouths he could
not hll he had only one resource before him
poor law unOn-to place himself his wife
and children in that prison; 10 live, not ioge,h-
h.,.. / u
rate and apart; to this death seemed FAR prefer
abio; despair took firm possession of his mind.
and brought him 10 that har where be now stood
charged with the murder Of his own offspring.
he whole scene was distressing beyond what
any description can convey.
10 passing sentence upon CARAT, Mr.. Jus
tice Colsridse made the following observa-
tlons:-
! You hays committed this crime undoub
not in the ordinary way; not under the impulse
Of strong and excited passion, not undsr the
feelings of any thing malignant or hateful to-
wards that unfortunate chld-for that child, no
doubt, you trnderIy loved; but it is, perhaps.
that very circumstance that makes yeur crime
most dangerous ooe 10 pass over; for If ii
were once supposed that a person under any
circumstances of distress however great could
with impunity lay hands spon the life of any
human being, or IT, by attempting his own al
the same time, supposed he presented, there
fore, mere mitigsted case to the cOnsidera-
lion of the jury am afraid 10 consider what
dangerous consequences might arise. | hold
out to you no hope that your life will be spared
The PeIiLs Of the Se0.-Psrhaps the records
Of the human race do not present q case, Of a
more narrow escape from apparently inevitable
destruction and death 10 the whole Of a gallant
ships crew than in the case Of the Peacock, !
one Of tho slaops of war iD the Exploring Ex- |
pednion. when she sustained the injuries which
obliged her TO return. early in last March, 10 |
Sydney, (Nsw South wass,) to repair and ro- |
ht. The last extract from letter from per [
son on board that ship will give the reader some
idea OF II, though the nautical terms will make
II less clear 10 some OF our readeas than to /
those who are familiar with them:
"SYDNEr n. S. w, March l6, 1910.
"B eiore this reaches yon, you will probably
have heard ofour return TO this port for repairs
having been compelled to do so by injuries
sustained in the ice. by which We were confined
for forty most anxious hosrs-for twenty hours
with the imminent fear Of most awful death
So closely was the ice packed around us aud
in vast masses, that even under press Of can
vass, assisted by ice anchors and every other
means that experience ornccsssty could sug-
gest, we At time. remained moiisnlsss for hours
the ice cutting into the vitals Of the ship, and
Threatening 10 grind US to powder.
"On the evening OF the--(date forgotten,
aud, being. now in town, Cannot refer)-hsving
procured soundugs and seen appearances Of
laud. cheered with the prospect Of reaching il,
we worked in through heavy drift ice; and ne xt
morning. about 9 A. NJ, in eudeavoriny to avoid
a large mass ahead, we gave her sternboard,
which almost Instantly brought the rudder in
csutact With another mass, aud, SO violept was I
the shock. that the rudd-r-hesd was wreuched ,
OIL, aud the rudder fixed mmovsably nthwau g..
ships, rendering the ship almost entirely un- !
manageable. We used every effort to wear