The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-08-15
nAaglAg ID oAleh Hines.

A correspondent Of the Boston Transcript
gives the following incidents; While John
Hancock was Governor Of the Common
wealth. Rachel Whal was hung IN Boston
for highway robbery. Her offence consisted
in twifehing from the hand of another fe-
male, bonnet, WORTH perhaps, seyenty-tiye
cents and running Of with it. The most
earnest applications for her pardon were I'M
successful / mention this not to the dispar-
aoement Of the Governor. lie doubtless
acted from a sense Of dutY-thinking it best
for the community that the laws Of the land,
however frightfuily seyree, while they we're
laws-sh0uid I've executed. A lad Of IL
wears If 8ge was hung III Salem for arson,
during the administration of Governor
Strong similar appeals in his favor being
considered and over-ruled Yet the iBtelli-
gence and the humanity, alike of the Exec
utive and OF the Council, notwithstanding
the result arrived at in both these instances,
were unquestionable.
Within the same period, gentleman OF
this city saw a girl Of II hung IN LONDON
for stealing a silver cream pitcher. Edward
Vale Brown was hung in Boston for bur
glarv committed in the house of Captain
Osia= Csoedwin in Charter street, and steal
jnp therefron sundry articles. | once owned
a set Of the Old Bailey Trials, (l775, 1921
embraced ia a series of perhaps oo qtarto
volumes The earliest OF these volumes
fortunate DR. Dodd, for forgery, whose
touching appeal for mercy, here recorded,
was fruitlessly enforced by the splendid elo-
auence of Johnson III a later volume, long
after the commencement of the present cen
turv, eight separate capital convictions are
recorded rs one days job Of a single tribunal,
the cuiprits being all boys and girls between
the ages Of ten and fifteen, and their offences
petty thefts.
One case / remember Of peculiar judicial
atrocity A young girl Of II indicted
for stealing a roll Of ribbon worth three
sfillings. The prosecutors testimony was
to this effect; The prisoner came into my
shop and bought some ribbon. ! saw her
secrete this piece also. | personally knew
her, and was on the most friendly and socl-
able terms with her. When she left the
shop / accompanied her, and offered her my
arm which she accepted. We chatted to-
pethcr A. we reached the corner of a street
leading to the Bow street office, ! turned To-
ward it, She said she going in another
direction, and babe me good morning; |
said % her No! you are going with me !
saw You steal piece OF my ribbon She
Immediately implored me for Gods sake to
overlook it, and restored to me the article.
! said to her that / had lost many things in
this way, and was resolved 10 make her an
example--tbat / was determined to have
her liiep and he got it. J can never forget
how my blood belicd IS / READ the testimony
Of this cold-hearred wretch. In view of the
Judgment Of a neToiful God, far rather, il
seemed to me, would have been in the
place Of that poor, frail, erring girl, even on
the scaGold, than in the place Of her heart
less accuser.
rose from the perusal of these volumes,
horror-struck with the continuous record of
uncomfortable legal cruelty. 1t appears to
me that the 10000 hangings in the reign of
Henry VIII were matched by an eq ually
long list Of persons condemned 10 be hung
in the reign Of George III Since that time,
much has been done in England by Romily,
Brougham, Mcintosh and Sidney Smith, and
as much-perhaps more-by kindred phi
lanthropists on this side Of the Atlantic.