The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-02-28
FORTY YEARS OF INJUSTICE.
An Innocent Man Held as a Convict for Nearly
Half a Century-HOw he was Convicted; and
How his Innocence was Discovered.

An Innocent Man Held as Convict for Nearly
Half Century-HOw he was Convicted; and
How his Innocence was Discovered.
"About forty years ago." writes a cor
respondent of a recent London newspa-
per, "a farmer named May was murdered
and robbed in South Devon. A man
named Oliver, alias Buckingham Joe,'
and Edmund Galley, alias 'Turpin, were
tried'for the murder. Oliver was hanged
and Galley transported, the extreme SEN
tence of the law not being carried out in
Galley's case because of some doubt
which existed in the minds of the judges
to whom, after the sentence, the matter
was referred on petition. Galley is still
alive, and now writes home from New
South Wales that he has found among
his late fellow.c w.convicts the real Confeder-
ate of Oliver. He has sent particulars to
the Home Office and to the Colonial Of.
fee, but no notice has been taken of his
communications by those departments.
A letter of Galley, however, has come
under the notice of Mr.. Latimer, senior
magistrate of Exeter, who reported the
trial for the Western Times, and who now
writes to that journal history of the
case and his recollections of the execu-
ton, etc. 1t appears from Mr.. Latimer's
statement that Mr.. Cherer, who was then
reporter on the circuit for the Times, Mr.,
Latimer himself, and many others who
watched the trial, believed at the time
that Galley was not guilty of any partici-
patton in the murder. Oliver himself,
who confessed his guilt, declared that
Galley was not his companion in the
crime, and reiterated his statement when
on the drop of the sCafold. Mr.. Latimer's
statement is supported by Ralph Sanders,
another magistrate, who also now gives
his recolleCtions of the circumstances at
tending the trial. He shows that the
principal evidence against the prisoners
was that of a woman, who deposed to
having seen the murder committed.
When Buckingham Joe was brought
before her she Immediately identified
him. She gave description of his COM
panion, whoshe said was called Turpin.'
Galley, who was a tramp, went by the
name of Turpin, and he also was brought
before the woman introduced to her as
Turpin. She, however, hesitated for some
time to speak as to his identity, but final
ly said, Yes, that is Turpin, but he is
very much altered 1t is a remarkable
fact, too, Mr.. Sanders says, speaking from
his reCollections Che was county clerk at
the time), that two if not three Of the
witnesses who testified to having seen
Buckingham Joe and Turpin galley to-
gether at Moretonhamstead upon the day
of the murder, would not speak positively
as to Turpin until they knew that this
woman had done so. Mr.. Sanders says
he is willing to make declaration that
Galley was not the man implicated with
Buckingham Joe, and that he is innocent
of the murder. 1t should be remember.
ed that Mr.. Sanders, on account of his
official position, had interviews with
Galley; and it is fact worthy of note,
because it was stated in the newspapers
at the time, that when Galley was sent
to the Gannymede hulk, all the wit.
nesses for the alibi which was set up
identified him, even in his convict garb,
as the man Turpin, who was in London
at the time of Mays murder in Devon
shire"