The Body Of Thurtell And ...
The Times, 1824-01-13T00:00:00

Thnoe mortl rm;tains of Tbhirtcll were removed oiFaay night l='t to St. Bartholomew's Hiospital; nnd placed-in a roowm aljoiniag r3s^ theatre ofnuatomy. The erow7d of p-rsons on Satuirdiaywholat.' tceded to view the body was-very great, and as the nlace in which it was deposited was so emall that not more than eight or ten persons coald be admitted at a time, there were continually numubers in ar- rerr before the door of the theatre. Trhebody of Thurtcll was remarkable for its muscularity and snmetry, .and for the clearness of the skin. it was evident that he hDd beenmin a state of thetnost vigoroushealth'; and from the ap. peaiancc of the limnbs, it was difficult to Imagine that they even yet ;anted some postion of the strength ud eelasticity which seems to bav: once characterized them. His features were changed, thougb notr, in the conimn sense of the word, distorted. The pncipal cha pze was eftected by the relaxation of the muccles of the cheeks, whi of a life were so powerful and massy. The tyes were half open, and of a fine blue, not more prominent than they are in many living faces. In Thurtell, when alive, they had appeared ather small, and their colour not remarkable. The hair having been re- moved, the head appeared exceedingly well formed, and the sant of e'rpancon of the forehead vas less remarkable than in life. The corpse is five feet ten inches and a half in length. Among those who were most earlyand most anxious in their at. tendance on Saturday, were aclass of peoplecalledphrenologists ho were a ll a.gog to find a very common prominence behind aud abovra the ear, vwhich they are plessed to call, " the organ of destntc- tiveress,@ or murder. Mlost unfortunately for the cultivators o f this ceietre, it happens that the said, bumnp or prominence is not to be found in the head of what was Thurtell; in other words, that the o;gan of destructiveness was not at all prominent or developed. Thbi was " water in the shoes" oftheyhrenologists; but wlhat was sdll worse, was, that" the organs ot benevolence," annd of " cau- tion," were verv strongly marked. They. however, consoled them. sedvcs with saying. that the organ of eourage was very large, and that the intellectual organs seemed scarcely developed. However, these gentlemen, notbing daunted, will argue that the character of Thintell just corresponded to theappetrances on the skull. Such is the advantage whichz this sciencepossesses, that if the skull. accord- ingtn their theory, sutits the prevously known character of'the pOS- sssor,it iswell; if not, they mak.e anot'er character to suit.- G!lc an.i Ttrcaeller.- Hunt entertained an oliinion that he was to sufTcr on Fri- day morninir with Tlurtell; and under that impression he on Thursday ntnoon wrote a letter to his mother, which he sent by *the pa enclosed in the following letter to his attoney :-" Sir, I shall feet grateftl if you will forward this tomyunfoitunatemother, as Ii do not know where she lives. "Yoursrespectfully, "J. HIUNT." T1Xe letter to his mother is as follows :_ Hertford Gaol, Jan. 8, 1824. ;' v beloved mother,-This you must consider as the last ta. kno vlcdgment of my duty and gratitude to you for the uniform af- fetitn I have exverienced at your hands, and the kindness you have manifested during my unbappy situation. I have been from mybirthth child of misfortune; but the termination of my on. tow-ard life is, indeed, dreadful to contemplate. It is, however, now too latetorefect on the past; and as it has pleased the Al- .-ighty thatl mutbepremarurely eut off from society, I hope I shall be able to meet myfate with confidence and fortitude, and that Ithameet wvithforgivene3ssin the ,zext vorld, although I cmaot receive it from mankind in tis. The only regret I feel is in the disgraceful death I must undergo, because I fe5r it will ren- der more wretched those whom I leave behind. But do not, I beg of you, mv beloved parent, destroy Vour peace of mind by fretting at my misfortune, but pray to God for my forgivenens when I an- peal before that great Judge our Supreme Being. I depart thbe life in peae with all mankind; and trust that God will fori4ivc all those who arc my enemies as freely as I do. From wbat passed when I first made my confession, I did expect my life would be spared; but I am hapsiy to say that I have, notwithstanding, devoted the wvhole of my time, since my apprehension, to my God, not merely because I was a guilty man, but because I felt I had long neglected that duty which ought to be perforrmed by every good Christian. Remember me kintUy and affectionately to all those I leave behind; .and that the blessings of Almighty God niay be with you and my nnhappy wife, mv dearest bTothers and sisters, is the most fervent prayer of your unhappy son, ;' JOSEPH HUNT." THE.BODY.OF 7'U-RTBELL...fYDD ,TW?R PPjRNQ. IoCirh~Ts. .