The Express. — 1863-12-18 (London, England)

THE CONDEMNED MURDERER, TOWNLEY.  After sentence of death had been passed upon Townley, on Saturday, he was removed to a private room in the County Clan, where ha made a hearty dinner immediately afterwards. Toweley's mother and aunt were in the sheriff's gallery during the trial, bat when Mr. Baron Martin was bringing his summing up to a close, Mr. Bourner, the actiug under-sheriff's clerk, node a cornmunicetion to them, and they immediately withdrew, proceeding to the County Hotel, close by. The statement thaWrovroley's father was in court during the passing of the sentence is incorrect. He had est beside his solicitor, Mr. Leech, during the trial, but happened to be oat of court at the time the jury gave in their verdict, and was thus spared the epeeist' of bearing his eon condemned to die upon the scaffold. On the intelligence being broke to Mrs. Townley she was completely prostrated, and Mr. Gisborne wee called in to attend her. The condemned criminal was got away from the court by a ruse on the part of the governor, and his departure was not witnessed by the dense mob who bad congregated outside the court. On arriving at the goal his clothes were taken from him and the prison dress substituted, and he was conveyed to the condemned cell, where two turokeysremain with him day and night. His father and mother had an interview with him the same evening, and we believe Mr. Moody, M.P., chairman of the visiting justices, has given then, permission to pay frequent visits to their unhappy son, a privilege which they avail themselves of very freely. In addition to the assistance of the gaol chaplain, Townley has the privilege of selecting a spiritual adviser during the brief time he has to live, and he mentioned the name of the Rev. Mr. Gordon, of Manchester, a clergyman of the established church, and that rev. gentleman arrived in Derby on Monday morning last, and had an interview with him in his cell oo that day and also on Tuesday. The Rev. Mr. Moore, the gaol chaplain, also visits him daily. His condemnation has not made the lightest alteration in his demeanour. Hepartakes of bis meals heartily, sleep. well, and repeatedly smarts that he was perfectly justified in taking away his victim's life, and that he feels no remorse for the deed. We understand his friends are actively engaged in getting up memorials to the Home Secretary, not only from Derby, but also from Manchester. Of course the royal clemency is asked for on the ground of insanity, and it is stated that the memorial will be influentially supported by medical men and the general ',Wolk. The high sheriff has fixed the execution to take place at noon on Friday, the Ist day of January (New Year's Day), the interval between the seateoce and execution being rather more protracted than is usually the case. The Advertiser of today says :—" It gives as a special gratification to be able to animism that not only has Mr. Baron Martin adopted the view which we expressed on the morning after the sentence of death was pared on George Townley, as to the present state of his mind, but thaltorX recommendation to the Home Secretary which we then made has been acted on by the learned kedge. Mr. Baron Martin concurs with us in the opinion that, though Townley may have been sufficiently roe at the time he committed the murder of Mies Goodwin to be legally responsible for his acts, there are good grounds to doubt his present sanity. The learned heron also concurs in and enforces the sag. gestion we then made, namely, that application should be made to the Home Secretary, Sir George Grey, for the appointment of a commission to inquire into the existing state of Townley's mind. This suggestion is so reasonable in itself, and comes with so much weight when made by the judge who prodded at the trial, that we cannot doubt the Home Secretary will adopt it."