The Sun. — 1853-01-14 (London, England)

THE CONDEMNED CRIMINAL BARBOUR.  The Sheffield magistrates concluded on Wednesday evening the investigation ordered by the Home Secretary into the "confession" made by the convict Barbour, now under sentence of death at York Castle for the murder of Alexander Robison, at Sheffield, on the 2d of September last, whose execution had been respited for that purpose till Saturday next. The police have been unable to discover any evidence confirmatory of Barbour's " confession," inculpating George M'Cormack as the murderer ; but on the other hand, have discovered additonal evidence as to Barbour's guilt. Indeed M'Cormack's innocence is made quite apparent. It is proved by two witnesses that for two hours before and two hours after the time that the murder was committed, and when Barbour states that he gave M'Cormack the murdered man's pack to take to the Royal Standard, M'Cormack was at the Rein Deer publichouse, two miles off. He also disproves the statement of Barbour, that when he called at the Rein Deer that afternoon, M'Cormack gave him the murdered man's watch to take care of. M'Cormack's attorney stated that he was prepared to call Mrs. Swann, the landlady of the public-house, and two or three other witnesses, if necessary, to speak also to the same facts. The disclosure by Barbour of the place where the pistol was hid, has brought to light additional evidence against himself. Barbour, in his confession, alleges that on the Monday morning after the murder, M'Cormack, after producing a pistol, and saying, " This is the pistol that cooked Robinson's goose," swore him to secrecy, and afterwards they walked together to a field adjoining the Botanical Gardens ; that M'Cormack there secreted his pistol in a fence wall, and they returned into the town together, each smoking a cigar. M'Cormack states, and is confirmed by other evidence, that during the whole of this day he was engaged in waiting upon customers, two miles from the Botanical Gardens. But on the other hand, Barbour is proved to have been seen, at half-past ten that morning, within five minutes' walk of the place where the pistol was hid, and walking in the direction of the very place. Two hours afterwards, he is also found at the Ball-in-the-Tree public-house, within 100 yards of the Botanical Gardens wall. Apart from this evidence, Barbour's own account bore:the stamp of improbability on its face. It could scarcely be credited that 10 M'Cormack having—as the " confession"states—confessed 10 himself to Barbour as the murderer of Robinson, should, 1.0-1 when Barbour, whom he knew to be innocent, was to be tried for the offence, and he subpoenaed to give evidence St. against him, allow the pistol to remain for four months 20 in its hiding-place, ready to be produced as damning evi- 12 dente against himself at any moment that Barbour might make the disclosure. Another important piece of evi- 5 deuce, in disproof of Barbour's implication of M 'Cormack, St. is the production of two letters written by Barbour, while at York Castle, to Mr. Pigott, with whom he had 26 lodged. In both of these letters Barbour writes, " Give my best respects to Mr. M'Cormack." This to a man whom he knew all the time to be guilty of the foul murder for which he, an innocent man, was then awaiting his trial, with the knowledge, also, that this man, the real murderer, was one of the witnesses subpcenaed to give 1005 evidence against him ! 100