The Sun. — 1825-12-26 (London, England)

CONDEMNED SERMON.—YestPrday the throe wretched criminals, William Henry Austin, Richard William Jasper, and John Edmonds, whose doom is fixed for tomorrow, attended divine service at the prison chapel. They were, as is usual with persons in their calamitous situation, placed in a pew apart from the other prisoners, generally termed the condemned pew. The Rev. Mr. Baker sat with them during the service, the Rev. 111 r. Cotton being the officiating clergyman. During the progress of the service they appeared self-possessed and attentive. When it had concluded, and previous to the sermon being delivered, a peti. ential psalmaentitled " The Lamentation of a Sinner," was chanted, in which the criminals all joined with considerable fervour. The text selected for the condemned sermon was taken from the 170 verse of the 51st Psalm, and was most appropriate to the occasion. The Rev. Ordinary, in descanting on ita took •occasion to enforce the necessity of repentance, and .pointed out to his hearers hOw acceptable a sacrifice was a contrite heart in the sight of the Almighty. Repentance, he said, should be sincere, and confiding 'in the mercies of the Lord. Despair was not to mark its features. Hope was to be placed in God's mercies, who -would realize that hope, and receive the repenting sinner, as did the father of old the Prodigal Son. The impressiveness of the Rev. Gentleman's. delivery was not expended in vain; his auditory, but more particularly that part of it which is so near eternity, appeared deeply affected ; and perhaps the day, the Nativity or our Saviour, added to the solemnity of his appeal. The sermon, which had hitherto been preached on a similar melancholy occasion, was selected at the-instance of the convicts themselves. At its con. elusion they were removed to their cells, sensibly alive to the awfulness of their situation, and deeply impressed with the necesstiy of a sincerely and. confiding repentance. 11 ts it t)E4l.. We have this week to record the murder of a wife by her husband, which has been attended with circumstances of a most extraordinary nature. The husband's name is David Balfour, a mariner, lately in the service of the Dundee and Perth Shipping Company. It appears that they had been married about the early age of 16, and had lived together most happily for a number of years. Some time afterwards he was impressed; and served on board a man of war for 11 years. Being at last discharged from the navy, he returned to his home, and lived with his wife for some time ; but her chastity had by this time become liable to suspicion, and peace and happiness fled from the house. Balfour, who appears to have been sincerely attached to his wife, bore with her failings for a long time in hope of amendment; but she herself became tired of the connexion, and wished to get rid of him. On his return from Greenock on Monday last, she desired him to leave the house, otherwise she would send for the police. The -poor man was compelled to resort to an eating house for his victuals. Overwhelmed with grief and depair, he began to meditate acts of violence. Wednesday morning, about eight o'clock, the father of Isis wife, in whose house sloe lived, and a saddler, of the name of Anderson, who lodged in the same house, heard, when, in the adjoining apartments, a losni shriek from the kitchen, and on rushing to the spot they found the unhappy woman on her knees with a large wound inflicted by her husband, in her left breast, from which a torrent of blood was flowing. She expired in about three minutes afterwards. The instrument of death was a butcher's knife, which Balfour had recently borrowed, alleging that he wanted to kill a lamb with it. On committing the fatal act, he proceeded directly to the gaol; stated at the -grating of the door that he had murdered a woman, and wished to-be put inAonfinement. The jailor being absent at the time, he waited about an hour at the door till he made iris appearance. Not having any warrant for his committal, the jailor conducted him to the police-office. He was immediately examined before Baillie Gray, and having again confessed his crime, he was committed to prison to again his punishment. He is about thirty-eight years of age, of a good appearance, and has hitherto:borne a very good character. He appears to be deeply affected by his unhappy situation, but at the same time manifests a degree of firmness and composure that is truly remarkable. His mind seems quite made up to meet the fate which he evidently contemplates as inevitable.—(Dmidee Advertiser.) .