The Sun. — 1842-01-19 (London, England)

THE CONVICT DELAHUNT.  Soon after Delahunt's sentence, he was attended in his cell at Kilmainham prison by the Rev. Mr. Campbell, R.C.C., who endeavoured to administer to him the consolations of religion. Two other culprits were placed in the same cell with him, one of whom, a man named Doyle, who was charged with pig-stealing, slept with him, and he states that his sleep was more composed than his own. There is no restraint upon the prisoner further than being confined in his cell, with liberty to walk about the .yard. He still entertains a hope than he will be reprieved, and looks forward to the Executive extending mercy towards him ; but he has never asserted his innocence as the foundation for such a hope. Should the prisoner be executed, his will be the only execution that has taken place for seven years, the last person who underwent the extreme penalty of the law being Robinson, who was found guilty of violating a female at Bray. Mrs. Delahunt, who is still maintained and protected in the prison, stated that though the prisoner was a person ;1,d.. dieted to lying, and otherwise abandoned in character, he was particularly partial to children, and they were equally fond of his company. Suspicion being excited that he was concerned in the murder of Garlibardo, the Italian organ-player, at Rathfarnham, a knife on which were marks of blood and some hair, recently found in the Dodder, opposite the place where the murder was committed, was shown to Mrs. Delahuit to ascertain if it were her property : but she denied all knowledge of it. Several persons called at the prison yesterday to make inquiries respecting the prisoner and to see him, amongst whom were Lord Aberdour, and other officers attached to the staff of his Excellency Earl de Grey. The following additional disclosures made by the prisoner since his conviction may not be uninteresting : The Governor of the prisoner having, in a conversation with the prisoner on Saturday evening, adverted to the appalling circumstances in which he was placed, he said he did not take the boy at all, and the following colloquy ensued between them : Governor—Do you mean to say that others were implicated with you ? Delahunt--Yes; there was another man and a woman.  Governor—lt is very strange, then, that.. you were seen with the child in various parts of the city that night, and no other persons were seen with you ? Delahunt—l admit that ; the others were too cunning to be seen with us, and they kept 50 or 100 yards before us. Governor—What motive had you in doing it ? Delahunt—l did it for the purpose of being taken care of in the Lower Castle-yard, and to be admitted as evidence to prosecute some person to be charged with the crime. It was the woman that actually cut the child's throat.  Governor—Where did you meet with those people, and how long had you been making it up ? Delahunt I met them accidentally that evening, a little before the child was seduced away. They told me what they were going to do, and asked me to join them. I knew the man before, his name is Doyle ; but I did not know the, woman, and I knew nothing of the matter until I met them. Governor—lf you knew nothing about what was going to be done until you met those persons, what made you steal the knife from lour brother's house that morning? The prisoner admitted that he did take the knife, but could not satisfactorily account for doing so. It is difficult to say whether any reliance can be placed upon this statement by the prisoner, except so far as it criminates himself.