The Sun. — 1845-03-29 (London, England)

JOHN TAWELL." This letter was superscribed " Mr. Sherriff, Aylesbury," with the words " From J. Tawell, March 25, 1845," in the corner—the date being altered in the body of the letter. During the whole time that the body was suspended, the crowd manifested no desire to retire, and had even increased considerably, the execution having taken place earlier than was expected— earlier even than was announced. The body presented a very livid appearance, and the swelling of the veins was visible from the ground. When the body was taken in, the spectators began to disperse gradually, but only to talk over what they had seen. In a short time the Market-place presented its usual appearance, and nothing remained to indicate that an awful lesson had just been read to humanity._ There were even some persons who amused themselves in scrambling for some papers that were thrown amongst them. Men were "turning a penny" by the sale of " the execution of John Tawell this morning ;" but a scene was presented which will not soon escape from the memory of the inhabitants of Aylesbury. As a proof of the interest which this execution excited beyond even the neighbourhood, we may mention that there were representatives from some of the Liverpool and Manchester papers present at it, and whereever the up-trains stopped inquiries were made respecting " the doings" at Aylesbury. We might close here, but it may not be out of place to make a few remarks on the extraordinary character of John Tawell. The annals of crime may furnish more atrocious criminals, but there was that in the organisation or mental constitution of this man, which distinguishes him from all others. his Live of a good reputation, which all men are anxious to preserve unstained, seemed to him so valuable, that he stopped at no crime to uphold it. He seemed so careful of what appeared to be valuable, that he shrunk from no deed however really criminal. Ile distributed money in charity with the very hand that but a moment before attempted murder, and actually committed it that he might not be considered unfaithful. lie was a forger twice, and we may say a murderer twice • and yet this man, after his forgeries, had conducted himself so well that he obtained his liberation, and, for sixteen years, pursued a long and prosperous course of trade, by which he obtained ample wealth. Respected in the colony by his fellow-townsmen, he returned to England, where he became respected, if not liked, and obtained in marriage an excellent and amiable woman, whose situation all must deplore, and to save whose feelings he committed a deed which has plunged her in the deepest misery. In whatever point of view his character is beheld the most glaring contradictions stare us in the face. We only know that in him the desire of being thought good, which argues the possession of goodness to a certain extent, was strongly blended with carelessness of the commission of crime and its dreadful consequences —that he was a man of violent and irrepressible passions, with all the exterior of the quietiest, and one whose conscience was at ease; and we leave to the psychologist and the mental anatomist the reconciliation of those inconsistent qualities of his mind. There can be no doubt that he furnishes an example of hypocrisy, a parallel for which would in vain be sought for in the criminal annals of any country. An Italian, writing the epitaph of Pietro Arretino, said that he abused everybody except God, and did not abuse him only because he did not know him. Might it not, with equal justice, be said of Tawell, that he betrayed every one except God—and let us hope that at least he has not betrayed him in his last hour, but that his penitence was sincere as his conduct was exemplary, and that he, upon whom the world has closed this morning, will receive that favour in the sight of heaven which law and justice made it impossible could be extended to him on earth.  It will be seen from the following letter written by the Under-Sheriff to the 'paler, that all persons not officially concerned were excluded from the County Hall cn the occassion of the execution. " TO