The Sun. — 1862-11-03 (London, England)

THE CONVIC7 COOPER.  TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.  Sru,--The quality of mercy, what is it ? Is it (for sake of example) our duty to send our fellow-creatures to an ignominious death in cases of murder, irrespectively of extenuating circumstances, or comparative justification through being goaded on to desperation by ingratitude and unfaithfulness; if this be our duty (to society) then Robert Cooper ought to be hung ; if it be our duty to encourage false testimony (as is the evidence of Sarah Bambara), then Robert Cooper ought to be hung; and if it be our duty to encourage the wiles and cunning of a tantalising and profligate woman, then Robert Cooper ought to be hung, butt not otherwise. Surely, if ever a poor wretch was goaded on to a desperate act, this was he. The fact of Cooper's having committed bigamy has nothing whatever to do with the case. His first marriage, we are told, occurred 13 years ago, and there is no evidence to show whether he left his wife or she him ; therefore the question ought to be dismissed from our minds altogether now, as we find Cooper married to Anne Jane Barnham, contributing towards her support, and loving her even to folly and injustice to himself. Can it be said that his is not a case for mercy, particularly as we find the abandoned creature (whom he murdered) not only prostituting herself before his eyes, and tantalising him as well, but refusing him all sympathy, love, or consideration. Are not these extenuating circumstances, and ought Robert Cooper in the face of them to be hung ? Was it not rather the duty of the Burnham to have screened the poor wretch's fault of having married twice. They at least had no cause to complain so long as the first wife did not come forward, at all events as the facts were not found out until after Anne Jane Barnham had had two children by Cooper. She ought to have screened his fault ~rom the world, even if she resented his conduct privately; but the simple fact is, she made this a pretext to justify her in becoming an abandoned prostitute, and her mother has not only encouraged her in her vice, but has come forward and vindictively asserted that Cooper did not contribute anything towards her daughter's sup. port, which is false—palpably false. How, then, should. we hope for mercy if thin' be not a case for mercypart cuoi mercy :pe reutier nynfonaouirl sinning. Unfortunate, rn no anunee Isidbtle against gaa entreatedtalnational on nosatcl disgrace t o communicate larly as so tame a defence was made in the prisoner's questions to be considered behalf by his,iht mt ec doot counsel. mhs wretch, a this k . oeAp hirtanehsi snoe much actupart cur:heee elaestsl cruelty irrespectively of the doubt of the policyerretgcarding capital Rob that to be hung. The writer assures th punishment ? If they are not, publicth,: natinducese,iri immediately to B. C. J., Post-office, Kilburngate, so who are that an early meeting may be called for the purpose of preventing of hanging a man who, to some extent, merits our pity. The writer of this letter judges the case entirely by the reports as they appear in the public journals, as he knows nothing of any of the individuals concerned. November 1.  ALARMING mreeklnateAt:tkoCtecretcalauiDntr rEBel.lSTed2asTvo.ai—nn. nigtoh. KneTe shooeSubay ht, train inrdh aayd Lincolnshire, Yorkshire last i t proceededa ai l carriagesalarmingfwo Railway y t Doncaster n tcha we: to a point between Barmby Dun and Kirk Sandell; about five miles from Doncaster, when great oscillation of the and almost immediately the engine and tender ran off the line into the canal which runs on one, side, the river Don being on the other. The first paesenge!' carriage, in which several persons were seated, was dragged off the rails, but, fortunately, the tender was a sufficient barrier to prevent it running into the canal. The second s carriage was precipitated down the embankment toward the river Don, but the water only flooded it to the dteyth eir of three feet. The passengers were extricated from h perilous and unpleasant position, and it was found thatenr: one had been seriously hurt, though many of them w muchthe f() srhmaekrenw. i thT he someeng ashore. The engine a head, and the latter having to swim i na ee v- de rr iov eor ulnae] as bt ookuetr bottheh fea socea etidt; bweai us ge oin visiblep l ete I above os vueb mweartgeerd. in Thatt h e cua no a livesl , the werefu nlonseotl oalone h Neadby g accidentarded a as runsmos most Canal and the river Dcz, praenamaureklabwlei,thas tahuedlibneetwateet en seen fun