The Express. — 1851-04-04 (London, England)

JONES—that he was seen going on the night in question towards ',rimv, preceded by IlAnwoein and followed by JONES; and there is little doubt that, hod he been placed in the dock on Monday last, he at least would now have been convicted for the murder, in which both judge and jury believe he was the chief actor. No doubt I.Ert 11.tawoon and JoNF,s went prepared fur violence; no doubt both in law and in morals they are responsible for the consequences of the shot flutist SMITH fired; no doubt, therefore, that their conviction for murder is a right one. Still it does not follow that either of them would. in the position in which SMITH stood over Mr. llott.r.sx, have fired as he did; nay, the fair inference is that LEvi 11.tawoon, who was also struggling with that victim of SMITH'S brutality, would have hesitated before murdering him. So, whilst justice is satisfied at their conviction, our moral sense of retribution is outraged by the escape of HIRAM SMITH ; if his escape has been ensured by the precipitation with which he was accepted us approver. And the ruffian anticipates not only pardon, but also reward. " Mr. Charnock—Who first showed you the government proclamation of a reward ? Witness—The master of the station-house at Farnham. I heard there was to be 1501. reward, 50/. by the widow and 1001. by the government, and her Majesty's most gracious pardon to any of the accomplices who would confess, except the one that fired the shot. Mr. Charnock—Don't you expect to get a free pardon? Witness—lf these bills arc acted up to. Mr. Charnock—And a share of the reward too? Witness—Well, it were held out to any person that told the truth, and I have. (Laughter.) Cross-examined by Mr. Woollen Did you never ask Ilollington if the terms of the bill would be acted up to if you " peached ?" Witness—l don't know the meaning of the word." A pardon this Su ITII can never have from the Crown after3lrs.llol.msr's declaration that be killed her hasband. Justice will have sadly miscarried, if he be permitted to evade punishment by the cunning that proved too much for the Surrey justices. ' But what a state of society within 50 miles of this metropolis does not the Frimley tragedy disclose. ' A band of ruffians, having Guildford for their headquarters, fixing on the particular premises which they • will, night utter night, break into; making in chis' guise their preliminary surveys; prepared to murder • all the inmates for the sake of a bowl of pence, a • few silver spoons, or an old gown or two ; their • habits, their practices, nay, their trade—for burglary was with them a trade known and recognised by the persons in whose houses they lodged; and sympathy rather than disgust and hors r exhibited for them after the commis sion of their crimes. Talk of bands of Italian brigands ! Why for them there is some exCUse to be made—for their existence some apology can be suggested. But to have tolerated on the barren heaths about Guildford, in their beerhouses, a nest of burglars, is a disgrace and a scandal of the most inexcusable sort to the country. If government cannot protect the villages of Surrey against such outrages, society had better betake itself to the back woods of America, and seek safety there. It is useless to talk of education, of improved morality, and of religious influences preventing such crimes; we may wait half a century for =munity from outrage by such means. What is wanted is a little sacrifice of personal and domestic freedom for the sake of safety. Here, in the ease of these Friuiley murderers, they were all found lodging and living in beer-houses. Why not increase the powers of the police over those hotbeds of crime and violence ? 1)o not put them down but place them under active surveillance. Give the rural police power to regulate rural lodging-houses as the Health of Towns Act of 1848 does such places in districts that hare come under its provisions, and if these deeds of violence be not quite suppressed, they will be greatly reduced. At present the growth of burglars and murderers in the country is unchecked ; there they tiourish in beerhouses, lodging-houses, and low taverns ; carry on a systematic business in house-breaking; and only attract general attention when they perpetrate such horrible acts of violence as Mrs. HOLLEST has such just cause to mourn over.