The Sun. — 1832-08-09 (London, England)

COOKE THE MURDERER.  Within the last ten days, the penitence and contrition shown by Cooke has been surprising. Fully determined to brave out a trial and read a defence, he occupied himself with writing a long detail of the circumstances, in which he attributed the unfortunate death of Mr. Parse to a quarrel he had with him, and that he unluckily, in selfdefence, struck him with the press-pin. On Saturday week, however, all thoughts of this be gave up, and declared it was false, and that he should plead guilty, and wished to state to the Town Clerk the particulars connected with this horrid affair. We believe it was to the following effect; and as the confession will not be published till after his death, we can only shortly state the outline,. He says, that he bad the murder in contemplation a week previous to committing it; that on Mr. Peas coming into his work-shop ke shut the door after him, and that he then paid him a small account, but denies that he struck him while writing the receipt ; that Mr. Peas 100 L after took up a book that lay on the press, and while examining the binding, he walked behind him and immediately struck Lint on the back of his head (his hat being off at the time) ; that Mr. Peas immediately put both his hands to his head and staggered towards the door, and as loud as be was able called out " Murder !" that he (Cooke) again struck Lim another severe blow on the top of his head, and finc:ing it not quite sufficient he dealt out a third, which brought the poor creature to the ground—he fell heavily on his side, and rolled over on his hack, his arms gave two or three convulsive shakes, and all was still. He then ' locked the door and left. On returning to the bloody scene in the evening, he stumbled over his victim, as he lay on the floor, which shook his nerves dreadfully, but that on commencing the work of cutting up the body he recovered his usual firmness, and was so little discomposed by what he was doing, that he could have gone on with the horrid work much longer than he did, if there had bet n any necessity for it. He then declared, as a dying man, be cansumed every particle of the body, clothes, and all, except what was found; he then also stated that pride was the cause of his crime, as he wanted to get some money to embark for America. He alluded to being connected with a society formed principally of young men (Deists) who frequented a publichouse in this town, in which the writings of Tom Payne, Carlile, and other infidel authors were taken in and encouraged. He emphatically added " I considered myself a moral young man, attending as I did some place of Christian worship three times a day, till unfortunately I got connected with the above and other infidel associations." On Saturday last, Cooke seemed very much agitated, hearing the bells ring on the Judges coming into town ; he said it was a melancholy sound to him, but talked of his death with great firmness and composure. He was also visited by his father, who perhaps had better remained away, for on seeing his unfortunate son, he began to upbraid him, and asked how he could think of doing such a dreadful deed; that he had brought disgrace on the family, and that he never was before a Magistrate in his life except on hie account. This conversation was soon, however, put a stop to by the arrival of the chaplain of the prison, the Rev. Dr. Fancourt. The old man then left, but did not seem much distressed on the occasion. In the evening he was again visited by Miss Payne of Sultry, who has had several placards printed to stick up in his cell, with Scripture mottos, " I know that my Redeemer liveth ;" " Lord, remember me when thou cotnest into tby kingdom," &c. 'The penitent state of feeling on the part of Cooke has been brought about chiefly by the impression which ha■ been made upon his mind by Mies Owston and Miss Bayne, whose visits to him we noticed last week, and who have attended him in his cell, and read religious works to him, frequently.— Leicester Herald.