The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1879-03-22 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE WHALLEY RANGE  MURDER. FRU PARDON GRANTED TO HABRON.  In the House of Commons on Monday Mr Cross stated, in reply to & question at Mr Mitchell Henry, that, after careful examination, he felt it his duty to recommend to the Crown to grant a free pardon to the convict Hebron, who was convicted of murdering P.C. Cock at Whalley Range, on August 2, 1876. The statement made by the man Peace had been so entirely corroborated that he felt this to be the -right course. This coarse had the entire concurrence of the learned judge who tried the case and of the law officers of the Crown. He further thought he could see his way to make certain arrangements by which care would be taken for the future that this unhappy man should be attended will be remembered that Hebron was first of all sentenced to death; but that a strong reprecentation being made to Mr Cross, the punisment was almost at the eleventh hour commuted to one of penal servitude for life. Since then the convict Charles Peace, when about to suffer the islet penalty of the law, confessed that he was really guilty of the crime for which Habron was condemned; and when that revelation was made the Home Office at once took steps to investigate the !sets of the case. It is said that during the three weeks or more which elapsed between William Habron's condemnation and the day named for the execution —between. that is, Nov. 28 and Dec. 21, 1876—Habron received the constant attention of the Roman Catholic minister of Salford Gaol (the Rev. Mr Corbishley). That gentleman, whilst Habron was in the prison, gained his entire confidence. According to the testimony of all who have known lam, Hebron, though not above the average of his class, is neither crafty nor reserved, and he frequently entered into conversation with Mr Corhishley on the subject which must have been uppermost in his thoughts. Throughout this period, then, he persistently asserted his innocence of the crime for which he had been condemned, and in such a manner as led the rev, gentleman to think his protestations sincere. Not only did Habron makethis impression on his spiritual adviser, but it extended to the minds of many others who were brought in contact with the condemned man. It should, perhaps, be borne in mind that Hebron was aware that efforts were being made to secure a respite, if not his liberation ; but it should also be remembered that he was not respited until within thirty-six hours of the time when he was to meet the hangman, and that he had all but resigned himself to his fate. Up to this hour, when, as it were, he had one foot upon the scaffold, he continued to aver, with a painful earnestness, that he was guiltless of the blood of the murdered man. When the news of the respite was at last brought to him, he heaved a deep sigh, and a load seemed to have been taken off his mind; still, shortly afterwards he appeared restless and diesatisfie , and protested that it was not right he shr uld be kept in gaol. It will be remembered that on Dec. 21—the day fixed for the execution a man named Flanagan met the fate from which Hebron was spared. On hearing of this man's death, Habron exclaimed, "Well, it's all over with him, and it would have been all over with me now; and I should have been dead. Now I shall perhaps be in prison all the days of my life; but as long as I live I shall always pray that they may find the man who killed Cock." Two or three weeks after his respit,e Habron's sentence was commuted to one of penal servitude for life. He was soon afterwards removed to Pentonville, where, like other convicts, he spent about nine months, and was subsequently sent on to Portland.