The Sun. — 1845-03-20 (London, England)

THE SALT-HILL MURDER.  AY LESB URY, WEDNESDAY. —I t is extraordinary with what avidity every morsel of intelligence relating to the murderer, John Tawell, is sought and snatched up by the public.. Far and wide inquiry and speculation are busily on foot concerning him, but nearer the scene of the murder he is the general topic of conversation. As may be supposed, many incorrect stories concerning him find their way into circulation, but nothing can be more absurd and reprehensible than some of the inventions which idle gossip has promulgated. Public feeling is, generally speaking, against him, and every day some fresh amount of crime, in the way of' poisoning, is attributed to him. Sarah hart is supposed by the credulous to be by no means the only person upon whom he has practised his knowledge of chemistry; and it is suspected that while he kept his druggist's shop in Sydney a wide field was open to him for the exercise of his skill. His partner at Sydney is said to have died suddenly, leaving him all his property. His two sons are said to have left this world suddenly. His first wife, it is stated, died suddenly. Sarah Hart had a narrow escape once; and these circumstances, in connexion with her murder, by no means lessen the belief of his guilt. By those who have any knowlede of the prisoner he is regarded very differently. Lverybody who knows the wretched man speaks well of him, and everybody who has conversed with him has received a favourable impression. Mild, gentlemanly, and unaffected in his manner, he listens to whatever is said to him with respectful attention, and converses with all the serenity of' a martyr. A convict of the gaol remains with him at his request throughout the day, as a sort of attendant, and to this man he is particularly communicative. He received the visiting magistrates yesterday with great composure, and expressed his thankfulness for the consideration shown to him. It was intimated that nobody would be allowed to visit him but those whom be expressed a wish to see, upon which he observed, that he desired, to see nobody but his wife, and he looked forward to another interview with her. One of the magistrates suggested to him the propriety of foregoing such a scene, and sparing the feelings of his wife in particular, of whom he had so lately taken leave. Ile, however, persisted in the wish and hope of again seeing her, meekly alluding to the affectionate terms upon whicri they had lived together. It is remarkable that the culprit has never once complained of the sentence which was passed upon him. When the hope of escape (which had been very great within him) was suddenly crushed, he observed that " The judge was a just judge, but a stern one." He has once remarked, with remote reference to his sentence, " that he could conscientiously acquit himself of cruelty or treachery to anybody." But he rarely, if ever, adverts to his crime. He continues to receive numerous letters from all quarters of the country. His time is divided between writing and praying; and he occasionally sees the chaplain, Mr. Cox, but no revelation has yet been made by Tawell. Great care has been observed by the authorities to prevent, what it is thought by many he will attempt, the making away with himself. Mrs. Tawell is known to have been aware of the existence of such a person as Sarah Hart, and eten of Tawell's having children by her; but she was utterly unconscious of his visiting her, and attributes his last visit to purely humane motives. Friday, the 2.Sth instant, is decidedly fixed for the execution, unless the Secretary of State orders it otherwise. A petition to Sir James Graham has been this day set on foot :n the town of Aylesbury, praying that Tawell's sentence of death may be commuted to transportation for life. This petition is grounded upon an objection to the punishment of death, and the prayer is set forth in behalf of all who lie under such a sentence. The petition is signed by a few tradesmen of the town, nearly all of whom are Dissenters.  - - ----