The Sun. — 1849-08-24 (London, England)

LIVERPOOL MURDERS.  In our yesterday's edition we gave, by electric telegraph, the verdict of Guilty in this case. In passing sentence of death, His LORDSHIP addressed the prisoner thus :—John Gleeson Wilson, you have been tried, and you have had a very patient and attentive and calm trial. The facts have been brought forward, and have been given in evidence in a manner which is very rarely the case —that everything in connexion being so clearly traced as it has been on this occasion, no man living who has heard this trial can have the slightest doubt that those unfortunate persons fell by your hands. You have been tried for the murder of Mary Parr, and it is quite clear you killed not only her, but Mrs. Hinrichson, and her two unoffending children. There is no doubt about it. Nobody can have the slightest doubt who heard the evidence.  The prisoner here began to be very much excited, and interrupted his Lordship. When silence was restored,  His LORDSHIP continued—You had better not conduct yourself in the way in which you were just now doing, but attend to what I say. Your days are numbered ; there is no hope for you of mercy at all on this side of the grave. You must suffer the extreme penalty of the law for the very sad and atrocious offence which you have committed. You have sent four persons out of the world, all of a sudden ; two of them grown up persons, with all their Sins, if they bad any, upon their heads, and two of them little innocents, hardly old enough--one of them certainly not old enough—to have committed a sin. It is for you now to apply yourself, for the short remaining period of your life, with all such assistance as I am sure will he most kindly givEn to you in the gaol by the chaplain, to prepare yourself to meet your God. (The prisoner again became restive, and seemed desirous of speaking, but was restrained.) Ido not pretend to say you may not have mercy. I cannot look at your heart, nor can I tell .whether there will be sincere repentance there at all, or whether you will appeal to Him for pardon through the merits of the Saviour or not. I can only earnestly implore you to do so, for there is no possibility, as far as I can see, that your life can be spared. If such an offence as this were not to be punished with the extreme severity of the law, there would be no security whatever for the lives of her Majesty's subjects. And the laws of this land have distinctly provided that persons who are guilty of murder shall be punished, and it is not in the ' power of the judge, who, after all, is but the instrument of the law—it is not in my power to hold out to you any possibility of your not suffering that extreme punishment; and, therefore, I once more earnestly exhort you that you will employ the only few remaining weeks, or days of your life in seeking for that pardon at the hands of the Almighty which human laws cannot afford you. It only remains that I shall pass on you the awful sentence of the law, which is that you be taken from hence to the place from whence you came, and that you be there hanged by the neck until you are dead, and that your body be buried have eimn ethreey on your of the prison; and I pray God to your soul. The prisoner, in a loud and confident tone, exclaimed, He has mercy already, my Lord." He was then removed from the bar. A rush was then made from the crowded court, and the result of thane tmr ia l me nws ae s omnacde ou r ks en oo wf pne outsiden gt hree g acourt, Nwvhheerne it was known that sentence of death had been recorded against Wilson, a loud shout rent the air, and must have grated harshly on the ears of the convict as he passed through the dock. The court was deserted in a few minutes, and as Mr. Justice Patteson got into his carriage and was driven to his lodgings he was loudly cheered by those who had assembled outside the court. The trial terminated at nine o'clock.