The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1866-01-13 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

THE CONDEMNED MURDERER IN MAIDSTONE GAOL.  The warrant for the execution, of Forwood, alias Southey, was received at the county prison, Maidstone, on Saturday. The calpnt's infidel notions appear to have given way to the exhortation of the chaplain, the Rev. C. Shirley Wooliner. Forwood now professes his belief in the leading doctrines of Christianity, joining daily with the chaplain in reading and prayer. He admits that he has done wrong in the "sight of God," but still argues that, as he was acting on the dictates of his own conscience, " according to the light he then possessed," he is not responsible for his deeds in the sight of man. He has made lengthened statements of the circumstanc es connected with the murders, and also concerning his past life. He says that he deserted his wife when at Ramsgate, in consequence of his having embezzled a sum of £1,300, and that the aim of his life afterwards was to make restitution ; that with the money he alleges he had won at billiards from the • Honourable Dudley Ward he intended to carry out his purpose ; and having himself saved £l5O, he promised Mrs. White £lOO to assist her in her boarding school. He used, he says, great efforts with her friends, the clergyman of •her parish, and others, to establish her in this school, but all efforts failing, they determined to commit suicide together, and went to Hyde, in the Isle of Wight, for that purpose, taking with them a child of Mrs. White's. They resolved to draw up a statement to be read at the inquest on the bodies ot themselves and ,the child, hoping thereby to incite such compassion that "public opinion might enforce the payment of the money" he (Forwood) had won, for the benefit of his own wife and children (he supposing there were then two living) and the three children whom he afterwards poisoned. Circumstances, however, prevented them carrying out this intentioß. With regard to the murders at Ramsgate, Forwood states that he found his wife full of reproaches, and that she shared in the evil opinions entertained of him by her friends at Ramsgate. He was, however, glad that no further sacrifice was necessary ;" but finding that his wife cotild endure thefinfamy of his execution, he resolved to return to London and make arrangements with a friend for obtaining the £lOO reward offered for his apprehension, half of the money to be retained by the friend and the other half to go towards his own defence. But having been invited by Ellis to see his wife in private on the following morning, he then found that all her " old love" or rather " old pride " in him, and " her belief in his moral integrity" had returned, and he felt that his purpose must be carried out, and they must die together. While she was reading the statement of his troubles" her back was turned towards him, and when she came to that portion which told of his infidelity towards her he shot her, and . the child happening to be in the room he shot her also. Tine prisoner further states that a fortnight before he committed the crimes he called upon Sir Richard Mayne and told him what he intended to do; and he complains that Sir Richard refused to take him into custody as insane, or to investigate his statement. It also transpired that on one occasion he applied to the Bishop of London to be employed as a scripture reader. The solicitors for the defence of Forwood have. received the following reply to a.com, munication of theirs on behalf of the convict:— Whitehall, January, 1866.  Gentlemen,—l am directed by Secretary Sir George Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th inst., and lam to acquaint you, in reply, that he must decline to hear counsel upon the question of the sanity of Stephen Forwood, alias Southey. As to the other point mentioned by you, I am to /date that it cannot be entertained by the Court of Criminal Appeal, unless reserved by the judge at the trial, who would in that case have himself respited the execution.—l am, gentlemen, your obedient servant, H Waddington.