The Express. — 1866-01-10 (London, England)

DEATH OF ELI SYKES*. --4.- INQUEST YESTERDAY. Yesterday, the inquest took place at Leeds Gaol, before Mr. G. A. Emsley, coroner, on the body of Eli Sykes, who at the Leeds gaol delivery wee convicted of the murder of his sweetheart, Hannah Brooke, at Batley, and sentenced to death. He also caused the death of the girl's mother. Emmett Mum), deputy-governor of the gaol. said the de. Milled was received on the Bth December, charged with murder, and on the 19th December he was tried, found ;salty, and mot/wed to death. He was brought back to the gaol to await the time of his execution. He was placed in charge of Charles Hampshire, a warder, in a cell on the bottom landing. It was one of those known as the "condemned cell. " in the 0 wing ; another cell above it was specially set apart for the same purpoee. In three or four days Sykes was removed because he appeared so resigned after sentence, and Welsh, mother condemned prisoner, appeared so suspicious and likely to make as attempt to destroy himself. His whole demeanour was surly and dogged, and witness thought he might attempt to throw himself over the rails. On the 23rd, when Welsh had been sentenced to death, Sykes was removed to the cell on the ant landing (which the jury bad seen), and Welsh was taken to the cell on the ground floor. At 6.40 that evening, witness was in his office, and heard a crash like guns firing. A warder, named Kershaw, saw the deceased fall, and on going there he saw Sykes lying on the floor, and his head working as if in coovulaive fits. He immediately sent foe the chaplain and surgeon. When the chaplain ca in s few minutes, he was taken back to his cell: was bleeding very mush from the left leg, and there was blood on the forehead, He was not sensible, I but rambling and talking "Oh, she's before me for God's sake, take her away." He used other talk, which witness could not conceit together. In about an hour after the fall, Mr. Price, the surgeon, came. Before that. it took four to hold him, he was so convulsed. When Mr. Price came an operation was performed. After that Dr. Wheelhouse came. Sykes complained of the pain the operation gave him, but made no statement then in reference to what be had done. John Shillito and Charles Moore had charge of him after the accident. Next day after the fall, witness told him be had done a silly thing, and he replied, " It's all the best." He then asked when !nosing day was, but witness told him he knew nothing about It, and the best thing he could do was to make his peace with Ood. Ever since this fall he appeared to be sensible, and of perfectly sane mind. Witness saw him fin cc di times every day. He spoke a good deal on religion. After being sentenced, primmer took his own clothes off, and he said he should like them to be sent to his parents. He had a suit of plain prison uniform put upon him, and be said, " Here goes for twenty yam" Witness said, "Na?, Sykes ; I think you'll wear them till you depart this life ;" and Sykes replied, " While there's life there's hope ;my case is not as Sad as Townley's ; Townley's case was worse than mine ; and if I get off with twenty yaws I shall be thankful" A% another time he said he hoped the Queen would take his case into consideration, and let him off with penal servitude. Witness told hint his case was a very bad ens, and there was no hope for him. Everything was dons to save life. Witnsu once saw him trying to take the bandages off his wounded ankle, and the warders had to keep his hands tied with a strap to prevent his doing ao. Witten had also seen him putting his finger up his noes as far as he oould, to try to make it bleed. He did so several times. He was not violent in witness's presence after the 23rd, when he was hurt. He never made any other statement from which witness could gather that he expected • reprieve. Other witnesses corroborated this evidence, and the medial testimony showed that Sykes had died from the injuries be had received in his fall. The chaplain, who was examined, said that on one occasion the deceased spoke of Townley's suicide, and said he thought such • death would be more dreadful than death upon a scaffold. The chaplain further said that Sykes spoke to him always quite ratiocally, and appeared to be of sotted.roind. The jury returned a verdict of felo de se.