The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1864-02-02 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

TIV BETON. —Mr, terfoliT SlBelng. We to bear of the melancholy death, from suicide, eV George Dunn Corey, for many years a draper in Fare✓ust An inquest on the WO was held at the do, resed's private residence on Wedneedu bars F. Mackenzie, Esq., and a respectable jury. From the evidence it appeared that the chromeat had bum for some little time confined to his house ki eonsueenee of inner, and that on Tuesday evening be was abject to delusions and speared to be sufferer great depression of spirits.. He sat up that eight ' with his sister And Mr. Davey, his assistant, and about two o'clock on Wednesday morning retired to his bedroom, stating lie should return in • few minutes. Whilst absent be accomplished the fatal set with • razor, which be took from the dressing table. Mr. Davey, asthe deceased did not return to the sitting roam went to his bedroom, where he found him on the floe: bleeding profusely, with his throat ca. Mr. Reed, his medical attendant, was immediately nut for bat life was extinct before his arrival. The jury reamed a verdict of 'Temporary insanity.' The deemed had been for many yearn a member of the Town Council, and was much revered. BRI DOW A TEIL —lows Conweit. —The monthly meeting of this body WWI held at the Burgess Hall oe Saturday, under the presidency of the Mayor.—Mr. Alderman Smith reported that a balance remained io the hands of the treasurer of L'l26 13u 4d.— Mr. Smith then proposed and Mr. Palmer seconded, "That the corporate seal be affixed to the account or =rip= and e pendituredind alai the sums dus to andf rota Mr poration in relation to the Bridgwater Navigation Account, for the year ending list December led, in accordance with the provisions of the Bridgwater Port and Navigation Act, 8 and 9 Vie., a 88."—Mr. Smith rid he considered that £lOO of the surplus fund of the Navigation Fund ought to be invested to meet any' contingency or accident which might contra the bridge. It wag not of 'efficient si= for the traffic perattnt thmogh the town, and if an accident should occur £4,600 would be saddled on the parishioners in rasegoatee. Such • plan was adopted Wale year= and by investment, Au, it had inward to which however was expended in law-suits with. reference to the docks Mr. Korner would not question Mr. Smith's motive, but be questioned whether it would be prudent to apply the money for that purpose. He considered the money would be more profitably laid out in improving and altering the current of tbe river. —The Mayor considered it would be more prudent to look to the bridge in ease of accident; and it was then proposed by Mr. Smith, and seconded by Mr. Rosniter, " That the sum of EBB he applied out of the red= fund of the Navigation Fund, in case of saident to the bridge, or for navigation works."—Mr. Horner then. proposed, and Me. Auber seconded, "That the corporate seal be affixed to the returns of the amounts paid for proration expenses for the half-year ending 31st December last, at Arises and Quarter Sessions." Mr. Borner said he considered that 9s. per week charged for prisoners was too highdle compared with 31. per week allowed to paupers who were often poor, honest, and industrious people.—Mr. Smith, in reply, stated that the high charge was not for provinces, but for keeping them in custody.—Mr. Smith, in introducing the next portion of the day's badness, vii.. petitioning Parliament for the albohir of capital punishment, rid it was necessary for him to enter largely into the abject, as be felt confident that it would receive their unanimous orient. Minor cases, for which capital punishment had bee. dere away, crime had decreased, and in countries where it had been altogether abolished, murders were very few. A condemned culprit could not, in three weeks, (the period usually allowed). be in a fit state to enter into the presence of his Mar. When Cain killed his brother Abel. God did not sentence him to death, but set • mark on him and consigned him to banishment. In many ca-es, such as Townley's. there was • moral reeponsibility and glad as he was to see him reprieved he could not for a moment see why Wright should be executed. Townley deliberately planned the murder of his victim, while Wright killed his paramour in the heat f portion. But, they would ask, what would you do with murderers? His reply would he—wet • pill, over the door of which should be written "The Murderer's Grave ;" and as soon as culprits entered they should not be permitted from ever again having intercourse with their fellow-beings. He would move that the following petition be sent to Mr. Kinglake for presentation to the Government. He was pleased to hear that the subject would be brought forward in the next • 'To the Honorable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, in Parliament &rambled :"The humble petition of the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Bridgwater. in the CZninty of Somerset, in Common Council assembled : " That your petitioners are of opinion that capital punishment should be abolished, for the following amongst other reasons :—Because the penalty of death does not tend to the prevention of the crime or murder.—Because in all ears where capital punishment has been abolished, either for murder or mines offences, the crimes have very materially decreased.— Because pubill executions deprave and harden thou who attend them, and create an interest in the greatest criminals who are often regarded as heroes, if they have been notorious cheerers—or as tidier if the ores have been involved in any (loath—Berner, by the punishment of death the murderer is deprived of the opportunity of repenting of his gin and reforming his life,thus excluding one great object of • just punishment, viz., the reformation of • ariminal.—Beesues in many instances persons have been found guilty of murder and executed whose innocence has been subsequently clearly proved. Thu, in the case capital punishment, human judgment is deemed to be, and is acted on as if it were infallible. Because in many eases of murder, questions of moral responsibility frequently arise involving points of the difficulty, which cannot be satisfactorily an red ii capital punishment is enforced. Because by enforcing death by the law, no discrimination is made 'between the different ;middens of the crime of murder, whether the crime be planned or unpremeditated whether the result of sudden frenzy or of • deliberate cruelty the same un p meet is inflicted alike on all. M.