The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1866-01-13 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE DEATH OF ELI SYKES.  Eli Sykes, who was condemned to death for murdering his sweetheart an 1 her mother at Batley, and who subsequently attempted to commit suicide, at Annley gaol, Leeds, by throwing himself over the an:owl gallery on to the stone area beffeath, has succumbed to his aelf inflicted injuries. In his fall he alighted upon his feet. and his left foot was Co seriously shattered that it was found necessary to remove five small bones from it. Excessive hemorrhage set him two occitaim s, and the medical men contemplated amputation of the foot, but abandoned it in consequence of the convict's exhaustion. At the same time it was considered that if a third return of hemorrhage should occur Sykes could not pos. sibly survive. About six o'clock on Saturday afternoon thin crisis occurred ; but DA the surgeon to the gaol, Mr. Price, was then present, the How of blood was immediately, though only temporarily, checked. Sykes then appeared to rally, and though at times he was somewhat violent in the language he used towards the warders in attendance upon him, at other peilo•l4 he eon vers-d freely about the treatment he received in the Dewsbury lock-up and the Wakefield Gaol. The last change came about half-past nine o'clock, and though the convict appeared to he suffering severely, bin consciousness was retained until within a few minutes of his death. lie WAS attended in his dying moments by the chaplain. the Rev. C. if. Middleton, and the governor, Mr. Keene. The Lnds Mercury says  On one delicate question connected with his trial a few words ,oily will be necessary. Few who were present in court when senterco cf death isas so impressively passed on the prisoner by Mr Justice slier will ever forget the painful scene by which it was prefaced With tears rolling down his cheeks and almost choking his utterance, the prisoner threw himself n his knees, and besought forgiveness from Heaven for the crime he had committed It is to be regretted that his sub. sequent conduct has led many who werc interested in him to doubt the sincerity of the words he thin uttered. The callousness and indifference he has lately exhibited to the r.hristritions of religion roust have been very painful to the chaplain of the gaol, Mr. Middleton, and to all whose duty it was to take char, of hint We, believe, however, that ithin a short time of his death he tittered expressions which gave greater hope as to his state of niind—listening attentively to the chaplain, and joining with him its prayer.  An inquest has since been held on the body at which Mr. Mason. the deputy-governor, said ha told the convict, after hie attempted suicide, that it was a silly thing to do, and Sykes repliwl it was, but that it would save his mother.  The chaplain deposed that he hod had conversation with Sykes, and that the latter bad mentioned to him Townley's mitigation of punishment, as if he hoped his own sentence would be commuted to penal servitude. Sykes added, however, it would have been better to have perished on the scaffold than to die such a death as Townley. Sykes appeared perfectly sane, but had used harsh and improper language to the warders since his attempted suicide, and had attempted to remove bandages and promote bleeding, with the object of extending his illness, so as to extend the time for the pardon he evidently anticipated. The jury returned a verdict of felo de se, and Sykes's body was interred within the precincts of the gaoL  THE CHANCELLOR of the