Year: 1860

The London Times, in speaking Of crime in
Engla says that the " Summer Assizes in
that county have already produced many
startling cases; and asthe eye glances over the
columns, and speeds from crime to crime, the
reader shudders at the gIimpses which ever
and anon he obtains of the depths of the de-
pravity of our common nature, and of the fear
full agencies Of our worst instincts. Terrible
deeds OF vengeance committed upon slight
provocation are proved against men Of orderly
lives and good previous conduct Cruelties
without evil motive, and which could only pro-
ceed from savage nature indulging its i'm
pulses under the self-deception that cruelty
and duty 60 hand-in-ha are made evident
against men whom society has respected, and
to whom parents have confded the care of
their children"


The particular case to which the Times in
this article alludes is that of Mr.. Hopley, q
middle-aged man, of gentlemanly appearance,
preceptor of family school, who was tried in
London two weeks ago, on charge of killing
one OF his pupils. named Reginald Channel
Cancellor, the son Of q man in fair position in
society, for the board and instruction of whom
Mr.. Hoplsy was to receive 5000 per year. 1t
is asserted that the instructor mistook the
mental condition of the lad and attributed his
stupidity, really caused by water on the brain,
to o6stinacy, and undertook to beat him into q
brighter mental condition. What befel the
poor lad We give in the report of the Times


One morning young Cancellor was found
dead in his bed. The body was carefully
covered over. 1t had white kid gloves upon
its hands, and long stockings drawn far up over
the thighs; nothing was visible but the face.
Hopley suggested that the boy had died of dis
ease Of the heart, and wished a certificate from
the surgeon and immediate burial At one
moment 1T appeared likely that the whole affair
would be hushed up. But mysterious stories
OF midnight shrieks and bloodstsined instru-
ments of punishment began to be whispered
about The servants had seen blood upon the
linen in Mrs. Hopley's room, and had heard
sounds which convinced them that the misera-
BILE wife had spent the night in the frightful
task OF preparing the body to pass a superficial
investigation, and in getting rid of the traces
of violence which would testify against her
husband


Then came the real investigation The gloves
and the stockings were stripped off, and the
legs and arms Of the corpse were found to be
covered with extravasated blood; ''the cellular
membranes under the skin of the thighs were
reduced to perfect jelly; in fact all torn to
pieces and lscerated by the blows that had
been inflicted" There were two holes in the
right leg about the size Of a sixpence, and an
inch deep, which appeared to have been made
by jobbing a thick stick into the flesh. The
appearance was that Of human creature who
had been mangled by an infuriated and merci-
less aSsailant. All these appearances coincided
but too faithfully with what was now learnt Of
the conduct Of the schoolmaster.


A servant giH who slept next to the pupil
room heard the boy crying and screaming un-
der blows, and her master talking and beating.
She listened at ten o'clock, when the torture
was going on, and she awoke at twelve, when
it was still proceeding. Then the cries sud-
denly ceased, and nothing further was heard
during that unquiet night but the stealthy
movements of the wife, who was, with woman
ly devotion, doing the fearful task of hiding
the traces Of the tragedy.


The trial resulted in the conviction of Hop
ley, who was sentenced to four years penal
servitude.