A Book of Remarkable CriminalsIrving, H. B. (Henry Brodribb)
History
A Book of Remarkable Criminals
Irving, H. B. (Henry Brodribb)
Criminals -- Biography
In obedience to the wishes of his family, Peace had refrained from
seeing Sue Thompson. This was at some sacrifice, for he wished very much
to see her and to the last, though he knew that she had betrayed him,
sent her affectionate and forgiving messages. These were transmitted
to Sue by Mr. Brion. This disingenuous gentleman was a fellow-applicant
with Sue to the Treasury for pecuniary recognition of his efforts in
bringing about the identification of Peace, and furnishing the police
with information as to the convict's disposal of his stolen property. In
his zeal he had even gone so far as to play the role of an accomplice of
Peace, and by this means discovered a place in Petticoat Lane where the
burglar got rid of some of his booty.
After Peace's condemnation Mr. Brion visited him in Armley Jail. His
purpose in doing so was to wring from his co-inventor an admission that
the inventions which they had patented together were his work alone.
Peace denied this, but offered to sell his share for L50. Brion refused
the offer, and persisted in his assertion that Peace had got his name
attached to the patents by undue influence, whatever that might mean.
Peace, after wrestling with the spirit, gave way. "Very well, my
friend," he said, "let it be as you say. I have not cheated you, Heaven
knows. But I also know that this infamy of mine has been the cause of
bringing harm to you, which is the last thing I should have wished to
have caused to my friend." A deed of gift was drawn up, making over to
Brion Peace's share in their inventions; this Peace handed to Brion
as the price of the latter's precious forgiveness and a token of the
sincerity of his colleague's repentance. Thus, as has often happened
in this sad world, was disreputable genius exploited once again by
smug mediocrity. Mr. Brion, having got all he wanted, left the prison,
assuring the Governor that Peace's repentance was "all bunkum," and
advising, with commendable anxiety for the public good, that the warders
in the condemned cell should be doubled.
Peace had one act of atonement to discharge more urgent than displaying
Christian forbearance towards ignoble associates. That was the righting
of William Habron, who was now serving the third year of his life
sentence for the murder of Constable Cock at Whalley Range. Peace
sent for the Governor of the jail a few days before his execution and
obtained from him the materials necessary for drawing up a plan. Peace
was quite an adept at making plans; he had already made an excellent one
of the scene of Dyson's murder. He now drew a plan of the place where
Cock had been shot, gave a detailed account of how he came by his death,
and made a full confession of his own guilt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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