A History of the Cries of London, Ancient and ModernHindley, Charles
History
A History of the Cries of London, Ancient and Modern
Hindley, Charles
Cries -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
After the jury had been absent for an hour and twenty minutes, they
returned into court, and the prisoner was again placed at the bar.
The names of the jury were then called over, and the clerk of the
court said--"How say you, gentlemen, have you agreed on your verdict?
Do you find the prisoner Guilty or Not Guilty of the felony of murder
with which he stands charged?"
The foreman of the jury, in a low voice, said--"We find him GUILTY!"
The Clerk of the Court then said: François Benjamin Courvoisier, you
have been found Guilty of the wilful murder of William Russell, Esq.,
commonly called Lord William Russell; what have you to say why the
court should not give you sentence to die according to law?
The prisoner made no reply. The usual proclamation for silence was
then made.
SENTENCE.
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE TINDAL, having put on the black cap, said:
François Benjamin Courvoisier, you have been found guilty by an
intelligent, patient, and impartial jury of the crime of wilful
murder. That crime has been established against you, not indeed by the
testimony of eye-witnesses as to the fact, but by a chain of
circumstances no less unerring, which have left no doubt of your guilt
in the minds of the jury, and all those who heard the trial. It is
ordained by divine authority that the murderer shall not escape
justice, and this ordination has been exemplified in your case, in the
course of this trial, by the disclosure of evidence which has brought
the facts to bear against you in a conclusive manner. The murder,
although committed in the dark and silent hour of night, has
nevertheless been brought clearly to light by Divine interposition.
The precise motive which induced you to commit this guilty act can
only be known to your own conscience; but it now only remains for me
to recommend you most earnestly to employ the short time you have to
live in prayer and repentance, and in endeavouring to make your peace
with that Almighty Being whose law you have broken, and before whom
you must shortly appear. The Learned Judge then passed sentence on the
prisoner in the usual form.
The court was very much crowded to the last.
THE CONFESSION OF THE CONVICT.
After the Learned Judge had passed sentence on the convict, he was
removed from the bar, and immediately made a full confession of his
guilt.
THE EXECUTION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account