1828. Notes for the Month. 291 
him by the prisoner, when he was only suspected. To this the High Sheriff 
replied, ‘ No, no! why, man, J would not part with them for one hundred 
guineas. The sword and pistols were then put into the sheriff’s carriage.” 
The worshipful Sheriff’s profession of the estimate that he sets upon 
the property, is rather an odd mode of answering another person’s claim 
to it. But it occurs to us that “ presents” ought not to be received by 
officers of justice from criminals in their custody ; and, indeed, that the 
interchange of courtesies generally between parties so situated, has been 
carried, by modern refinement, to rather too extended a degree. There 
should be some demonstration, at least outwardly affected by the minis- 
ters of our gaols, that a robber or a murderer is a scoundrel ; and not 
merely a gentleman who has to try a question with the law, which 
unfortunately may be serious if it goes against him. We should be in- 
clined even almost to object to conversations in the manner of the follow- 
ing—described as having taken place between Mr. Lea, the thief-taker, 
and Mr. Corder, a few days before his trial ; and given, by the daily 
prints, for greater perspicuity, in the form of question and answer. 
Lea.—“ Well, Mr. Corder: I promised to call upon you; and J am 
glad to see you so well.” 
[This is to a fellow whois about to be hanged, for one of the most cold- 
blooded, cowardly, and brutal murders that ever perhaps was put upon 
record !] 
Corder.—«< I am much obliged to you for your kindness.” —Shaking 
hands with him very heartily. 
[This friendly recognition is to the very gentleman, to whose particu- 
lar offices the “ obliged” party is, ina great measure, indebted for his 
approaching execution. | 
After the trial and sentence—the material point in the case being set- 
tled—a more general and discursive kind of conversation is used to pass 
away the time of Corder. And accordingly, one of the guardians who 
sits up with the murderer in the condemned cell, opens a very pleasant, 
edifying colloquy with him, on the manner in which he gol a nife by 
advertisement ! 
Another individual, belonging to the gaol, speaks at another time of 
the murder, somewhat as of a curious and interesting experiment.— 
« Mr. Corder, you must have had a good deal of nerve to dig that grave 
with the dead body of the woman there beside you!” &c. &c. 
There is an offence to reason, as well as to decency, in thus coqueting 
with the cutting of throats. A murderer should be a person with whom 
we decline “shaking hands heartily ;’ and “ table-talk” is out of its 
place, with a person going to-suffer the last penalties of the law to-mor- 
row. The officers of the law, especially, who are responsible to the 
public for the decorum of their conduct, should be made to understand 
that they are not to enter into such communications. The treatment of 
criminals, whether under accusation only, or under sentence, should be 
temperate, and free from all needless cruelty ; but the affair of justice is 
not to jest or trifle with such people ; and even among the lowest of her 
ministers, the sternness of her character should not be lost sight of. 
New books are scanty always in the present season. Nothing in the 
shape of light reading has appeared in the course of the last month: and 
Dr. Granville’s “ Russia,” from which a good deal is expected, is not yet out, 
There is one book, however, Dr. Burrows’s Commentaries on Insanity, 
which we recommend to all our readers—who can afford to read on such 
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