1850-51 
PUBLIC EXECUTIONS 
363 
me, the fact itself being certain as fate, that nobody 
has yet in the least explained what the real cause 
and conditions of it are.’ 
‘ January 30. — Charles Dickens and Mr. For- 
ster, of the “ Examiner,” here. Dickens brought 
with him a curious letter, of the authenticity 
of which there can be no doubt, written by the 
wretched w'oman Maria Manning at the hour of 
her execution. It is addressed to a relative of 
hers, and in the most solemn terms avows her 
innocence. This relative received it with the 
notice that Maria Manning had undergone her 
of death before it was posted. The 
person to whom the letter was sent had seen from 
the papers that Dickens attended the execution, 
and so concluded that he was impressed with the 
idea that Manning was not guilty, and sent him 
her letter as a confirmation, whereas Dickens was 
merely agitating against executions being made 
piiblic. This letter was the outcome of the 
woman’s prevailing feeling strong in death— to 
pose, and to show up well.’ 
Dickens afterwards wrote to Owen about 
an article which was to appear in ‘ Household 
Words’ on the subject of public executions. 
Later on in this year Owen’s opinion was asked 
in the case of a woman, named Maria Clark, who 
was under sentence of death for child murder. 
The then Home Secretary wrote to ask what 
