Mr. Pollard, on Friday morning, put it to the Sheffield stipendiary whether the “leap for life” which Peace, the burglar, made from the express train was not inconsistent with his innocence of the crime of murder.
Mr. Welby suggested that a convict under a life sentence might have other reasons for the leap than the fear of hanging. No doubt it was with the convict a case of mixed motives.
Had he been able to escape, even for a few days, a lease of life for at least six months would have been secured, as his case would have been kept over till the Leeds Assizes following those which open next week.
Having been remanded for eight days, the desperado, like many less deeply interested, believed that his respite had been secured. Perhaps but for this knowledge the criminal would have played a deeper game by not getting better so soon.
The brandy with milk and arrowroot, which from the first few hours of his capture he took pretty freely, produced such an effect on his sound and wiry constitution that by Thursday evening Mr. Hallam, the surgeon specially in attendance, was able to say that if no change for the worse occurred, he might be brought before the stipendiary on the following morning.
The prisoner has proved such a troublesome and expensive “guest” that the authorities seemed to entertain a strong desire to see him again in Pentonville or such other place of security as it may seem fit to assign him to.
The secret of the examination being held to-day was last night divulged to the press, but only on condition that they should keep it private till the prisoner had been actually brought up.
Of course it was kept yet more secret from the prisoner.
This helped him to sleep last night, and, though he showed himself much more querulous than has been his wont, he took in the morning a plentifully early breakfast.
The surgeon, having seen him, decided that he was fit to be brought up. Soon after ten o’clock the prisoner was accordingly helped out of his cell, but apparently had no idea of where he was being taken.