“My dear friend George Goodlad, I send you this letter from the scaffold. It is handed to my chaplain when upon the scaffold to send to you. So I hope you will take A. warning from my most fearful fate. You and me have known each other A great number of years, you choose An honest industrious way through life, but I choose the one of dishonesty, villainy, and sin. So my dear friend do take a warning by me for the remainder of your life. I die with the hope that God as heard my prayers and forgiven my many sins, and that in a few moments I may be at his right hand in glory, where I hope we shall all meet at the last Great day. That God may bless and prosper you and your dear Wife and Son and the workmen in your shop and all enquiring friends is the dying prayer of
“Yours Charles Peace.
“Good-bye and bless you all Good bye.
“Mr. George Goodlad, pianist at Milners Concert rooms, and picture gallery off West-bar, Sheffield.”
PEACE PREPARES HIS OWN FUNERAL CARD.
At the interview that Peace had with his wife he told her he would prepare a funeral card commemorative of his own death. He said he would endeavour to have it ready to give her when she paid the final visit to his cell. He reminded her of the monument at home, made by himself, and said if she liked she might put it on that.
When he came to do the card he found that his eyesight had failed him; that his hand had somewhat forgot its cunning; and he was unable to complete it. It is the half-finished design of a tombstone, with a floral wreath across the top. In the centre is the following:—
IN
MEMORY
OF
CHARLES PEACE,
WHO WAS EXECUTED IN
ARMLEY PRISON,
Tuesday, Feb. 25,
1879. Age 47.
FOR THAT I DON BUT NEVER
INTENDED—
The lettering is in capitals, and occupies about half the card. On the other half the convict intended to have written some lines, but he was unable to do so. He gave it to his wife on Monday, with expressions of regret that he had not been able to complete it.
LETTER TO PEACE FROM AN OLD CONVICT.