A Gruesome Murder Mystery at Newgate Prison
Commissioner Blackwood arrived in Newgate prison, at the scene of the gruesome murder of John Lewis. Where he was met by Mrs. Pender, the prison governess. A strong effort has been made to get a line on the criminal that so foully killed this poor prisoner, but the constables have been baffled at every turn.
The 26th of December, A prisoner was heard screaming from the second floor of Newgate. Wardens reacted quickly to these unusual bellows that some even report sounding like an animal in the most horrible agony. At their arrival, John Lewis was found dead on the floor, his mutilated torso open from the chest to his stomach. Revealing what is commonly only seen by the Lord or a surgeon. The cell door was found to be locked and all keys accounted for, with no explanation to how anyone could have entered the cell.
According to the coroner, Mr. Franklyn, the torso seemed to have been opened by “knowing hands and John Lewis died with less organs than he was born with”.
Readers might recognise the name of Commissioner Blackwood, from initially leading the investigation into Jack The Ripper murders and by all accounts having done so in an exemplary manner. It is this newspaper's view that if he had been given permission to complete his investigations, then the murderer would have been caught. Mrs. Pender has put all of Newgate`s wardens at the disposal of the police, and to further assist the police in any manner she may.
This newspaper however would offer its opinion: This murder may very well be a result of the way she conducts the executions at Newgate, a private affair, hidden from public eye.
Public executions of the convicted murderer would serve as a reminder that crime does not pay. They also seem an efficient way to communicate the message that if you shed innocent blood, you will pay a high price. Some people may find the practice barbaric and may be moved to protest further executions. Some people may see executions as a just and rightful end to a monstrous human being, and this paper's considered opinion is that public execution is both rightful and an effective deterrent for those who harbour criminal thoughts.
