The Rhode Island Republican

To the Editor of the Leeds Mercury.

London March 25th, 1821.

Sir—I take the liberty, at the request of Thomas Skinner, an honest, religious, moral character, to recommend his hard case, which he has had printed, to your consideration. He has been most miraculously preserved from an ignominious death, by my adducing to Lord Sidmouth positive proof of his innocence of the crime for which he was sentenced to be HANGED! The poor man will, with gratefulness, receive the smallest subscription to defray his losses, arising from an imprisonment of 134 days in the cells of Newgate, and money paid to one Chester, an Attorney!! Skinner also humbly solicits your consideration, for the purpose of enabling him to prosecute the perjured witness, Davies, and his accomplices, who conspired to destroy his life; to effect the latter object, would render an important service, to the ends of public justice; for horrible as it may appear, it is not the less true, that eleven instances occurred, during my sheriffalty, on the whole of which (after being convicted by a Jury of our Countrymen) I adduced the most decided proofs of innocence: to NINE of the devoted victims their lives were spared; but shocking to relate, Two were EXECUTED !! One of them I not only proved (by an ALIBI) his total innocence of the offence, several days before his execution, but I even found out the man Edwards, a notorious character, who received the stolen property, and also the two guilty men, who actually committed the burglary, for which the poor fellow was, horrible to my feelings, EXECUTED in my presence!! And while contending for life, he exclaimed, with his last breath, that he was an innocent and a murdered man, and that his life had been sworn away by false WITNESSES!! To prosecute and to punish perjured wretches, is a duty, I conceive of the first national importance, as neither life, character, nor property is safe, if such monstrous, savage acts are allowed to pass with impunity.

I am your most obedient, humble servant,

J. W. PARKINS, Ex-Sheriff

10, NewBridge-street, Blackfriars.