§ SIR JOHN COMMERELL (Southampton)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If his attention has been drawn to the report of the trial at Birmingham Assizes of John Russell, aged 60, alias Cooper and "Australian Jemmy," who was sentenced to 15 years' penal servitude for burglariously entering the house of Dr. Robins, surgeon, Grantham Road, Birmingham, when Mr. Justice Smith, in passing sentence, said the prisoner had been twice sentenced to transportation for life, and also to 10 years' penal servitude for burglary with violence; and, since after two life sentences he has been set at liberty, when under the present system this offender will be again at large?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)This convict's career is remarkable. In 1850 he was sentenced to transportation for life for burglary. This sentence was reduced to one of 10 years by the Secretary of State in 1853, at the end of which time he was pardoned. It 1861 he was again sentenced to transportation for life for wounding with intent; but he seems to have escaped from Australia by some means or other, for in 1875 he was sentenced in this country to 10 years' penal servitude for sacrilege. He served the whole of this sentence, and he is now again under a sentence of 15 years. In the ordinary course, if he behaves well, he will be due for release in 11 years five months, unless, possibly, the life sentence were to be enforced.