The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-04-13 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

Samuel Smith, clergymen, of Clifton, and Sarah
Smith, his wife, were charged with maliciously cutting
and wounding John Leech, with intent to murder him,
and also with intent to do him grievous bodily harm, on
the 3rd of February, 1868, at Westerleigh.
Mr. Skinner, Q.C., and Mr. Grippe appeared for the
prosecution; Mr. Fluddleston, Q.C., and Mr. J. Symons
defended the female prisoner. The male prisoner was
not defended by counsel.
Mr. Baron Channel' having summed up the evidence
at 7 p.m., the jury found both the prisoners Guilty of
cutting and wounding with intent to disfigure and to do
grievous bodily harm, but, they added, that the female
prisoner had committed no actual violence, and that
she Mul acted throughout under the coercion of her hut.
band.

-- --
His Lordship deferred passing Beaten,* till the morn-
ing, and said he would admit the woman to bail, and
reserve the point in her favour.
• .• -

April T.
At the sitting of the Court this morning, the Rev.
Samuel Smith and Sarah Smith, his wife, who were con-
victed yesterday of cutting and wounding John Leech,
with intent to disfigure him ard to do him grievous
bodily harm, were brought up to receive sentence. It
will be recollected that the jury found specially that the
female prisoner had committed no actual violence on the
prosecutor, and had noted throughout under the coercion
of her husband; they also strongly recommended her to
. . .

Mi.. Heron Channel' said he should reserve the point
in favour of the wife; and in the meantime as regarded
her, judgment would be reapited, and she would be
liberated on bail. His Lordship then addressed the
male prisoner, and said it was • painful duty for him to
have to pass sentence upon a person like the prisoner,
who by him talent' bad raised himself to a position of
responsibility, which he bad now forfeited. The pri-
soner had had an opportunity of making his own state-
ment of facts, some of which were entirely unsupported
by evidence, and ad endeavoured to satisfy the jury
that he had not the felonious intent, but merely in-
tended to chastise the proaeoutor for the wrong which
be had done him. But the iury had found hiso guilty
of striking the blows with • felonious intent, and, if
death had ensued, there could be no doubt he would
have stood at the bar for the crime of wilful murder.
His Lordship observed that there were some of the cir-
cumstances which could not be lost sight of. The design
was deliberately formed in January, and carried on with
contrivance and management, and three letters were
written containing the grossest falsehoods, till on the 3rd
of February he went on the ground armed with • deadly
weapon. which he had purchased only the night before,
in anticipation of the prosecutor's visit, Nor could his
Lordship forget the fact that when it was proposed to
arrest him he threatened that if anybody touched him
he would blow their brains out. Alter ionic further
observations, his Lordship passed on the prisoner a sen-
tence of four years' penal servitude.
The female prisoner was then told that on entering
into bail she would be set at liberty. She appeared very
pale, and had rather • forbidding look.
The male prisoner, who was a powerfully-built man,
and had • most determined countenance, received his
sentence with great calmness, but seemed very elision'
about his wife, who appeared to be in a fainting state.

THE HAYMARKET MoRDER.—At the Central Criminal
Court on Friday the trial of Giovanni Lani was brought
to a close before Mr. Justice Crompton. The prisoner
tasked very pale and unworn, and seemed to feel
deeply the puition in which he was placed. Mr.
Atkinson addreued the jury on the part of the prisoner
in a very able speech. Mr. Justice Crompton com-
menced summing up at half•past eleven o'clock. The
jury retired at half-past one o'clock and returned into
court at ten minutes to two, when they gave a verdict
of guilty of wilful murder. Mr. Justice Crompton
rased sentence of death upon the prisoner in the usual