The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-08-05 00:00:00

THE BLACKBURN, ALURDRR.

At the Liverpool assizes on Friday, William Fish
was tried before Mr. Justice Lindley- for the murder of
Emily Holland, at Blackburn; on the 28th of March.
Mr. Higgin, Q.C. with Mr. Pope, Q.C., and Mr..,
Addison proseceted, and Mr. Blair, at the request of
the judge, defended the prisoner. The prisoner, when.,
arraigne pleaded—" Guilt 3 ,butt did not know what r
was doing at the time." This was ruled by his lordship to j
be a plea of "Not guilty." A number of witnesses
gave evidence, including the mother and father of the
deceased, several police-officers, and some acquaintances
of the prisoner, on various points connected with the
discoveries made tending to prove that, independently
of his confession, Fish was the criminal. Medical
evidence was given to show that the various remains
which had been discovered all belonged to one body,
and that over the body were a number of short
hairs of different colours and quality such as
might be found in a barber's shop. Dr. Maitland
said he had examined the prisoner and saw nothing to
indicate insanity. It was a fact, however, that out-
bursts of mania occasionally took place without any
warning, but some traces of such outbreak always re-
mained afterwards. He thought the prisoner knew
what he was doing. Mr. Blair addressed the court
for the prisoner, contending that the Very atrocity of
the crime proved that the prisoner was not in his
mind. He also dwelt upon twill! air, ••
which, he argued, were_not AN!
The judge, in summing up, said it was not because a
man was possessed of the devil and did something
hideously wicked that it was to be assumed that he,
was Irresponsible. The jury' ;without leaving the box'
found the prisoner guilty cf murder, and he was sen-
tenced to death. .--r- r :
In describing the scene at the tea, the Liverpool post
• .
remarks:— .
The prisoner not only looked better in health„ tint
after he had been in the dock a short time he appeared
to take a lively interest in the case, and exhibited far
more intelligence than he did either at the inquest or
when he was brought before the magistrates at Black-
burn. But at first, and at intervals afferwarde, he dis-
played that dazed, stupefied expression which,
excepting one, has been the chief characteristic
of his facial appearance. The other feature
which is so noticeable in his physiognomy
is his protruding forehead. His face is pretty much in
the farm of a triangle extending upwards from the chin
in a very angular form to the greatest width, which is
certainly across the top of the head. The great size of
the head as contrasted with his diminutive body was
even exaggerated by the bushy appearance of his hair
which is a kind of sandy brown. "Rid forehead so
protrudes that it is impossible from any distance
to see his eyes at all. At the opening of the case
and indeei throughout the whole of the trial, the
result with every one was a foregone conclusion.
All the evidence was tsken with great rapidity,
and the details themselves were so horrible that
the counsel, probably from a variety of reasons,
did not think it necessary to comment upon them to any
e reef --bent. The mother of the girl who is a homely,
pleasant looking woman of middle age, spoke in a very
6'4111'11234 •-4-411-9"-in"a r" I !----;:e-trorci (tie severe Moeda
which ensued upon the discovery in Fish's house. * Ms);
Addison only detained her a very 'abort time, but joist
as she was leaving the box she gave way to-
her grief, and sobbed most pitifully. The little com-
panions of poor Emily Holland, who were next called,r
were all dressed in deep mourning, and exhibited-
evident signs of distress on being questioned as to their
former playmate. After this the police evidence was
itaken, and the most interesting portion of this was the
description given by Inspector Eastwood of the scenting
fout of the remains by the bloodhound, and the manner
im which Peter Taylor, who suggested the whole plan,
'land got nothing for it, had taken the remains out of
;the chimney himself. Considerable sensation was
Icat.ued when the witnci.s lifted up a handsomely made
,box with an inner one of glass like a casket, and pro-
duced therefrom one by one the pieces of bone, then'
I:the fragments of dress, and lastly the skull, with the
tlone golden hair still clinging to it • and an expression.
'of horror involuntarily ran through the court.' Btit
the most intense interest was aroused by the examine-
'on of Dr. Maitland, who had to detail a statement
uia,de to him by Fish of an absolutely revolting
nmature, . It was here that the ,direction. of
- Itlieetenóe. exhibited itself. Mr. Blair, in cross-
xamining the witness, asked him if he had eta-
mined the prisoner as to his mental condition. Dr.
aitland said he had examined him shortly after the
.mnrder, and again on the previous day, and he had not
discovered the slightest symptoms of lunacy. Mr. Blair
then suggested that there was such a disease as "homi-
cidal mania," and probably most of the people in court
would not only have been inclined to believe him but
would have suppoosd that William Fish was sficted
with this particular disease in its most aggravated
form. But the Doctor assured him that nothing
of the kind existed in connection with the
brain of the prisoner, who had been able
not only to remember everything perfectly, but to
relate the circumstances in an intelligible manner.
The suggestion merely amounted to the argument that
In the case of the prisoner an outburst of " mania "
ttook place without any premonitory symptoms having
been exhibited, and without any subsequent indications,
of insanity. While this examination was taking placit-
the prisoner asked for a drink, and some water in a
large tin can was supplied to him. Several times he
gazed up at the witness, but it is somewhat curious;
that neither the doctor nor any of the other witnessea`
called ever glanced in the direction of the dock, Dr. •
Cheeseborough, who supported the evidence of Dr.
Maitland, was even more emphatic than he in repu-
diating the suggestion of insanity, and Dr. Paget
agreed with both. Fish, during the delivery of Mr.
Blair's speech for the defence, displayed considerable
emotion. He repeatedly wiped his eyes with the end
of the handkerchief round his neck, and leaned back
in the chair, as if trying to hide or suppress his team.
The judge, in summing up, showed the jury they
had no right to deduce the existence of insanity
from the bare heinousness of the offence, and
that there was only one conclusion to come
te upon the evidence. The jury were then asked to
consider their verdict, and barely nodded towards the
foreman, who rose up and in a clear voice pronounced
the prisoner" Guilty." The case then ended in a few
moments. The judge placed tne black cap on his
head, and leaning forward, told the prisoner in a low
voice the sentence of the court, which was that he
must be taken to the place from whence he came,
and thence to the place of execution, and there
hanged by the neck till he be dead, and might the
Lord have mercy on his soul! As the solemn words'
were spoken, the eyes of the people were riveted upon
the prisoner, and with the steady gazing the court
seemed to grow dark. Fish grasped the rails in front
with both his hands and swayed backwards and for-
wards as the Bectence was being pronounced. In-
stantly the words were finished he was caught by the
two warders behind him, and hurried down the steps
of the dock, with an expression of wild despair upon
his features that will newer be forgotten.

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