The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-06-24 00:00:00

LAW AND CRIME.

THE CASE OE MRS. VrSE.—At the Central Criminal
Court on Tuesday Mr. Sleigh, who is instructed to
prosecute in the indictment against Anne Cornish Vyse
for the murder of her two children, applied to the
court to relieve the witnesses front the necessity of
going before the grand jury at the present session' and
respite their recognizanees to the next Pitting of the
court. He said that die prisoner was still very ill, and
was unable to be removed trent her own house, and as
it was considered adviseble tiet there should be an
inquiry befen the magistrate, which would afford the
prisoner or her adviser an opportunity of hearing the
evidence that would be adduced teeainst her, awl of
etone-examin.ng the witnesses, if it was considered
proper to co no, and as this could not be done while she
was in her erexent condition, he applied for the poet.
j (element upon the ground that it was ellSellllill WOe
ends of justice that this course should be taken. The
Recorder inquired whether any gentlemen at the bar
was retained on behalf of the prisoner. Mr. Sitigh
said lie believed not at ',resod. The Hi-corder said as
this was the case he theught that an affidavit ought to
be made of the facts upon which the application for a
postpeneinent was (omitted . An affi lavit of the char..cter
811g11811tld 11.110 subsequently heeded to his lordship hy
the learned counsel, who thereupon acceded to the
appbmition.
WITCHCRAFT.—At the Central Criminal Court, on
Wednesday, Chalks Talthrook, 27, collar maker, was
indict d for feloniously wounding M•ry King, with
inteet to murder her. The prosecutrix in this case atm
a feeble old woman, and stood in the relation of grand-
mother to the prisoner. Her evidence went to show
that the prisoner hid been a soldier, and for twelve-
months after hie discharge had been in the rgeelid of a
pension, but had recently been supported by her and
his mother, as lie would not work. On Sunday, the
13th ot April last, after dinner, she was dreseing
herself in her room, at 31, Charles-street, Westminster,
when she observed the prisoner come in with something
like a knife or a ratite in his baud. Ile at once struck
her with it across the foiehead several times until she
bled profusely, anti he afterwards beat her shout the
head aith a stick until the bones of her heed became
sore, and lied been so ever since. A surgeon, Dr.
NCenn, of Parliament-street, wes sent fee, moil he
directed her iminediete removal' to the hospital,
where she remained for seven weeks. She hail not
.iny quarrel with the prisoner. but he had toll her
before this happeeed that she wall not live to see
May Day. Prisoner (sullenly): I never need ouch
woods. If I had wanted to take her life I should have
locked the door. I merely tutended to drarr'some
her blood, atel that is the fact if th matter, (Sensa-
tion.) If she does not work at devellish arts or witch-
craft, I 8111 willing to forfeit my life for here—W.llkm
polhae-eonetable, !Toyed that he went to the
reeidenee of the proseeutrix, whom he found bleeding
prol'unely from the head, avid supporting herself with a
chair by the side of her bed. The prisoner was there,
mad said, "I have done it, and Ido not wish to run
awey.'"fhe witness tilt him not to say anything to
, sriminete himself, as the w and might prove fetal. He
then now the prisoner drop a razor froin his hand ; lie
I sad he had dint ii with that elide stick, which witness
eould find under the tattle. Both razor amid stick
wi re covered with blond. The prisoner added, "The
--oll—(lointing to the prosecutrix) ought to have
been dead yeare ago." Witness 'tad the prosecutrix
conveyed to the hospittil on a stretcher, and took the
risoner in custody to the stationdionse. George Scarth,
eoliee-eirgeant, took the charge against the prisoner
when he was brought in by the lest witness.
On bearing the charge witness need the
expression, "Poor old woman on Which the peisoner
•tai I. "—her, she ought to have bet n dead years ago.
ittei ve liar right ; she has done nie hare) enough. I did
at want to kill the old lady outright; I wanted to
see her blood, which I have done It is not for what I
vital; have to suffer in this world, but in the neat." The
prinser, when cent,' upon for his defence, repeated
his former stateinnut, as already teiven in evidence, and
added that the reason why lie " shed her 1.100,1" was
that she should lint lioariess that power over him that
she hail dune. Two litindred years ago such a 11/0111811
would have been put to death for witelicreft without
arty ceremony. Mr. Boron Braanwell toll the jury
that, though a plea of insanity had not being raised in
the present case, he would draw their attention to the
laws by which that plea was reeuleteti. Haviog done
so, his lordship sahl it was for the jury to
say, upon the facts proved betore them, weetter,
, applying those laws to which lie bad directed their
t attention, they were of opinion that the crisoner at the
time knew what lie we doing, and whet would be the
couseqiienees, as, if so, he wits reepolisible for the act
he undoubtedly committed. Tne jury; after con-
Lrring for e few secouils, returned n verdict of
guilty of woending, with intent to murder. Mr.
, Baren Bramwell expressed his concnrrence in the
I verdict, and eenteuced the prisoner to be kept in penal
servitude for life.