The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-08-11 00:00:00

THE SOUTH PETHICILTON HEIDER.

William Hayw-at4,-60,--f;;;;;,-;;;IO-ili-eted for the
wilful murder of Ann Hayward, his wife, at South
Potherton, on the 7th of May. Mr. Spike anil Mr.
Warty were counsel for the prmecution ; Mr. &Bin and
Mr. Folkard defended the prisoner. He was insisted
into the dock by one of the gaolers, and seemed to be
so feeble that it was with diffioalty he walked. He is a
stout, burly-looking man, but his vacant look and
extremely nervous air seemed at once to indicate that he
was • man a weak intellect. He pleaded not guilty in
a tremulous voice. The prisoner and his wits bssl
resided for • number of year. In farm house in the
parish of South Petherton. They heed on very good
terms, and had one child about nine years old. The
prisoner Laving suffered • good deal from illness, had
requested his wife's brother, Kr. George Best, to come
and reside with them, and take the management of his
farm. Iket had resided with them for some months,
and on the morning of the 7th of May, the prisoner, his
wife, and her brother breakfasted together about half.
pest seven o'elock,when deceased and prisoner appearei
to been very good terms. Shortly before eight o'clock
Best went into the barton, and about a quarter to nine
o'clock the prisoner went out to him and said, "George,
George, do come in." Best went into the kitchen,
where a short time previously be had left prisoner and
his wife, and there saw his sister (Mrs. Hayward)
silting in a their. He went up to her and found that
she was quite dead. He said to prisoner, "You rogue;
you have 'hot my sister." to which he replied," Have
I." A labourer, named Jarrett, who worked upon the
farm, cisme into the kitchen, and seeing what hail
occurred, remarked, "Yon have done something now,
master," and prisoner replied, "Ye. John, it can't be
helped," Best bad a gun which be kept in a corner of
the kitchen, and which had been for some days unloaded,
but upon hie going into the kitchen it was full of
smoke, which snieh of powder, and on examining
the gun be observed that It had been recently
discharged. Best called Beyond neighbours, and the
polioe-serjeent stationed in the village, and Mr. HISTOYI
a surgeon, were sent for. The officer on arresting
him charged prisoner with the murder of his wife, and
he lifted both his hand., and said, "Oh den I I done
it," He also said, "1 loaded the gun behind the settle,
soil shot her as she sat in the chair, and then he added,
" Mho never spoke." In one waistcoat-pocket some
percussion caps were found, and in the other some thick
brown paper, which, on being taken from him, the
prisoner said, "That is* piece of what I rammed the
sun with."—Mr. Hervey, who made the post morrow
examination, deposed to finding • gunshot wonod in
the back of the deemed ; some of the shot had passed
entirely through the body, took ling the heart. Several
witnesses were called to depose to these facts, and it
elicited from them that prisoner was subject to epileptic
Ste. 111141 ot a low and nalancboly disposition, and had
upon one °cession attempted to hang himeelf.—Mr.
Kdlin made so able defence of the prisoner, oontending
that at the time be committed the offence with which
he was charged he was of unsound mind. And in sup-
port of this theory Dr. Woodforde and Dr. Davey, two
physicians of great erperienoe in the treatment of
lunacy, were called- They gave it as their opinion that
the prisoner VIM suffering from mental derangement.
His Lordship haring summed up, the jury found the
prisoner not gailty, on the ground of insanity, and the
learned judge ordered him to be detained until her
Msjesty's pleasure be known. The prisoner, who
appeared quite unennicious of what was going on, and
was dosing during the summing up of the learned judge,
twee hen assisted from the dock.