The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-03 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME ClRCUlT.—Mimirrow; Due. 2.
• (Before Mr. Justice Ryles.)
EXTRAORDINARY CROWE OF MANSLAUGHTER.
Major Murton, 52, • respectable-looking man, who has
been for • great many years engaged in extensive business
as • farmer, near Chatham, was charged upon the coroner's
inquisition with the manslaughter of his wife, Lena Murton.
Mr. Russell conducted the prosecution ; the prisoner was
defended by Mr. Ribton.
Mr. Russell, in stating the case to the jury, esidctt-.
aoner occupied a farm called Port Lodge, near
barn, and be had been married to the dammed, wbo
was about his own age, for thirty years at the time the
occurrence took place that was the subject of inquiry. 145
said Le believed it would appear in the course of the !
case that the deceased was addicted to drink, and that
at the time of ber death she was suffering from an affection !
of the liver and the kidneys. In other respects, however,
she was healthy ; but supposing the jury should be of opinion
that; these ailments had anything to do with her death, it
was right he should inform them th at it was an undoubted
principle of law that if the death of any one was accelerated,
even in the smallest possible degree, by an act of violence
committed by another, the offence would amount to murder
or manslaughter, according to the peculiar circumstances of
the case.
The following evidence was then adduced :
Mrs. E. V. Walter said—l live with my husband at
Chatham. The prisoner is my father, and the deceased was
my mother. On Thursday, the 23rd of October, I saw my
father at Chatham, and in consequence of someting that I
heard I made up my mind to go to Witchling, where my
father and mother lived and occupied a farm, called Port
Lodge. Port Lodge is fifteen miles from Chatham. I set
out on foot, and my father overtook me in a cart. He bad
two women in the cart with him, named Elizabeth Whit-,
bread and Sarah Collier. I got into the cart, and rode with
them to Port Lodge, and we arrived there about 11 o'clock
at night. There was only one servant is the house, and
the only other person who was there at this time was my
mother. When we got to the house my father and the
two girls went into the parlour, which was the best
room. My mother was in the kitchen. My father
ordered some bread and cheese and ale to be taken
into the parlour, and this was done, and he and the
girls had supper Nether, while my mother was sitting
in the kitchen. They were about half an hour at supper,
and then my father went to bed with one of the girls, Eliza-
beth Whitbread. Before this he had said it was time to go to
bed, acid Whitbread said she would not go to bed while my
mother was in the house, and she also said that if she bad
known she had been there, she would not have accompanied
beame
vmeyth
ryfaer home.
excited,and said
dhhene
waohuledsaijn thismttefathhoeusr
, and
went into the kitchen where my mother was sitting. He
had • hunting whip in his hand, and Le struck my mother
with it on the head. He held the thong and the handle in
his hand, and he struck her with both, but it was only •
slight blow. When be struck ber he said to her, " Get out,
or I will kick you out." My mother did not offer to rise
from her chair, and the prisoner laid hold of her by her arm,
and pulled her out of the chair, and threw her across the
room, and she fell down. He then took up the
tongs that were in the fire-place, and struck my mother
across the thigh with them. He struck her once, tied it
appeared to be • hard blow. When he did this I interfered,
and called for assistance, but no onecanie, and I stood before
my mother in order that my father might not strike ber
again. The house at Port Lodge is rather lonely, and there
are very few other houses near it. I went out to see if I
could obtain any assistance, leaving my mother sitting oe
the floor, and when I returned she was in the same position,
and I got her up as well as I could and put her into the
Bervant'a bed. I cannot say the exact time my father went
to bed, but be did pp very goon afterwards. I have no doubt
that the girl Whitbread slept with hire, as I Dew her la his
bed in the morning. My mother did not get up until
about noon on the 24th, and she complained of
pains, and said that she was very poorly, and
she went to bed and got up two or three hours during the
day. She continued to complain until the Sunday follow-
ing, and she was taken on that day to the house of Mrs.
Clifford, the sister of our servant. I returned to Chatham
on the Sunday, and before I left the two girls, Whitkmad
and Collier, went out for • ride in the pony cart. I did not
see my mother again until the Thursday afterwards, and she
was then very ill indeed, and appeared to me to be in a il.Ong
Mate. On the Saturday before her death she told me
that she was going very fast, and she made a statement to
me afterwards.
The witness WWI about to give the statement, but Mr.
Ribton interposed and objected that it was not legally ad-
missible.
Mr. Justice Bytes inquired of the witness when the de.
mad died I