The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-26 00:00:00

THE CHAROES OP PERJURY AGAINST A
SURGEON AT MANCHESTER.

The bearing of the charges against Mr. Ewan
Thomas, surgeon, at Manchester, on charges of perjury, was
resumed on Saturday at the City Court of Mancheeter, '
fore Mr. Billion and other magistrates. It will be wool-
lected that the charges arose out of alleged false evidence i
before the coroner reepacting the and death, at the
(lsthedral Hotel, Manchester, of Mrs. Bell, of Basses
thwaite, near Keswick, who was supposed to haves:me to
the defendant for the purpose of aid in procuring &Welke.
Mr. F. Robinson, solicitor, was fore promotion ; and
Mr. Higgins, banister, appeared for the defendant.
The substance of the owe for the prosecution was
given very fully in the report of the are gives
on Friday. In the course of the further exami-
nation on Saturday three letters were put is (re.
leered to in the previous report), found smoogat the papers
of the deceased, which were now proved to be in the hand-
writing of the defendant, but having neither signature nor
date. These letters point to a connection between the de-
cawed lady and the defendant to which no allusion was
midi in our previous sketch of the case.
The defendant is one of the surgeons of the Manchester
Union, and Mr. Somerset, assistant-clerk of the Board of
Guardians, proved the letters to be in the handwriting of
the defendant.
The flirt letter says :—" Thanks for the parcel. I hope
that you have found your home all that it wee formerly. I
do not know that anything that I could say to you would be
of any service, but I would just say that men of my cloth
are not better than they should be in morals. Whet, how-
ever, we do find is, that men of different prefeesions to
ours., and whose epeeist duty is to act as they preach, are
no better than others who make little profeesoe. 1 have
come to this conclusion from what ono has to observe daily,
that public morals are very low, compared with Biblical
standard, and from this I should draw the inlet's°, that
you are not worse than your neighbours, but more un-
fortunate. To say the least of it, it is a vies that seems so
natural to the human family se should, is my opinion, be
looked upon with a lenient eye. If you come hear at any
distant day, you will find me in the tame boom I shall be
glad to see you."
This letter was without signature or date, but the post-
mark is January Ist, 1862, and addressed " Mrs. Bell."
The wood letter rays :—"You mean to arrive here at
midnight on Monday. so, will it be quite in harmony
with your feelings for me to meet you and pies the night
together at 8., your old place. Of course I should have to
leave B's. to go a journey by ea early train, and you could
call upon me at ten, and leave, if you like by the 1 o'clock
train homewards. Ido hope that you will not against your
feelings comply ; it will not, whether agree or not, affect
my engagement. If more preferable to you, I could meet
you at Praetor, or Liverpool, the latter merest, and bring
with me everything I should need, which would not neces-
sitate your coming here at all."
"P.S. I again implore you to accept that portion of this
programme which would afford you pleasure. If you accept
either proposition on the score of expediency, I shall not be
The above letter was posted (according to the postmark)
7th Nov.. 1862, and addressed, "Mrs. Bell, Busenthwaite
Chapel, Keswick, Cumberland."
The following is the third letter
" I am sorry to hear of your troubles. Discovery, which is
within the range of possibility. would be utter ruin to my
which are so fair they promise a handsome hide.
rirjetjin the course of a few more pan, that I need not
tell you how foolish I should be to risk my reputation and
character. There are plenty who do it, but Ido not happen
to know them." No address or date to this letter.
The case for the prosecution having been concluded, Mr.
.ui, for the defendant, said that he would refrain from
addressing the court, unless they had a doubt about sending
the case for trial, his defence being principally confined to
points of law.
Mr. Ellison, chairman of the bench, said the court were
clear for committing the defendant on the charge of perjury,
the evidence leaving them no alternative but to send the
case before a jury.
The defendant was then committed for trial at the next
Liverpool Assizes. On application, however, he was ad-
mitted to bail, in two sureties of 501. each and himself in
1001., and the recoguiaamose having been entered into he
left the court.
The court was very crowded, and amongst those present
were many medical rasa.