The Express.
London, England, 1865-04-05 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD 01RCIIIT.--OLowcstrza, Aran 4.
°sown Cousw.—(Before Mr. Baron Pigott.)
Richard Smith, 'argon, MI shined with tin wilful
murder of Sarah Smith. hie wife, at Wiaelicomb, in this
comity, on the 27th December last.
Mr. Sawyer conducted the promoution ; sad Mr. Huddle-
nos, Q. 0., and Kr. Matter= &tended the prisoner.
This trial excited oneiderable loterest, on account of the
position in life oconpied by the prisoner, formerly • surgeon
is pranks at Wischoomb, but who bad retired from the
profession and had latterly lived with hie wife (the deosased)
in NorthatreeS Winaboonth, two sous and a &,
all grown up, living with an thole near. The ix:
sad his wife lived at good terms together, sal
were not known so quarrel, but the prisoner was very
ecomtrio a his manner. The deceased wee alive and is her
usual health on Tuseday evening. the 27th December,
half-pest eight, at which hour ass of her sons saw her at
her own house. Half an hoar after he had left, as •
neighbeer. Mrs. Greenbelt, was sitting in her own room.
whisk oileised the parlour of the prisoner's house, ebe
Nord the report of • goo in Mr. Smith's parlour. She
west eat Writhe street, and listened at the parlour shatters
of Smith's house. Abe heard some one moving the chairs
about, also heard the voice of Mr. Smith (tbe prisoner)
bat no one newered. As she turned away she
lim=7;. Smith's ball door being netted, but she did not
welt to see it any one came oat, not wishing it to he sup-
posed that she had been listealeg. Betweee 9 and 10
o'olook the same eight the prisoner celled at the
Marquis at Granby publk-house, and inquired for his
sac, bat as he was not there be went away. Nest
monies when another neighbour. Mrs. Warden, west to
the Smiths' house far come milk, it was given to her
by the prisoner. She seised bow Mrs. stasith wee, but the
primmer node no reply. About miss o'clock on this (Wed-
nesday) morning the prisoner went to his brother's house,
and send his son James where his sister was. He re-
plied that the was not yet down ettirs, on which the pei-
gnoir said, " Your mother's dead, and added something
about the gun going off and killing bar. The DfDIOOOT pee
his sons the key of the house, and *ninth ran off together,
and on entering the house and going into the parlour they
fond the deceased lying on the Son deed, the bath part of
her heed being towards the door leading into the
The arm was meeting on a chair, and the body wan cold sad
stiff. She had evidently been dead for some hours. Then
were at the time two gees in the house, one • double
and the other a single barrel One banal of the
double pa wee found loaded on the Wednesday
mooing when the police mitered the house. The
single gun did not appear to have been need for some time.
On examining the bed usually occupied by the prisoner &Eiji I
his wife, it wee found that oely one penes bad slept in it
on the previous night, and there could be little or no doubt
that the deceased met with her death when the discharge
of the gun was heard no the Tuesday night. On • post ,
mortem examination of the body Wog made by Mr. T.
Newman, surgeon, of Winchoomb, • gun shot wound was I
found in the upper and back part of the neck. The spine
was fractured, ad death moat have been instantaneous.
The wither took out of the wound 16 shots, which were of
the mean sire as those found in the loaded barrel of the
double ran. The prisoner's eccentricity of manner had been
frequently Ration by the neighbours and the police.
The facts, as thus brkffy narrated, were not controverted
by the Donned for the defence, whore chief croasexamina-
tion was directed to the allegation of insanity.
Mr. Haddleetea made • powerful speech, in which he de-
plored the melancholy , and submitted that the
pruner was not responsible for his actions, and that, if the
death of the unfortunate deceased was not entirely acci-
dental, it bad arisen out of her husband's insanity.
A god deal of widens was adduced to prove the inanity
of the priscoer. Dr. Shatter, of Easter, who bad been
celled in to me him, and other witnesses, gave satisfactory
evidence of the start of the prisoner's mind for some time
past, and that be was not responsible for his actions.
The leaned Judge, in sumunag up, favoured this view,
and the jury, after retiring for some time, returned into
court with • verdict of acquittal on the ground of insanity.
Hie Lordship said the prisoner would be confined during
her Majesty's pleasure.