The Express.
London, England, 1856-12-30 00:00:00

THB CONVICT MANSELL.

It seems that the execution of this prisoner, who
was convicted at the lut amine at Maidstone of the murder
of a urporal of the 49th Regiment, in which be was a
private, by deliberately shooting him with a rifle, has been
respited from the Ist of January to the 6th of Febraasy, the
Attorney-Oenenl having pasted his consent that a writ of
error shall issue upon the ground that the jury who tried
the prisoner were not legally empanelled, sod that his con-
viction was therefore not legal. This is a proceeding that
has very rarely taken place in the ease of • capital convic-
tion, and as the prints that are relied spa to
support the writ of error ON of a novel character, it
may be as well to state the circumstances under which
It is sought to set the conviction aside. It will be
remembered that the prisoner and the deceased had served
with the regiment daring the campaign in the Crimes, and
it appeared that when the regimental baggage was shipped
to England there was a dispute between them relative to a
pair of boots, and the prisoner Mansell, under the impeo-
sion that the deceased was desirous to get him ante mashie,
deliberately resolved to destroy him, aad he shot him dud
at the camp at 6borncliffe. He had no counsel to defend
him, but upon his expressing a desire that he should
have the assistance of counsel, Mr. Baron Bramwell,
who presided, requested Mr. Russell to watch the use for
him, and he consented to do so. The facts being cosensive,
the counsel fee the prisoner resolved, as the most likely
coarse to save the life of his talent, to challenge every
one of the jurors who bad been summoned to serve, with the
exception of these belonging to Maidstone, as it was known
that a very strong feeling *safest capital putiohmente pre-
vails in that town, and accordingly the full right of challenge
was exercised by the priecner's counsel. Fifty-nine jurymen
only had been summoned, and as Mr. Rafael! had chal-
lenged twenty, and it happened that one jury were absent
consideting their verdict, none bet Maidstone jorymen
remained to be called, and Mr. Bibles, the counsel for the
crown, exercised his eight of directing that all these levy-
men amid stand by, and three more jurors were wanting
to complete the panel. It therefore bourne neces-
sary to go through the list of jurors again, cons-,
mules with thou who hod not been challenged by the
prisoner's counsel, and Mr. Ribton then proposed to choose
from among them those he considered to be the least ob-
jectionable. It was then contended on behalf of the prisoner
that this course ought not to be take., but that as the list of
jurors had been game through, the crown lied no right to
object any more, sad that the newts of the jerors should be
called is their order, and that those who aaswered should
go into the box, and ft was argued that if the crown were
permitted to take the coarse suggested by Mr. Ribton, it
would have the effect of enabling it to obtain a jury that might
be likely to act in accordance with he wishes, and that the
liberty of the subject would be materially endangered
by such a course of proceeding. Mr. Baron Bramwell
expressed his opinion to be that the counsel for the prosecu-
tion had the right be claimed to et:noise, and while the
discussion was proceeding the j say that were almost ems
into court, and three jurors wen taken from sateag them to
complete the jury that was to try Maseell, Mr. Russell,
the counsel for the prisoner, protesting sgalnat such a mune
being taken. The primmer, in the result, was bound guilty,
but at the conclusion of the trial Mr. Russell applied to the
learned judge for his unction to the nueesmy steps being taken
to test the legality of tbejary. His lordship, however, said he
should not interfere, as he was of opinion the course that had
been taken wee legal, and in accordance with precedent, but
if the learned counsel thought there wee anything in the
Wet, be must take the usual steps to obtain a writ of error.
The usual course is such eases is to lay the matter before
the Attorney-General, and if he thinks there is any ground
for it, he gives has consent to the writ being issued, and this
having been done, the execution of the sentence as remitted
until the point chill have been argued. If the court should
then be of °plaices that the jury wee not legally empanelled,
the whole prteeedimp of the triel will be annulled, sad
the prisoner will altogether escape punishment.

TER BULLION ROBBERY ANDTHE GREAT NORTHERN
RAILWAY FaAIID CAlll3.—Arraeseisaato similar to thou
which wars made fa the Palmer case, and which soya re&
patrol satisfaction, are to he adopted with respect to the
geld dust robbery ems and the trial of liedpath for dmi
Groat Northern Railway frauds. An application has bow,
wade by Mr. Bodkin on the abject to Baron Mattis, by
whose libation it is understood that rte Grand July, who
ere to wet at the sat session of the Central Criminal
Court oaths 6th of January, will he adjleresd on the 6th
till the following Monday (the 12th of January). whoa
they will re-amiable far the woad. rattan of them two la-
portaat cum and the trials will take plate on Tuesday, the
13th. By this ornament the numerous witnesses will
have the comfort of being accommodated is one of the
courts, sad thee be exempted from the serious incaveni-
taloa which has been so frequently and justly complained of,
that of bola' kept walling in the different lobbies of the
carte.
THE WIVELIBOOIIIII /81:111DIR.—An inquest wr

held on Baturdsy last at the town-hall, Wiveliicombe,
the body of lobe Aplio, a farm labourer, aged 22, who was
robbed ..d murdered oa the .night of Tuesday, the 23rd
feet., near Wivelitcombe, the particulars of which have
already appeared in our columns. The striders. proved
that Thomas Nation, the person mimed of the murder,
rode home with the deceased on the night in gneetion, sad
was the last person men in his *papacy. A blcod stabled
iknifo was also found in the prisoner's packets, sad marks of
blood oa various pane of bit clothes. Tn. jury d
verdict of " Wilful murder" agaisd Nation, who was cent-
' mit ed for trial.

REMOVAL OF A POLICE STATION. For some
time pest It hes been considered by the Chief Commissioner
of the Metropolitan Police that the station home is Look's I
Fields wu sot la a situation end adequate to the require-
ments of so extensive and important a district ea that com-
prised in the P Division, of which Mr. Lund is the sayer-
intendent, hie Wattles extending so far as Croydon, avid in '
eonasqvanco a large mansion, with spacious grounds, situate
at the Walworth•road entrance of Carter street, being un-
occupied, was purchased by government, as a sobititute, I
and a number of workmen have been for a very long time
employed in erecting the necessary cells, mostering yards,
sad rendering the building in every way available for the
samerons staff of officers. The whole baring been brought
to • completion, the 1' Division will vacate their quarters in
Lock's-fields on Thursday morning, the let of January,
1867, and take up their position in their new quarters the
same day.
COUNTY COURT TREASURERS —The salaries of the
tree/arem of county courts last year, paid ottt of the us,
amounted to 15,0831.
CRYSTAL r&LACI. ONI SHILLING DAY.—
MONDAY, Duo 29 —Admissions on pay,:ieut, 1,606; ditto
hymns:ye deice% 322. Total visitors. 1,928.
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