The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-19 00:00:00

NORTHERN ontcurr.—Yoxic, DEc. 18.

(Before Mr. Justice Heating.)
George Synth, 27, was charged with the manslaughter
of Thomas Dunks, at Goole, on the 20th of October last.
Mr.Biansbard sad Mr. Moynell were for the prosecution ;
Mr. DiAy Seymour, Q.O. (who was specially retained), and
Mr. P. Thompson defended the prisoner.
Mr. Blanshard, in stating the came, said that the prisoner
was a respectable farmer at Goole CI oAggaa and farmed about
400 scree of land under the Earl ooffsßeitley. For some
time previous to the 20th of October the prisoner bad
been suffering from delirium tremens, and on the 19th of
that month he was so ill that Mr. Johnson, a medical gen-
tleman, was called in to attend upon him. Be had • revolver,
and paced about from room to room in his house, and
alarmed the inmates. Mrs. Martin, bis housekeeper,
being abed that be would either injure himself or
others, with a laudable discretion got the revolver from
him. On the 20th of October the prisoner rose from his
bed at about eight o'clock in the morning, and what was
then uppermost in his mind was to get possession of the
revolver. He went into the host room sad looked himself
in. Mrs. Martin was alarmed lest menething should happen
to the prisoner, and she knocked the door asking for ad-
mittance, and the primmer in reply eaid that he would let
her in in a 1110M1111i. Ina minute or two sfterwerds, the
door being still locked, Mn. Martin went outside of the
house and locked in at the window. She thee ow
the prisoner seated with his bead leaning upon his
hand. Mrs. Martin knocked at the door dishing admittance,
and the premier answered as befon—d I'll let von in in a
moment." Mrs. Martin, however, was not able to gain ad-
mittance into the room, and she thetas:se sent for the us-
fortunate demand, Thomas Deckles, who was • favourite
servant of the prisoner, believing that be would be able to
prevail upon him to open the door. Doddea had been in
the *snipe of the enema and his family for about thirty
years, was • ocieSdeetlal servant, often slept with the Kl-
einer, and his son-in-law also was foreman on the pri-
mmer's farm. The dewed was sent for from the steam.
house ; he told the prisoner that hefted the revolver, and he
was immediately admitted into the room. The report of
Smarms was heard almost intently afterwards, and
the deceased was found to have been shot. He came out of
the room holding hi arm by his side, and his clothes were
on are. The deceased was And in &chair, and he appeared
to be suffering greatly from the injury he had sustained.
Mr. Johnson. surgeon, was sent for, and after seeing the de-
ceased he ordered the poor man to be removed update
He was laid opoe • enthrals, and it was then discovered
that in the frost part of the abdomen there was •
wound about the in. of • half-crown piece, and the
bowels protruded. Everything was done by Mr. John-
son that his professional skill could suggest, but the
deceased rapidly musk, there was no chance of saving his
life, and be died at three o'clock in the afternoon. Pre-
vious to his death, Mr. Wells, a magistrate, saw to
deceased, to hear any statement which the unto: twine man
might be disposed to make. At that time the deceased
was perfectly aware of his position, Oaf:dating "My God,
my Jeans, my Saviour," and other similar exclamations
proper for • man to otter who was desirous of making his
peen with Ged,whom he was soon to meet. After stating
deceased's account of the melancholy occurrence taken down
in writing in the regular way, the learned counsel read the
dying declaration made by the deceased, aid it was as fol-
lows :—" No one was present. We were by our two
selves. I opened. the room door. He pointed the
gun at me. I said, Don't shoot. He said, I won't,
come in. As soon as I got in he took up the gun. I '
slipped round and seised hold of the gun. I struggled
with him. He pulled the trigger. I was deeding in
front of him with my hands hold of the gun. I cannot say
which pan I went into the room benne he fastened him-
self up. We bad tried the doon and found them fast. We
were afraid was going to do something with himself.
That is all I know. He bad been in • queer state of
mind all the morning and all the night. It was George
Smith with whom I straggled, and who I describe as being
in • queer state of mind." In a minute or two after the
deceased was shot the Known was seen coming out of
the kitchen, and was observed to leave the house. At
about • mile distant from his residence the primmer
was met by his cousin, a person of the name name as
himself. His relative asked him where he was going,
and he replied, "To deliver myself up to the police,
I have shot • man." Smith, not believing the state-
ment, said, "Nonsense;" but the prisoner repeated that be
had shot • man, remarking that Duckdes end to get the gun
from him, and it went off accidentally. These were the
whole of the circumstances of the case, tad it would be for

the jury t;;;.);;I;;;i;iii; prisoner palled the iriii;r of
the gun and caused the deceased's death, ar whether the gun
went off accidentally in the mauve of • slatiggle. By the
latter view of the case the prisoner would be entitled to an
acquittal. The dying deelaratioe of the deceased, however,
'bowed that the prisoner pointed the ran at him, and pulled
the trigger when he was standing in trout of him.
The learned Judge, in summing up, said if the jury should
be of opinion the prisoner had pulled the trigger intending
that the gun should go off, be would be guilty of an unlaw-
ful act amounting to manslaughter. If the gnu was dis-
charged accidentally in the course of a struggle the prisoner
would be entitled to his acquittaL
The jury retired, and were absent for about a quarter at
an hour, when they found a verdict of Net Guilty.