The Express.
London, England, 1849-08-02 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT.

LEWES, ArCIIIIIT 1.

Cann Som.—Bunsen' CHIEY Bean.
TIM GUESTLINO POISONINGS.
Mary Anne Deering, 49, widow, pleaded to four indict-
ments, three of which charged her with the crime of wilful
murder, alleged to lave been committed upon the persons
of her Luehand and two of her toes' by poison, and the
fourth imputing to her the attempt to commit the same
crime upon Another of her sons. The prioner was first
arraigned upon a charge of feloniously administering to
Benjamin Getting a large qu' utity of deadly poison, called
white arsenic, with intent to murder him. She wa. then
charged with the wilful murder of her husband, RI had
Gearing, by administering arsenic to him; and also with the
wilful murder of George aid James O.ering, her tons, by
the same means.
The prisoner pleaded not guilty to all these charge..
The first case that was proceeded with was that imputing
to the prisoner the murder of her husband, Richard Gear-
ring. Mr. Horne and Mr. Creasy conducted the prosecution.
The prisoner was undefended by counsel.
The learned counsel for the prosecution having, in a con-
cise and temperate address, laid the case before the jury, the
following evidence was adduced.
John Sinden said—l am a labourer at Guestling, and was
acquainted with the decease'. Some time last year I was at
work with him at Mr. Arekoll's, at Gawiling. We were
working on she Tuesday, and he was taken bad on the
Saturday following. Deesseed used to bring his dinner
with him, and the labourers generally ate their dinners
together. At twelve o'cleck on the Monday before he was
taken ill we had our dinners as usual, and a short time
after deceased had eaten his dinner he wee taken very sick.
We had not had any beer with our dinner on this day. The
next clay the deceased and the rest of the 1 ebouren had their
dinner at the same time, and Mr. Arckoll gave us all some
neer. The deceased was igen takes' ill in the tame way
after he bad eaten his dinner, and he vomited very much.
and appeared very bed. He a-ked for tome water, and I
got it for him, and be drank heartily, but brought the water
up directly afterwards. It was in September, I think, twat
this occurred. Before this Tuesday the el. ei wed always
a;.-
penred in good health, and did his work like the other men.
By the prieocer—Deceased was ill during the Indent, and
stay. dat home for ren days. ibis was about a month before
September. Ido not know what was the matter with the
diseased.
By the court.-1 only judged he was ill because he did
not come to kis work. He never told me of his having
ken ill.
Beejamin Gemini said—l am a son of the prisoner and
the deceased. In September last, I and my bro tiers and
sisters lived in a cottage at Guesthug. There were two bed-
rooms and one keeping room in the cottage. Had a
brother named James, another named George, anther
named Edwin, a sister Mary Anne, and two younger
trailers named Andrew and Peter. lam 19 years old;
James was 26 and George was 21 years old. There were
two older brothers who did not live at home. James and
George are both dead. James died in March, 1849, and
George in D. cembir of last year. I rememb. rmy tether
being taken ill. I don't know the day of the month, but
the last day he went to work was on a Friday, and he
died en the Wednesday following. My mother nursed him
during his i Ines,. My brothers George and James and
myself u.ed to go home to our dinner, but my
father used to take his dinner with him, and I
have seen my mother prepare it for him. I saw my father
on the Sunday. He was in bed, and he told me that he wsa
very ill, and complained of burning heat in hie inside, and he
coatinued in the stun state all that day. He died ahem! one
o'clock in the afternoon of the Wednesday, and about six the
same morning ha told me that he was suffering very meek,
and could not get his breath. I remained with him until he
died, and he was buried on the Sunday following. My
brother George disci on the 27th September. He had been
ill ter a mouth and four days beeere. During his illness he
complained of suffering a pain in his heart, and also of sick-
ness, and he constantly vomited, and complained frequently
of thirst. My other brother James died in March. My
mother nursed them both. James was 11l for five week,
before his death,. and he also complained of a pain
at his heart, and of siekne ea, and of suffering
from thirst. During his Meese I saw him throw
up stuff of a green and yellow colour. During the
five weeks James got better at times, and then became ill
again. I was taken ill myself on the Sin April, and was ill
for a mouth, and I was then taken army from the house. I
used to take my meals at h. me during the time I Wall ill.
My mother used t s provide the meals, and pour me out tea
and coffee. I suffered nom heat and pains In my chest, end
wed to vomit and bring up the sine sort ref stuff as I t.ave
seen my heathen d'. I was attended by two medical
gentlemen, earned P: cock and Ticehierst, and the latter
gentleman took away my vomit to have it examined.
It was here intim arti to the court that a daughter c f the
prisoner was anxious to retain a cent:eel to defend her
mother. _ -

The Chief Baron said she might do so if the pleased, and
he would allow her urns to give the necessary instructions.
The daughter said that she must throw herself upon th,
mercy et the court. She had nu mans to employ counsel.
The Chief axon said that 611 he c-mid do was to ask
whether the senior counsel present would watch the cast on
her behalf ?
She replied that, she should be perfectly eatisfitel if this
were done, and Mr. Hurst consented to act for the
prisoner.
The examination was then continued. Mr. Treehurst
took away th.• stuff wteieh I vomits d.
Kr. Hurst aubmitteitthat evidence of the Mane of this
witness was not receivable, inasmuch as it referred to ele-
phants, en that occurred subs. qu. atly to the death of the
party, which death they were inquiring into.
The Chief Baron said it appeared t him that he could not
exclude such teedmouy, as the position and eonaition of
the family was an important ingredient n the present
inqu'ry.
The evidence was then proceeded with. The witness said—l
described my synk toms to Mr. Ticehurst, and he toek down
what I stated to writing. At times I got better, aid then I
suddenly became very ill, and esp-rienced the symptoms of
burning and thirst which I have en serih.d. I was mostly
taken di after meals. Before the Oils of April, when I was
attacked in the way described, I et j .yed goal health. George
and James were also very well betore Leif last illness. I
Lad never experienced such sympt ma before. In the keep-
ing room there was a nest of drawers which was used by
all the family indiseiimiiis'ely. Atter my mother was taken
into custody, the, rtstof the family were removed from the
house, and it was locked up, and I had the key, and if any
one sustain I nuempsnied them. We kept a eat before my
father's death, and we were not troubled with either rats cr
mice. I never heard my mother ley that there was any
poison in the house, and never hear arsenic mentioned.
My brother James was a wagerner to Sir John Ashburn-
ham. I never aoCced that his hoists looked mangy, or
that they required arsenic to kill the vermin upon them. I
never heard that there was anythi g the matter with his
' hones. My father was a member of a barbel club, and so
was I and my brothers James and George.
A book of the rules of the a .ciety to which he referred was
here handed to the witness sad he Identified it. The morns!
rale appeared to be that upon the death of a member there
was to ba a contrilnadun of one shilling from mho/ the
otf er sabers to di flay the utilise of the raters'.
By Mr. ilurst.—My mother seemed very kind and atten-
tive to me during my din. pa. I was first tuktn ill after
eating my mop. r with my mother and my brothers and as-
Ises. They all appeared to partake of the same food, and I
van Sot aware of anything being put into mine. I floret
heard of arsenic being made use of to get hones into condi-
MIM. The drawers were open to every one In tea boast.