The Express.
London, England, 1851-05-16 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY' 16, 1851:

CENTRAL CRIMINAL CO URT.

OLD COURT.-YESTERDAT.
MAUULAVOUTER or A FATHIM:

F. Judd, 18, was indicted for the wilful murder of
Richard Judd, his father.
The facts of this case have appeared very recently in the
police reports,and notwithstanding the dreadful nature of the
charge, the evidence was in a very small compass. It appeared
that the deceased sad the prisoner lodged together at a
house in Garden-street, Westminster, and about eight
o'clock on the morning of the 12th April the persons living
in the room underneath that of the deceased heard the
sounds of a scuMe and of some person moaning, and shortly
afterwards the prisoner came down stairs and left the house.
After he had gone the deceased also came down, and it was
observed that his face was covered with blood, and that
he had received some very severe injuries. Ile
was taken to the hospital, where it was found
that his skull was fractured, the bones of his nose
broken, and also his under jaw, and it was the opinion of
the surgeon that these injuries had been inflicted by •
poker which was found in the deceased's room. The un-
fortunate old man lingered for about a fortnight and then
died, the death being the result of the injuries he had re-
ceived. The prisoner went away for two or three days, and
he then gave himself up, and when he was informed
that he was charged with cutting and wounding
his father, the deceased being at the time alive,
he said that his father had brought it all upon
himself ; and when he was under examination before the
magistrate he made a statement to the effect that it was an
accidental occurrence.
Mr. Ballantinc, in addressing the jury for the prisoner,
remarked upon the melancholy nature of the ease, and said
that he should not, under the circumstances, think himself
at all justified in endeavouring to extricate the prisoner
from being convicted of the crime of manslaughter. He
said he trusted, however, that the jury would come to the
conclusion that the injuries were the result of a sudden fit
of passion, and in the excitement of a struggle ; and in that
ease the jury would be justified in saying that the prisoner
had not committed the dreadful crime of murder, which
would inevitably entail the dreadful penalty of the forfeiture
of his life, and that they would convict him of man-
slaughter only.
Several witnesses were called, who gave the prisoner the
character of a humane, mild, and inoffensive lad.
The learned judge having summed up, the jury, after a
very short deliberation, found the prisoner (;nifty of man-
slaughter.
Mr. Baron Alderson, after making some appropriate ob-
servations upon the heinous character of the charge, ICU
tented him to be transported for life.

Ta■ DIAMOND ROBBERY.

Edward Thotun, 24, clerk, was indicted for stealing a
suite of diamonds, valued at 4.501., the property of Jacques
Schwabacher and another, his masters.
The prisoner pleaded Guilty.
Mr. Parry, for the prosecution, said they were anxious to
recommtn the prisoner to mercy, thinking he had com-
mitted the act under a sudden fit of temptation.
Mr. Bodkin, who was for the prisoner, informed the
court that to-morrow he should be prepared with witnesses
to character.—Sentence deferred.

THE POLICE COURTS.
GUILDHALL

Mr. Joseph Soplate, formerly proprietor of the Bridge-
house Hotel, and now manager of the London Coffee
House, was brought up for further examination, on the
charge of indecently assaulting Jeremiah William Callan,
an engine-driver.
The complainant Callan and a man named Roof, whom
he produced for the purpose of confirming a portion of his
testimony, were examined separately. Their testimony in-
volved so many contradictions and palpable falsehoods that
the worthy alderman stated his conviction that it was a
case of infamous perjury, and directed them to change
places with Mr. Softlaw, whom he recommended to indict
both of them for a conspiracy.
Mr. Softiaw (having entered the witness-box) contra-
dicted the allegations of Roof and Callan, and was cor-
roborated in some of the material points of his evidence.
Alderman Salomons (addressing Callan and Itoof) said—
I will give you both the same opportunity to clear your-
selves u I gave to Mr. Softlaw. I shall remand this case,
and if you can find good bail I will accept it in the amount
of BW. each, two sureties in 201. each fur Callan, and
himself in his own recognisances for 401. The same for
Roof.—Ball not being forthcoming, prisoners were removed
to the Compter
WORSHIP-STREET.
• .
' "

An elderly man named Jesse described as a
glass-molter in Doild's-plare, Ilethna -green, was charged
with hating illtreated his wife, by forcibly placing her
upon the furnace in his workshop, whereby she had sus
mined serious personal injuries.
From the evidence of the complainant, one of whose arms
was shockingly scorched and inflamed, and her face much
swollen and contused, it appeared that on the afternoon
of the 6th inst., being in want of money to procure food
and other necessaries for lire children, she went into a
small factory adjoining the dwelling-house, where her hus-
band was at work, and requested him to supply her with
some, but was answered with the most abusive epithets, ac-
companied by a positive refusal. On renewing her appli-
cation, and upbraiding him with his unfeeling conduct, she
was immediately seized by the defendant, who carried her
to the furnace in which a strong coke fire was burning, for
the purpose of melting glass, and thrust her down upon it.
She managed to escape at that time without sus-
taining much injury, but was again seized by
the defendant, who repeated the same barbarous conduct
twice afterwards, and on the last occasion her hands and
arms were dreadfully burnt, and her dress partially
destroyed. The defendant then renewed the attack upon
her, and after beating her unmercifully with his fist,
seized her by the hair and repeatedly dashed her head
against the wall of the apartment. She had been com-
pelled on previous occasion, to obtain warrants against him,
and he had been committed to prison for his cruelty to-
wards her. The complainant added that ever since the last
attack she had been under the constant care of a surgeon,
and was still suffering from the injuries she had received.
The complainant's daughter was also examined, and fully
corroborated her mother's evidence.

In answer to the charge, ilV;defi;ndant said that his wife
had assaulted hint first by scratching his face, and that she
had accidentally fallen into the tire while he was endeavour-
ing to repel her violence.
Mr. Ilommill said that a more cold-blooded and brutal
outrage had seldom come under his notice, and he should
order the defendant to pay a penalty of il., or lie committed
in default for two months to the House of Correction.