The Express.
London, England, 1862-01-17 00:00:00

DOUBLE MI7RDE3 IN 115811.

OLAYERINO, EMU, Tanner Emma.

,
One of the moat frightful and cold-blooded
murders it has been our duty to record has been enacted
at a spot called Stariing-porm, Clavering, • villap on the
bordered the counties of Emu and Herts. The Souse in
which the crime was committed is situated in a very
lonely place. It is built in a sad of hollow, and is about
half a mile from any other human habitation. This house
waa occupied by a man named Samuel Law, his wife, and
two children. He was a farm kbourer nd ;sketcher,
being, however, chiefly employed in the latter occu-
pation, having, it is said, with his father, • large
connection with the sporting houses of the me-
tropolis for the sale of rats. He wag about 27
years of age, and had been married to his wife Rebecca,
aged 215, for seven years. Two children were the issue of
the marriage, the eldest being over six years clap, and the
youngest, a boy named Alfred, 16 weeks old. She was
originally courted by her husband's brother, but Law ulti-
mately suoceseled in wiuning her affections, and they were
married. The husband was a man of rather loose habits—
. not an habitual drunkard, but drinking freely whenever he
received more money than `ism'. The woman is described
as being sober and generally well-conducted. They fre-
quently quarrelled during the earlier portion of
their wedded life, but late years they lived more
happily together. Recently the woman hes been •
constant attendant at a chapel in this village ; and about
a mouth ago her husband was charged before the local
magistrates with haying kakis • gate leading to • field
=I to • Mr. Putterell, sad for this offence he was
be • meratles imprionumat in liertfoni county
sleirl. The urns of incansustleu expired on Friday last,
and upon proceeding to his cottage he discovered that his
wife bad du* b imprisonment gone into the Union house
with bar two dffidrm. He went to her on the following
day, and she Own sow plaimed to him of having been kept
without sufficient I He promised to take her out of
the workhouse immediately, if, as he stated, be should be
muipelled to sell every stick and rag he pose:deed. He re-
' deemed his promise on the very next day, and early on Sun-
morning went with her to his mother's house, in Clavering,
they partook of dinner. During the meal they ap-
pend Mho Me eurrieemfortable terms ; and between two
and Swot Ake* lathsafterooon left the house together.
N b kern of their movements until about
too me meaning, when it seems the woman
prenatal Wed( hoe motheffil house, which is situated
at lagti Oa. miles from the scene of the mur-
ders. buds dress were besineared with blood,
cad she was acconspasisd by her eldest child. They bad
walked acres the fields and through • wood in the dead of
night : sad upon gaining admittance into her mother's
cottage, she mid that some one had broken into the house
and had murdered her husband. She went into her mother's
bed, and some time afterwards told her parent that she her.
self was the murderess. Soon after daybreak the mother
spoke of it to • neighbour, and it ultimately came to the
knowledge of • tradesman named Codling,who had formerly
been a police officer. Mr. Codling, with great promptitude,
drove over in his hone and Malt to Starling-green, and.
entered the house. The Pint thing that &Weeded his Men-
tion was • large pool of blood on the floor of the house.
This he maw dripping from a hole in the ceiling. He went
upstairs, where a frightful spectacle was presented to his
view. Law's body, covered with blood, was lying partly
on and partly out of the bed. The head was fearfully
mutilated, so cut about, Indeed, that ecarnely a feature was
recognisable. Subsequent examination &deleted nearly •
hundred wounds:l:e head, face, and neck, sod from
fifteen to twenty • hie gashes on the right band and arm.
The unhappy vi • had evidently raised his arm to pro-
tect hie head from the effects of the determined sad
murderous onslaught being made upon him.
While Mr. Codling's ex.mination was proceeding he was
startled by hearing the cry of so infant in one corner of the
room. He at once turned from the dead to the living,
which proved to be the youngest child. He wrapped it is a
blanket and gave it to a young man named Prentice, • farm
bailiff, who had accompanied him from Langley. The up-
stairs room, in which the fearful tragedy had been perpe-
trated, has only one small casement window, over which
there is a dimity curtain, and neither Mr. Coining nor Mr.
Prentice had the slightest suspicion at the time they dis-
covered the hapless infant that any violence bad been used
towards it, the roam being too dark to enable them to die
cover the injuries which became apparent upon rumination.
Mr. Codling, leaving Prentice in charge of the house, im-
mediately drove back to Langley, previously sending •
uneseuger to Claveriog and Newport, to give information
to the police authorities. Oa arriving at Langley he
went to the house of the suspected murderer's parents,
and on his own responsibility took her into custody. She
coneented to sesompany him, and appeared iaolesp /grief.
He then drove over to Newport, and took her to the
lock-tip at that place. Oa this way thither she made •
full statement, acknowledging that she bad marderiedher
husband, and repeatedly sighed and groaned, Baying, " Oh,
my poor Sam,' and other words betokening her extreme
wretehsdnana She confessed, too, that her intention, in
taking her eldest child with her, was to drowu it
on the way, but that she was afraid lest its cries
should be head and an alarm be thereby raised.
A police-constable from Claveriag, having received the nue-
mage sent to the station, went to the house, and thoroughly
searched it. He was unable to find any weapon with which
the crime had been perpetrated ; but yesterday morning,
upon farther examinattou, the handle of a billhook, covered
with blood, was found iu one of the corners of the room.
A still more minute search was instituted, and at length
the iron part of the bill-hook was discovered, wrapped ss •
piece of dirty old cloth, having been thrust between the bed-
stead nod mattress. It was covered with clotted blood,
and a quantity of hair adhered to it. When discovered, the
body of the unfortunate man was quite cold, and it was
evident that he must have been dead some hours.
It has already been stated that upon being examined, the
child discovered in the room where the murdered man was
lying was found to be suffering from severe injuries. These
bad been inflicted about the head, apparently be • hammer
or some implement of that description. Mr. Robinson, •
surgeon, of Newport, attended the child, which bad been
conveyed to the house of its grandmother in this place, and
that gentleman at once adopted such remedial measures as
he was able. The injuries, however, were of suck a natrue
that, after lingering in oomiderable agony tbroogbout the
day, the unfortunate little creature expired about 9 o'clock
the same night.
When questioned respecting the wounds upon her son,
the murderers admitted that she bad beaten him about the
'hied with a hemmer, but although a very strict search bus
been made in the house and in the outbuildings, the weapon
has not been discovered.
With regard to any motive for such a diabolical crime,
nothing reliable is at present known. The wretched
woman has not allowed • single word to escape her which
would enable the motive to be ascertained.
The reporter was informed on the spot that it was well
known the woman entertained little if any affection for her
husband, and hod been heard to Kay on more than one
occasion that she bated him but loved his brother, who was
her first sweetheart. Whether there had been any quarrel
between them from the time they left the mother's house
up to the nannteut of the murder is only known to the
woman herself. She was without any mark of violence
upon her person, and her own statement confirms the
geueral impression that she attacked him as he lay asleep in
his bed.

THZ INQUIST.

- -
The inquiry into the causes of the death of the two de-
ceased was entered into at the For and Hounds, Clavering,
yesterday afternoon, before Mr. C. Crane Lewis, coroner
for the division of the county.
Ou the return of the jury to the inquest room, after view-
ing the bodies, the NVOLLIAU who is supposed to have com-
mitted the fatal act was brought up in custody of Superin-
tendent Flood. She looked iu an exceediogly miserable
plight, and kept up • continual moaning and sobbing
throughout the painful proceedings.
The above facts having been given in evidence, the coro-
ner summed up, and the jury returned a verdict of " Wilful
murder" against Rebook* Law in both cases.
The inquiry lasted upwards of eight hours.

GOVT.RNMENT EMIGRATION. Her Majesty's
Emigration Conimissioners chartered yesterday two ships
for the conveyance of emigrants, viz.: the Lady Milton, of
9113 tone, belonging to Mr. George Seymour, of Loudon, at
121. lls. 10d. per statute adult, to sal from Plymouth
between the 2tth of February and the 4th of March and
the Adelaide, of 829 tons belonging to Mr.FredericSomes, of
Loudon, atlo/. 10s. por statute adult, to sail from South-
ampton for Algae Bay, Cape of Good Hope, about the 25th
February. The commiesioners will on Thursday, the 23rd
instant, receive tenders for a ship to convey passengers to
Melbourne, to be ready on such day between the 41Ih and
11th of March next inclusive, as the commissiocieni may
name, the ship to be furnished with a fresh-water distilling
apparatus, and a competent person to manage it. At the
wee time the oommissiooers will also receive tenders for
the conveyance to Natal of a party of emigrants, consisting
of about 100 statute edam, in a vessel to sail from this
country not later than the 18th of March next.
Man. DIBPATGIIIO3.--Yesterday (Thursday) the
Quebec and Montreal Royal Mail steamer Anglo-Saxon was
despatched from Liverpool fur Portland, with the Canadian
United State, mai* 15 cabin passengers, and a largo
cargo.
DS. DR JONGH'II LIGHT BROWN COD LIVID'', Ckle
—lre SIIICACT IN SCROIVLA.-AU who have prescribed this
have unembowaily acknowledged its virtues in every forsal
*min* and bestowed upon it the highest prase, which bee
secured it the instigate mewl asiti-errofulous remedies. The
rit Stated_______...,Tinemis
scrumo? Irmo!
s/ssi .edtwbeee, depearance. the &seeder was
based the Waal medistme Dir. de Jmo a Lit
oed Unit 0616 sold only fnnook& hnpezial half-pints, ta. ed. :
ims, ea. pd. ; smarts. Sa. HD Dole Consignees. Ansa:, liar
sad co., ft, Wand, London ; and by respectable chemists.
—N

010. MITI AND MD
PIIRE EXTRAOT ei CALVES' FEET,
PTA htirallis sed glegusy .
Iguid lu 6d., lA, sod Skpeolesa. by e Desberelals, grocers. le
MANUFACTORY, 101. iaT POITLAND4T., IlLegent-st.. W.

SZOOND-HAND PIANOFORTES.
°LAMM DIALS, sad WOOD _. a Imp assortment
of iscombhand Ilaaeterba, by tbe wet egasewed makers, at
greatly redone yekea-101. RR rant.

ale erin•toti.

TO COBRIMPONDENTS.
ircrtisements Intended for •'Tbe ?sprees" London Evening
raper, must be at the atm, 10, Beneath street, by TWO
°dock on the d.y of publication.

HAYMARKET.
Tuts Zemmol, THE HONEYMOON. Mews. Rucluitone,
K Villiers. and Hoe Mra literrallara and Ytee Jane Coombs.
And Lang Hiss MC ',YET AND LITTLE BOY BLUE; or,
Harlequin and Uhl Middy Lonalcda. Laurie Leclerc% do.

►Rf IfCRIIR~I

THIS Eveureo. PLAYING WIT If PILL—And the Grand
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UT. JASON&

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IBISTANIVIA.

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MOM Mrs. s Lase: Yew& A. Irby, J. Louis, Newham,
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MOH WATZZ AT WSW' IRMO&
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TO-lieftiOnl —.Kerala& SA. Wft..... Afternoon. 313. &Om

LONDON, 7RIDAY, JAN. 17.

THAT impf rient in imperio—that moot anomalous
of judicatures and most imperative of subjects,
the Court of Chancery, has just siserted its autho-
rity over one of the latest of the independent
courts which the Legislature has created. As the
Sovereign Pontiff, while launching anathemas at
Emperors and directing the allegiance of nations,
yet loves to style himself the Servant of servants,
so it is a doctrine of the court in question, while
assigning limits to the jurisdiction of every other
in the realm, that it has no power over either
courts or property, • and only exercises a modest
control upon the persons of the lieges. If, how-
ever, its gentle admonitions should be disregarded,
it asserts the right of imprisonment for contempt,
and of at least effecting a separation between the
person and the estate which practically is regarded
as equivalent to a confiscation of goods. So when
it deems any other court to be infringing its
rights or misinterpreting the law, it has no occa-
sion to appeal to Parliament for redress, or even
to urge angry remonstrance upon its rivals. It
merely enjoins the parties in the other court to
cease from their contention. The message is one
of peace and goodwill, and is clothed in language
of etherisl mildness. But should it be for one
hour neglected, then comes the sharp and sudden
penalty. Like the Inquisitiog which burned the
bodies of heretics for the salvation of souls, the
Court of Chancery imprisons suitors for the vin-
dication of equity. Two hundred years ago the
great Lord Cote, Lord Chief Justice of England,
made a last stand against this assumption. The
war was waged with fervour through the persons
of the litigants and their legal advisers, who on
both sides were sent to gaol for contempt of the
opposing courts. At length the English SoLosioN
himself intervened, and after informing himself,
by the advice of all the King's counsel, JAME.% I.
gave the palm of victory to the Court of
Chancery, and ever since it has exercised uncon-
trolled away, not only over the courts at West-
minster, but over those of Scotland, of Ireland,
and of foreign countries, whenever it could catch
the suitors within the limits of its own jurisdiction.
Last of all, it has conquered and bound to its
chariot wheels the Court of Divorce.
The case in which this has occurred presents a
singular instance of the gradual process by which
English law has grown up, and of the strange in-
consistencies by which it is still distinguished.
In 1860 a husband and wife agreed to live sepa-
rate. Such an arrangement is far from being un-
common, and a lawyer can quickly supply a form of
deed in which the terms may be set forth.
By such a deed the parties in the present instance
bound themselves to live apart, never to resort to
law for restoration of the conjugal bond, and an
annual income was provided to trustees for the
wife'■ maintenance. In 1861 the husband re-
pented, and applied to the Court of Divorce—
better, perhaps, in this case designated by its
second title of Court for Matrimonial Causes—far
"restitution of conjugal rights." The wife
pleaded the deed of separation, but Sir Came-
WELL CRESSWELL refused to listen to it. His
court inherits the old ecclesiastical rules, where
not expressly altered by Parliament, and one of
them wag that such a deed was valid only
while both parties assented to it, and that either
party might at any time apply to an ecclesiastical
tribunal to compel the return of the other to con-
nubial life. The wife then appealed to the Court
of Chancery to enforce performance of the stipu-
lations in the deed, by prohibiting her husband
from prosecuting his suit in the Matrimonial Court.
The Master of the Rolls, Sir JOHN ROMILLY,
before whom the case was first heard, held that
he had no power to interfere. Principle and pre-
cedent, he ruled, both forbade the Court of Chan-
cery to assert any jurisdiction over a matrimonial
snit of this nature. But on appeal Lord WWI-
BURY was of a different opinion. He thought that
in some of the former cases in which the interpo-
sition of Chancery had been refused, the Judges had
confused the law of Rome, which forbids all loosening
of the marriage tie, with that of England, which re-
cognises its dissolubility in certain cases. As it
was admitted on all hands that tho stipulations
respecting the property of the parties would re-
ceive the protection of the Court, he could see no
reason why those respecting the persons should not.
Accordingly he decreed that the suit before Sir
CREASWELL CHERWELL should be arrested. And
as that learned judge will probably not renew the
struggle in which Sir EDWARD CONE was worsted,
the decision is practically to affirm the doctrine
that married persons may by deed agree to live
apart, and that neither can without consent of the
other break through the terms of the arrangement.
There is still, however, an appeal to the House
of Lords ere we can regard this question as finally
settled. Nor, where two such high authorities as
Lord WESTBURY and Sir JOHN ROWILLY are at
variance, shall we talcs upon ourselves to antici-
pate what may be the ultimate judgment of the
law. But when that has been concluded there
will still be an appeal to the yet higher court of
Public Opinion, on the question, what ought to be
the law, and on this we may, without impropriety,
offer some general suggestions. Already, indeed,
the subject has received the consideration of the
Legislature. In Lord Caerrwosen's Divorce Bill
of 1857 there was a clause which sanctioned agree-
ments of separation, and declared expressly
that they should be a bar to a suit
for restitution of conjugal right& The billies' lost
by the dissolution in April, mad the clause was not
re-introduced in the bill presented in the following
year, and which ultimately became law. There
WM% however, to be no very valid reason why

Parliament should not, under proper restrictions,
give effect to some such rule. Lord ELDON sum-
marised the objections to this course in the fol-
lowing words, speaking then to the question
whether he ought as Chancellor to give effect to
an agreement of the kind ;—" I think no court
" ought to act upon it ; for, whether the contract
" of marriage be, as it is represented by some, a
" civil contract only, or whether it be both civil
" and religions, it is one of a peculiar nature—it
" is one which the parties cannot dissolve, one by
" which they impose duties on themselves and
" engage to perform duties towards their offspring,
" duties which are imposed as much for the sake
" of public policy as of private happiness."
But we may venture to think that there are
certain cases which the law can hardly reach, but
which must be left in some measure to the judg-
ment of the parties, in which these duties will be
better performed by the parties living separately
than in enforced and hated union. The law allows
of dissolution of the marriage bond for heinous
breach of its obligations, it permits separation of
the persons for gross acts of cruelty. But, besides
these overt acts, there may ho a thousand causes
of inevitable disagreement and unhappiness, causes
which render the married life a burden and a
snare, though the wife never commits adultery nor
the husband ever knocks her down. Separation
is in such cases the remedy which the friends on
both sides most earnestly invoke, but it is obvious
that it is no remedy at all, if liable to be set aside
at any moment by the caprice of either. What-
ever facilities be given to it there is little chance
of its being rashly and imprudently resorted to.
The mere preparation of a deed gives time for the
cooling of passion, and the intervention of
relatives. If all these fail, it is probably the
best that can happen to the parties that
they should part. If at any future time they
desire to return to mutual society, it is of course
in their power to do so ; but if only one should
so desire, it is most likely to be the one which
was originally the most in the wrong, and it seems
only fair to give the protection of law to the still
recusant sufferer. No doubt certain securities
against abuse must be provided. Care must be
taken that the separation inflicts no injustice on
either party, nor gives sanction to any arrange-
ments submitted to through terror or fraud. But
in such matters the Court of Chancery, if it shall
succeed in establishing its jurisdiction, has very
sound rules. Nor, if resort is ultimately had to
the Legislature, will there be much difficulty in
providing all due precautions of this nature.