The Express.
London, England, 1865-07-28 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME ClRCUlT.—Maruerosz, Jima 27.
Oaows Coure.(Befors Mr. Baron Pigott)
THE STAPLEHUBST TRAGEDY. SENTENCE
UPON THE PLATELAYER BENGE.
The learned Baron passed sentence is the cue of the
platelayer Bongo, found guilty one charge of manslaughter,
arising out of the dreadful railway accident at Staplehorst.
It appeared that he had boroe an excelled character.
sad had been retained in the service of the ammo,'
down to the time of the trial (he having been oat on bail), '
although the engine driver had hem demised frren
their employment. The priori= having been brought up
to the bar for endow, the learned judge addressed him as
1 follows :—Bonge, you have been found guilty of culpable
negligees* is the performance of your duty, which resulted
In the death of the unhappy lady, Mrs. Oondlifl. The jury
have expressed an opinion, with which I very much agree,
that such • duty as yews—namely, that of being in com-
ma over a body of men employed in faking up the iron
rails, on • line over which express trains are constantly
travelling, ought not to be intruded to • mere ordinary
labourer who works with his pickaxe sod shovel at the
same employment. I hope the railway couipmy will take
this into their serious consideration. Giving due weight to
this opinion of the jury, and also to the fart that you have
received as excelled character for sotriety and steadiness,
I think that the sentence of nine months imprisoomeot,
which I now pus upon you, will be sufficient.
Sentence was also passed is the following cam tried yes-
terday, and which was a little remarkaole. It was the
ease of one Martin, a man about 50, charged with feloni-
ously setting fire to • stack of straw.
It appeared that the proseentrix was • widow named
Carman, having • farm at Dittos, sad the prisoner bad
been in her employ as • labourer until the 27th of Jun*
last. On that day, aooording to the evidence of the prose-
MAT* he suddenly accused her of &bowing favour to a
man named Harvey, and said he ought to be revenged for
such • woman as she was. He then took away his clothes
and left her service. She denied all familiarity with the
prisoner, and that he had ever walked with him at night,
except when her children were with her. Oa the 4th of
July the are took place, and witnesses were called who
had seen the prisooer is the neighbourhood about the time.
He had not helped to pot out the tire.
This was all the evidence to connect him with the act.
In moss.examioatiosi by the pr loner moot them wastes*
admitted that be had applied fur another rtuatiou, because
he should have to Lave Mrs. Caressa's serviceif she married
the prisoner. He had gem her kiss the prisoner.
Tee prisoner in his defence said that it was at Mrs. Oar-
man's invitation he went to live with hues maa and wife ;
that one night she let in the waggoner after he left her.
and then he refused to live with her any longer. Sbe was
will angry, and this charge was made against him out of
spit&
In the coarse of the case for the prosecution,
The learned judge threw out • suggestion that the evi-
demo was not sufficient to convict, and that it might be
peeper that the counsel for the prosecution should with.
draw from the case ; to which, however, he did not assent.
At the mad of the ode the learned judge summed up in •
tone strongly favourable to the prisoner, and, mde.d, con-
veying the impression that he did not consider the evidence
enfficiest to convict.
The jury, however, convicted him.
The learned judge postponed passing sentence until this
morning, when he sentenced him to Ave years' penal ser-
vitude.