The Express.
London, England, 1867-07-17 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

MIDLAND CIRCDIT.—WARwIett, Juts 16.
(Beton) Mr. Baron Pigott.)

Jawes writing clerk, was indicted for having,
at Birmingham, on the 6th April last, feloniously, wilfully,
and of malice aforethough, killed and murdered John
Pryse.
Mr. Adams and Mr. Bristowe were for the prosecution,
and Mr. Fitzjames Stephen with Mr. Buzzard defended
the prisoner.
From the evidence it appeared that Mr. John Pryse,
the unfortunate gentleman with whose murder the pri-
soner at the bar stood charged, was a little more than
thirty years of age. He was married and had two children
surviving, and he resided at 122, Artillery-row, Bir-
mingham, and was brother of Mr. Charles Pryse, of the
firm of Pryse and Redman, gun makers of Aston-street.
Of late years the deceased had been engaged by that firm
as a traveller, but bad previously been employed in other
capacities. Nearly the whole of his lifetime had been
spent with the firm. He was[well.known in the principal
towns of England, Ireland, and Scotland, the various con-
nections of the firm extending to almost all parts of
the United Kingdom. He was good tempered, good
natured, and amiable in every way, acd was beloved by
friends and respected by acquaintances. About a fort-
night previous to the murder there had been, through the
instrumentality of the unfortunate deceased, an investiga-
tion into the accounts of the prisoner Scott, who held the'
'Oblation of cashier, or principal clerk, in the above firm,
in whose employ he had been for seven years. Scott is a
single man, 22 years of age, and up to the time of the
murder lived with his widowed mother at Avenue.plaoe,
Avenue-road, Aston park, Birmingham. In the course of
the investigation above referred to the prisoner went to
one of the principals, ackowledged a defalcation of 6/., and
promised to pay it out of his wages, begging at the same
time to be forgiven for the irregularity. The murdered
man, however, subsequently discovered that he had been
debited by Scott with a considerable sum for travelling
expenses in 'seem of what he believed he had actually
received. The deceased was engaged for upwards of a
week in scanning the papers, scrutinising the accounts,
Lc., with a view of ascertaining beyond question
what the troth was in regard to that charge. In
the meanwhile a question was raised about a sum of
Vt. and some rings. On the evening of the 6th of April, a
little before six o'clock, Mr. John Pryse and the accused
were together by themselves in the warehouse. On that
occasion the inns ties which were matter of investiga.
tion were the subject of discussion. That was the last
occasion on which the deceased and the prisoner would
have met for some time, as the former was about to pro-
ceed on his travels before again visiting the manufactory.
Nothing definite is known as to what took place between
them, but it seemed that Scott left the room went into
an adjoining apartment, asked one of the clerics for a re-
volver, remarking that he wanted to show it to a friend
received it, asked for some cartridges also, and obtained
them; loaded four chambers of the revolver there and
then, and returned to the room where be had been speak-
ing to Mr. Pryee. Two pistol shots were heard, mime-
diatelT after which Mr. Charles Pryse and his wife, who
were in an adjoining room, hurried out in alarm, and
saw the deceased fall mortally wounded. Mr. Charles Pepe,
seeing in an instant, from the attitude of the two
persons before him, what had happened, seized Scott, who
grappled with him, and sent a bullet through his hand. A
fourth shot was also fired but it injured no one. Mr.
Charles Pryse sprained his wrist in the fearful and
ghastly struggle which ensued between him and the Fie*.
ner. He succeeded in wresting the revolver from Scott,
and then gave him a knock on the head with it, lessening
his inclination and power to resist. Assistance was
promptly procured, and the primmer Ma taken into
the custody of police-roasts lea Forster and Day.
They charged him with the murder, but he made no reply.
Mr. Meeke, surgeon, of Gosta-peen, was immediately
sent for, and on his arrival he found Mr. John Prise
dying, with two pistol-shot wounds, one in the chest and
one in the abdomen. A few moments later and the un-
fortunate man expired. The attention of the surgeon was
next directed to Mr. Charles Pryse. The prisoner was
taken in custody to the General Hospital, where he was
admitted an in-patient. He remained there for a few
weeks, when, after careful treatmert, he recovered.
Mr. Fitzjames Stephen, for the defence, left it to
the jury to say whether the prisoner fired the shot with
the intention of doing the deceased only grievous bodily
harm and if the fatal shot was fired by accident in the
struggle between him and the prisoner. If they came to
the latter conclusion, then they could conscientiously re-
turn a verdict of manslaughter.'
The jury then retired, and after an absence of twenty
minutes returned into court with a verdict of wilful mur-
der against the prisoner, and
The learned judge passed sentence of death in the usual
manner.