The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-15 00:00:00

THE CANNON-STREET MURDER.

Serjeant Ballantine, in summing up the case for the
prisoner, said that, unless his feelings and his judgment
were completely warped, it appeared to him that there
never was a case in which a prisoner had been able so
conclusively to establish, not that there was any doubt of
his guilt, but his complete and entire innocence.
Mr. Metcalfe having replied,
Baron Bramwell then proceeded to sum up. He said
there were two questions for the consideration of the jury,
the first of which was whether a murder had been com-
mitted, and if so, whether the prisoner was the person by
whom that murder had been committed. His lordship
then proceeded to state that the evidence given by Mrs.
Robbins, that she saw the prisoner leave the house at a
time when the murder mast have been committed, was
most important ; but if they thought that she was mis-
taken in speaking to the identity of the prisoner, there
was undoubtedly an end of the case, for there really was
no other evidence against the prisoner. He would at the
same time observe that it was the duty of the prosecution
to make out the case, and if any reasonable
doubt was left upon their minds as to the guilt
or innocence of the accused, he was entitled to
the benefit of that doubt, and ought to be ac-
quitted. There was no doubt that a connection of an =-
friendly character existed between the prisoner and the de-
ceased, and that the prisoner was in the habit of applying
to her for money, and the suggestion on the part of the
prosecution no doubt was that he had gone for that object
on this night, and that a quarrel took place, and that the
murder was committed by the prisoner with the instru-
ment that was found in the passage, or one he had taken
with him. There appeared to be no doubt that the pri-
soner was at Windsor about seven o'clock, and again at '
twelve o'clock, and the case for the prosecution was that
there were certain trains by which the prisoner could have
gone to London and committed the murder and have re-
turned to Windsor by the time mentioned. Some witnesses
had been called for the prosecution to show that
the prisoner was seen apparently making his way
to the Slough station, but it appeared by the evi-
dence of one of these witnesses that he saw him at a dis-
tance of a mile and a half and a hundred and fifty yards
at half-past seven o'clock, and this would only have allowed
him thirteen minutes to catch the train, which started at
forty-three minutes past seven. The jury would judge
whether this could have been done, but, of course, tf the
prisoner could not have caught this train, there was an end
of the case. His lordship then referred to the evidence of
the witness Robbins, and said that, without at all finding
fault with the police, be thought they bad not
wisely in stationing her at her door and taking the pri-
soner pest her, but it was a circumstance favourable to the
prisonertbat although he was taken by, Mrs. Robbins could
not recognise him, and if anything unfair was intended
by the course that was adopted, it seemed to have
recoiled upon those who bad practised this unfairness.
The learned judge then called the attention of the jury to
the evidence that had been given by one of the witnesses,
that she saw a man somewhat resembling the prisoner, but
eipeared to her to be older, at the house of the de-
ceased, and that she was evidently under alarm, and he
put it to the jury whether it was an improbable suggestion
that the murder was committed by this man, and not by
the prisoner. He then promedW to remark upon the evi-
dence that had been adduced to prove an alibi, and he ob-
served that if the jury believed the evidence of the wit-
nesses who had been examined, it would be impoerible for
the prisoner to have committed the offence of which he
was accused. His lordship concluded by stating that he
believed he had laid all the facts before the jury, and he
must now leave the case in their hands.

The jury, without any hesitation, found the prisoner
Not Guilty.
The learned judge, addressing the jury, said—lt is
due to the prisoner for me to say I think so too. He is
more than not guilty : he is innocent
The foreman of the jury—We feel no doubt about it,
my lord, in our minds.
The prisoner exclaimed—.
am as innocent as a baby."
The court then rose.

•" Thank you, gentlemen. I