The Express.
London, England, 1858-02-23 00:00:00

ABSIZR INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN cuteurf.—LANCASTER, FEB. 20.

(Baba Mr. Baron MarUa.)
WILTCL XV/LOIll AT 0V7.71. DA&WEN.

Thongs Xershaw, 19, was indicted for the wilful murder
of Robert Kershaw, at Over Darwen ; and Catharine Kershaw,
69, was indicted for being an geometry after the fact, by con-
cealing the murder.
Mr. Overend, with whom was Mr. R. A. Cross, M.P., ap-
for the prosecution • Mr. Ovens defended Catharine
d Kershaw. ; and Mr. Whighira defended Thomas Kershaw.
The particulars of the case were fully detailed by Mr.
Overend in his opening addles, end were as follows :—The
deceased was 69 years of age. On Wednesday, the 13th
January, the day of the murder, the deceased and his wife
were left alone at home. About three o'clock in the afternoon
the deceased was seen at the outside of the back door of his
house with his hands ia his pocket, and in, what the witness
would tell them, a musing position; and he was not after-
wards seen alive. The prisoner Thomas worked at Mr.
Gardner's factory, and about 11 o'clock in the forenoon of
that day he asked leave to go to Blackburn, and he
left work at that time, and was not again men till about
three o'clock, when he was men to enter the house about the
time the old man was at the beck door, and wail not teen to
go out wam. Somewhere between three and four o'clock
the 6=U primmer went to • little shop in the same street
for some tobacco and was afterwards seen mates about the
boat smoking. Her youngest daughter came from school
about four o'clock, and asked where her father was. The
old women replied that she had never seen him since Thomas
sad be were scuffling in the cellar. She noticed some blood
on the floor and some shirts on a clothes-maid, is if they had
been recently washed. Shortly after Thomas went In and
took a shovel and went into the cellar and began to shovel
the coals. When the eon Robert and his sisters came home
they found the old woman sewing in the " nook" beside the
fire, and wham they inquired for their father she said she had
not seen him since four o'clock. About nine o'clock is the
manias the prisoner Thomas cams home, and shortly after
he asked Robert, who slept with him, to go to bed. Robert
asked him where hie father was, and prisoner replied
" Perhaps he is looking for rue as I have been
off work." After Robert had been asleep • short
time the prisoner awoke hie brother, and told him what had
occurred, viz., that he had killed his father and put the body
in the cellar under the coal', and desired he would say
nothing about it, but go off with him to ship off to ma.
Thome' promised an this, on condition that he might go
into the cellar and see that it wag true. He got a candle,found it was se the primmer had stated, went out, called
senstanos, the body wasgot out, and the prisoner appre-
hended.

The evidence called fully bore out the statements of the
learned counsel, and the wither Robert clearly explained the
whole of the convenatica with his brother end the circum-
stances which transpired. On the croes-examination of this
witness he Meted that up to about twelve months ago a better
youth than the prisoner did not exist ; but about that time a
change came over bun and he became moody and molar'.
°ltaly, and sesprilLicoori deal of time in medium pertions of
the Bible, y the prophecies and the Revelations.
He had several times told witness that his father was one of
the °mites, a sect which was working a deal of mischief,
sad was oWeaguing with hie sister for a criminal Inter-
course, in order that it might be laid upon hint (the
primmer) to rein his character ; for he said ha bad • special
rebuke to perform, and was to bring them to justice. The
Emperors of France and Buda were to invade this country,
and when they did, he bad to go to some friends in Arne, ice,
the patriots, and when he bad seen them be was to go to the
President, who would grant him an army with which he
would descend upon England, defeat the Closing, and rid
them from the earth. He had frequently prophesied the
time when those things were to take place, and about the
time was very excitable and unsettled, and when it passed he
would study end prophesy again; witness said prisoner had
desired him to keep it secret,for If it was to become known,
his enemies would gain an advantage over him, which other-
wise they could not.
His Honour pet it to the learned counsel whether he could
carry the case any further. There was clear evidence of the
insanity of the man. There was no proof of insanity in the
woman, but the evidence against her was not satisfactory.
Could It be shown that she was an accessory? At present it
had not.

Overend replied that he really had no further evi-
dome spinet the woman, but at his request another witness
or two wore examined, but nothing that tended to elucidate
the mayor was elicited.

Hia Wraaln7 said there was clearly no evidence against
the woman.

fer:(s;;;end—The washing the blood from the floor and
the shirts,

EiTiidship—That is a concealment of evidence; but it
to no proof that she wan aeoessory ; the evidence was rather
that she was not in the house at the time. She herself said
she ►new nothing about it; and it had not been shown that
she did._ _ _

Hie lordship directed the jury and they turned round for
consultation. The foreman in about a minute inquired what
would be the consequence of their verdict. Hu Lordship
(sternly)—You have nothing to do with consequitsces. Do
your duty according to law, and I will do mine.
The jury returned a verdict acquitting the female prisoner;
and also oetptilkd the male prisoner on the ground of in-
sanity; sad his lordship directed him to be imprisoned
during her MAjesty's plearure.

ARSON AT CRORLIT.

The sentence on James Holden, for ealtiog lire to a cotton
mill, at Chorley, is reepited until .at ambrin, la order that
the state of the priscesels mind may be amierhelited.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL CO URT.

Marl's Byer Adkins, a penon of respectable appearance,
surrendered to take kin taial fur misdemeanour.

Mr. Thon:eon Prosecuted; Mr. Sleigh was conned for
the defendant.

Trellisl;as ot;sof those cases in which a bill was preferred before
the grand jury, and found by them, upon export' evidence,
without any previous inquiry taking plate before • magis-
trate, end as it generally turns out where this course is
adopted, when the matter comes to be publicly inquired into
bolo ths court, the charge appeared to fail entirely in legal
Cutlt appeared that the defendant had obtalasd • patent
ts manufacture of a gas regulator, and that in 1866
• person named Clerk was employed by him as his
agent for the ode of the article, and he continued to set
is that capacity until April, 1857, when he loft the
service of the defendant, and • dispute arose between
them upon the subject of the settlement of the
sad brought a plaint in the City "fists' nut
Court to recover • sum of money which he alleged to hedge
to him by the present defindaat. The judge of the court,
that the ter was one which would be mare°Zimlati
ieototy mottle =►d
by arbitration, referred the dimputed ac-
oounta to Mr. Cartoon, the barrister, and the plaintiff and
defendant were examined before that gentleman, and it v•
puired that in the course of the evidence given by Mr.
Judith's, he stated that he only knew of one account that
was the subject of inquiry " by hearsay," and it was upon
this statement that the dafrodaat was now indicted for wilful
and corrupt perjury, under the circumstances above stated.
The Recorder, after hearing the evidence adduced on be-
half of the prosecution, expressed his opinion that it had
entirely failed to rapport the charge. With regard to the
I allegation that the defendant hed committed perjury in
stellar; that hi only knew of the account in question " by
beerier," the evideeee appeared to him to establish that ix
making this statement be 'poke the truth.
Mr. Thompson said he could not earn the case any further.
Ths Recorder raid ha was of opinion There was ao evidence
port the charge and the jury consequently at oboe re-
turned• verdict of Net Chalty.
Mr. Thompson then applied for the costs of the pro-
secution.

Tae liaeordar said certainly not. It was one of the WI