The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-23 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT.—Lzwie, Nato= 22.
(Before Lard Chief Justice MO
TH3 BRIGHTON swum.
John William Lc' h, 27, described es a seaman, wee
=d with the wilful murder of Harriet Harem, at
oe, on the let of February last.
The prisoner is a stout, determined looking young fellow,
wearing • small °eel black moustache. Ha was mated
during the trial. sod did not exhibit the slightest am-
ass during any portion of the evidence, not even when his
own mother wag examined. The ease appeared to excite
very greet interest, and the court was crowded during the
proceedings.
Mr. Houma! sod Mr. Hurst conducted the prosecution.
Mr. Kemp wee retaieed to defied the prisoner.
The homed weasel for the prosecution in opening the
ease to the jury gave a very brief narrative of the facts
mem which the charge was sought to be supported, and
which ley in • very narrow isotope's. The prisoner it ap-
peared was an illegitimate Kidd. bet be had bees well pro-
vided for, but dissipated all the means that were given him,
and he theememed to have served in the royelnam, end wee
present deringtheCrimean campaign. He elsesernalinOhiem
and he seemed to bare led • roving, irregular life in differ-
ent foreign oatustriee, until about two years ego, when ho
made his appearance at Brighton ; and he then appeared to
have °muted the sister of the unfortunate deosased, and
they were married. The prisoner sad hie wife, after the
marriage, appear to have kept a public-bones at Brentford,
but he was wienesentul is his baskets, aid the marriage
appeared to have turned out very unhappily, end hie wife
left him, sad returned to the house of barrister at Brighton.
whose husband kept a public-bowie called the Jolly Fisher-
man at that place, The prisoner seemed to have massive&
at the house of his mother, at liteekvey, until the sod of
January, when be went down to Brightos armed with •
dx-chamber resolver, and evidently bent upon carrying out
the deadly object be bad in view. He made his appeareace
at the JoUy Fisherman about half-pest ten o'clock at night
on the let of February, and be appearedto hare walked
deliberately into the bar perkier, where his sister-In-law
was sitting with two customers, ad discharged two of the
chambers of the rev slyer at her person, and
the bullet from one of them passed completely
through her body. The other entered at the back of the
unfortmeto woman, glanced upwards, and lodged under
her left ann.pit, from whence it wads subsequently
extracted. The injuries were fatal, and the de-
ceased expired In • few haul. The premier after
having acted as aboviadesoribed rushed into the street, and
wheel Mr. &rase, a imperial rudest of the Brighton
pelisse with great courage attempted to take him isle
custody be disohargsa a third barrel at hirsoied he had
almost a miraculous escape of losing his life. The premier
wee secured, and upon the revolver being examined it was
toned that the remaining chambers were loaded and
capped, and • number of pistol bullets were found is hie
pomades.
Chief Justice Erie, in summing up the ease, *b-
eamed that the only question for the jury to me:
eider was whether, at the time this met wascom-
mitted, the prisoner was mixable of disti
'between
right and wroeg. and alder this
bele clearly established, it would be their duty
to convict him. He then referred to the erliegen
that had been adduced on behalf of the prisoner, and I.
the circumstances under whale the mime was oceassitted,
and he said the juq must form their awn weetesims se
to the state of mad of the prisoner and whether he
Iwas sieeperhatly well aware that at the time be took the lib
of this uabappy woman he wee committiag as act of
criminal serene for which he was responsible both by the
law el God and the lee of his country.
The jary, witheat leaving the box, and in less than film
minutes, toeing the prisoner Drily. as was them asked by Mr. Avory. the Clerk of Arraigns,
whether he had anything to large why he should sot be ego.
• teamed to die amerdieg to law ?
The prisoner, who bad gat up hem his seat when the
vadat was perouneed, replied in a toed and indifferent
to of veins, have eollidng to my be justify wadi."
The learned judge, who seemed • good dad sleeted,
haring asommed the black cap seldreseed the primmer, sod
said be bed bees cosevioied by the jury epee tie elder's'
• *widener of the crime el wilful murder, sod the
• t of societv, teed. elarthat • weenie, should be held
out tnetkers set to be guilty of • similar crime, dereseded
that lie should eedergo the Nasky for that offense thee
wet Imposed by the kw. Hs did net feel wad epos to do

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