The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-27 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENOB.

HONE ClRClJlT.—Kniorros, Maws 26.
(Wore the Lord Chief Biros.)
ALUM= inn= 07 A GAIIIMIZSMOL
George Flint, 25, John Skeet, 22, Francis Skelton, 32,
George Thornton, 25, sod Stephen Jordan, 21, five power-
ful-looking young men, deseribed sa labourers. were
charged with the wilful murder of Hnmpbry Rapier.
The prisoners were also charged with misdemeanour, in
being unlawfully at night upon certain land armed with
guns for the purpose of taking game.
To the last indictment they at first pleaded guilty, but
at the suggestion of their counsel they subsequently with-
drew that plea and pleaded not guilty.
The charge of murder was then proeesded with.
Serjeant Robinson sod Mr. Masser Dawson conducted
the prosecution ; Mr. Liffey defended Skeet, Yr. Ribton
appeared for Thornton, Mr. Thompson for Flint, Mr. Op-
muheim for Jordan, sad Mr. Bader Rigby for Sheik,.
The facts of the use lay in a eery narrow compass, and
although the prisoners were charged by the indictment,
and also upon the coroner's inquisition, w,th the mime
offence of wilt uteturder, the learned mums' for the prosecu-
tion, in his operating address to the jury, suggested that it was
one in which thecircumatoness would probably be considered
by them as only justifying a oonvictios fee the leerier offence
of manslaughter. It appeared that on the "Teeing of
the 22nd of November last, about eight o'olock, the de•
caned, who was sesistant.genteleseper to Mr. Randall, a
magistrate for the county of Surrey, who resides at Chad.
wood, about seven miles from Reigate, and who has exten-
sive preserves, was in hie cottage with two other men named
Johns and Roomer, when they heard a gun discharged in a
wood not far off from the mina". Very soon afterwards
they heard a second shot, and they this went out for the
purpose of searching the wood, and each of the men pro-
vided himself with a stir*. The doomed, it appeared, wee
paralysed and h•d lost the use of his right am
but he seemed to have gone first into the wood, sad upon
the other two men following him a very short time after-
wards they heard the report of a gun, and then a shriek,
and when they bad geese a few passe farther they came
upon the body of the deemed, who had bees shot through
the lungs, and was quit* dead. It was a wiry dark sight,
and none of the prisoners could be identified. but from other
oireumetaness, end, indeed, from their own statements.
there appeared to be no doubt that they were the parties
who were is the weed. and that the deceased had
met his death by the sot of one or other of
them. The primmer' were all taken into custody within
a few days of the occurrence, and four of them—
Flint, Thornton, Shelton, and Jordan—at ones steed that
they were in the wood, sad that they soddenly heard a
souffle and cry of alarm, and then the report of a gm.
after which they made off. and they declared they hod
not the least knowledge that any mischief bad hem done.
With maid to the other prisoner, Skeet, it appeared that
when be was takes into enstody by Mr. Pads, the superb-
tenant of the county coostabulary, he expressed a via
to state all that he knew upon the matter, and in tie
presence of the magistrate he said that be bad a gun in his
hand, and that as be and his companions were warts'
along the ride to the wood the deceased rushed men him
and seised his gun. and eadsmoured lo take it away from
Dim, and in the Rime& toprewent him from doleso, theed
gun being embed and laded, it exploded, and theessi
was shot ; and he declared that this result wax sod-
dental. sod that so far from his intending to shoot the
deceased, be did not know that be had been bit at the time
he left the spot. It wee admitted on all bands to have '
been an exceedingly dark night when the ewer
rime took place, sod there did net seem to be
say evidence tesdiag to negative the statement
made by the prisoner Monn es to the way in which the
unfortunate occurrence took place. There was very litre
doubt also that the object the prisoners had in view was the
taking of game, as there were a great many phetsants in
the wood when the offence happened.
The jury, after a short deliberation, found the primer
Skeet Guilty of manslaughter. aid Acquitted the other
• rot
Robinson said he would consider what muss be
would take with regard to the other indictment for night
poaching, sad in the meantime judgment upon Skeet was
deferred.
The mesa disposed of in the Civil Court rester 'ay wens
'Airily devoid of 'Memel.