Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-29 00:00:00

THE MURDER AT RYE.

It appears that since the prisoner John White, who .was
tried at Lewis for the murder of his wife in a very cruel
manner, by drowning her in a ditch, and convicted of
manslaughter, 'has been sent back to prison, he has made
a full statement upon the circumstances connected with the
dreadful affair. He states that when he left his home on
the morning of the murder, he had not the slightest in-
tention of committing any act of violence towards his
wife ; but, being fearful that if she went to the foreman of
the works and made a complaint against him he might
lose his employment, he followed her with the intention
of inducing her to return home, and not to take a step
which might be attended, with such serious results to him
and his f.amily. . He came up with her close. to a ditch
where the body was found, and he says that he earnestly
entreated her to go home, but that she persisted in her
determination to proceed to the works and ask Mr. Druce
the foreman, to send her
:and her children back to Dover,
and at length she became very violent and abused him
and struck him. Roused by this, he stated that he
returned the blow,
.and a violent struggle
ensued between him and the deceased, who was
a very strong, powerful woman, and in the course
of it, they both fell into the ditch, which, it ap-
peared, had not more than from eight or ten inches of
water, the bottom being composed of more than three feet
of soft sticky mud. He had great difficulty in getting out
himself ; and he states that, when he had done so, the
Aleceased appeared to be quite dead. He was imme-
diately seized with the . utmost agony at what had
occurred, and he says that he kissed the dead body of
his wife, and, then started off towards Camber Castle,
where he was seen by the boys shortly. after the murder WPS
committed, and on the way he hardly kneW what he was
about, and fell into another ditch and was nearly drowned.
The prisoner, it appears, made a similar statement to Mr.
Lamb, the solicitor, who defended him ; and he asserts
positively that the act was not committed through
jealousy, but that it occurred in the. manner
above stated. . It appears that the prisoner was
quite astounded at the result of the trial, as lie had anti-
cipated that his conviction for wilful murder was
almost certain ; and, indeed, it is said that he at

one time expressed an intention to plead guilty to
the charge There is very little doubt that a capital
conviction would have taken place bid for the fact that
has since been ascertained, that three of the jury who tried
the case were determined opponents of the punishment of
death; and the moment they had retired they expressed
their intention not to return a verdict that would have the
effect of forfeiting the life of the prisoner ; and after a long
discussion, the other nine jurymen gave way, and consented
to a verdict of manslaughter.

HELLEWELL'S TNDIAJIIMBER PEN HOLDERS,
2 & 3, QUADRANT, PENCIL CASES and INK STANDS. These
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53, CArmx-STREET.. great boon to incessant writers.

R 0 Y AL AMPHITHEATRE
GREAT CHARLOTTE-STREET.
Proprietor ➢lr. W. It. COPELAND.

POSITIVELY THE LAST FIVE NIGHTS of
MADAME CELESTE
She having to appear at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham, on
Monday, April 4th.
THIS EVENING (TUESDAY), the 29th instant,
THE LAST HOPE.
Marie.. (her original character) ..Madame Celeste.
And ST. MARY'S EVE.
Madeline . (her original character).. Madame Celeste.
On Wednesday,—
THE WEPT OF THE WISH-TON-WISH.
Narramatagh .. (the Indian Gir1)...... Madame Celeste.
And, for the last time,
A SISTER'S SACRIFICE.
Genevieve. Madame Celeste.
On Thursday,— THE LAST HOPE.
Marie
With other Entertainments.
On Friday,—For the BENEFIT of Madame CELESTE, and the
Last Night but One of her Engagement,
MARION DE LORME.
Marion de Lorme
And THE LITTLE SUTLER.
Natalie
On Saturday,— GREEN BUSHES.
Miami Madame Celeste.
With other Entertainments,
In which Madame Celeste will appear, being positively the Last
Night of her Engagement.

Doors opened at Half-past Six, and the Performances comment
at Seven o'clock precisely.
Admission :—Dress Boxes, 3s. ; Side Boxes, 2s. ea. ; Pit, is. 6d. ;
Gallery, 6d. Second Price—Dress Boxes 2s. ; Side Boxes, ls. 6d. ;
Pit, Is,
The Box-office is open from Ten to Three for securing Seats in
the Dress Circle and taking Private. Boxes, which may be had
under the direction of Mr. Geo. Weston.