The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-08-22 00:00:00

LANCASHIRE ASSIZES.

IioNGAIN, AUGUST 17.
CUTTING AND STABBING.
Joteplt Doyle, aged 44. was charged with mob-
e ly cutting and stabbing John Smith, with in-
teut to murder, or to maim and disable, or to do
some grievous bodily harm.
Joint Smith was acquainted with the Prisoner two
years. The Prisoner kept a public-house in Tho-
mas.street. Liverpool. Witness lodged with him
for live months ; the Pinner had been all that
time in the Booroukli Gaol, fur debt, escept the
lot.t two or three weeks. He had never had any
quarrel with hint. In the room in which hr slept
there were two beds; Mrs. Doyle's father and be
slept in one of them—Mrs. Doyle and the children
in the other. On the 14th of July he went to bed
between nine and ten o'clock; Mrs. Doyle's fattier
did not sleep with him that night; he awoke by a
noise at the room door. and he saw tie Prisoner
taking hold of his wife; she shouted " Murder!
John Smith get up, for he has a knife in his hood,
and he is murdering me." He got up and caught
him round the neck, and said, " Are you going to
murder your wile, or what do you mean ?" Pri-
•oner then struck her three times. and per fell.
Witness thought her dead. He told her to get up
if she was able. and to get * light ; she did so ; Pi t-
ermer turned rotator' to follow her down stairs—wit-
ness put his hand gently to his breast. to prevent
Lim trims following her; Prisoner came forscird.
awl hot him a slap no the breast.--he gave a @mond
blow, and then the witness felt the blood gushing
on his hand. IVitoess struck him and pot him on
lair knee.; the Prisoner got up, pulled witness's
shirt ov.r his head, and gave him three stab' on the
naked side; he then let him go, stud ran toward-
the door. Witness broke open his shirt and held
the Ptisooer. who shouted "Nbillief to two vol.
41irrs who west billeted in the house, and slept in
the oiler room, and added. that the witness was
murdering him, and that he had caught hint in bed
with his wife. Pris.oner forced open the dour of the
room iu which the soldiers slept. They afterwards
rolled together down the stairs; a wetchinsit come
in, anal .4-caned the Prisoner.
Cruss-e.restoirted.—He could not say whether the
door wits locked or not. Time Prisoner did forte
the door open. Upon his oath he was tint in bed
with her. The Primnier was jealous of her with
*soother 11114 n• He hail been since eating and drink-
the Prisoner's bouts, and paid for it too.
Ii SAW her last on Saturday.
Joseph Bennett, a watchmen. found them both
at the foot of the stairs, Smith stark naked, both of
them bloody. The two soldiers came out of the
ro to assist the watchman. one of them with II
t. Prisoner swore that if he had got one of
the wildirre boyinieto, he would have stabbed them
both (Smith and his own wife). Mrs. Doyle had
nothing off but her bed-gowu. Prisoner appeared
quite sober.
Samuel Scott saw the Poisoner throw a knife over
a house noto a back yard.
Ellword Jones found the knife there, and now
',minced it. It was a lurge clasp knife; the iron
was incrusted with blond.

11-llliain IVright, • sorgeon. was called imme-
sliutely to see Smith. There were four wounds ou
his breast, exactly such as that knife would have
made. The most dangerous was between the third
and fourth rib, which penetrated the cavity of the
chest, and wounded the lung. There was another
large wound, which ovoid have been fatal but that
it was stopped by the breast-bone.
Mr. Baron 1VOOD—" Prisoner, what have you
to ••y for yourself?"
The Prisoner—" My Lord, I had crime home
from prison ten days before; my friends got round
one, and I got groggy. When I was tipsy my
mistre►s was jawing at me. I gave her • gentle
slap, and blackened her eye ; I saw neat morning
that her rye was black ; she was very angry, and
would not sleep with Me. I flattered and coaxed
her to get her to bed, but she would not. I made
a custom of going to hap up the clothes about the
ehild►en before I went to bed, and whenever I
%gooier in the slight I went to see that the clothes
were hopped about them ; I never found the door
lucked trefle ; this night I felt with my hand and
found the door fastened ; I listened, and beard my
mistress and him talking in bed. I broke open the
dour, and, lily Lord, caught them both iu bed com-
mitting adultery. I struck him most viciow.le..
She leapt out of the bed to go towards the children,
got hold of her; Smith put me down. She ►aid,
• U—us his eye', stick to him, Smith.' Hod I
a sword or bayonet, 1 should have run them both
through. I bless God that I have not killed them;
but let me see the man that would uot, on finding
his wife, the mother of four children, committing
adultery—let me see the man that would not do
the same, Sir, please your Honour."
Mr. Barou %VooD-41 Have you any witnesses ?"
Prisoner—" 1 was so /wondered that I could not
think of getting witnesses to see them."
Mr. Baron WOOD explained the Act under which
this proriecotion was brought. If it would have
been murder had death ensued, then this was a ca-
pital' offence; if it would have been only man.
slaughter, then they must al quit the Primmer. He
was of opinion, that most undoubtedly death in
this care would only have been nirrislaughter.
Adultery was laid down in the books as that kind of
provocation which made killing manslaughter, and
of the most justifiable kind. If they did not be-
hlrYr Pi wooer's story, yet Smith hiuiself ad-
'nitwit that lie had first shuck the Prisouer„ sud
that the door hail been locked.—Not

ili“..rds and George, two capital convicts, who
—1 from Northampton prison, have been
• eerier four others oft' desperate gang,
rd Mr. MARRIOTT, of Overton
orthrutpion. The whole of the
• - •ured, three of whom have beets
.roperty found on the rest.
Mr. Beosee, of Epping, coming
0.1 Nourolay morning, his horse took fright
at a drove of pigs in the road, and falling from his
horse, lie fractured hie skull, and was taken to •
public-houio• at Loughton, where be lies without
any LE recovery.
accident happened on Thursday, at
the liii•e Ist near St. Catlin rnietehill, Guildford
a „ca.. at work, when a sudden fall of the
ul4 k IH..:nd him, ha Wl* dug out dreadfully
suaiiiird and quite dean.