The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-19 00:00:00

THE Stitit___:lJODON, MONDAY EVAlNllET_G,_*.klicki 19, 1856.

ASMZE INTELIICi.EATE.

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of Pocock, which waa identified by Mr. Bacon as belong.
jog. to the deceased lady. It consisted of a satin dress.
pillow cases, towels, and other articles of the seine de-
scription. The dress was pawned on the Saturday, two
days before the murder, and the amount obtained upon
it was 7s.

were so dangerous that that morning Ole intimated to
him her intention to terminate the intimacy, upon heP.r-
ing which he struck her with his fist upon the face and
neck. She ran down stairs and endeavoured to secret
herself ; but he quickly followed, struck her yet more
violently on the right eye, from which blow she fell
against a wall, in which position he forced her head
backwards by violently grasping, her hair, and passing
the other hand up her face, felt for the eyes, ard pushing
his fingers under the light one, forced it out upon her
check. She was taken to a medical man, but he could
not attend upon her, and she proceeded to the station,
where assistance was rendered.

HOME CIRCUIT.—MAIDSTONE, MARCH 16.
CROWN COURT.
(Before Mr. Baron Platt.)

THE ROCHESTER MURDER.

Mr. C. Chft, another pawnbroker, produced a scarf
that was pawned at his shop on the 29th December by
the prisoner in the name of Rebecca Pocock, for 12g.,
and the girl Parratt proved that it was the property of
the deceased.

Elizabeth. Avis Laws, 13 years of age, and of a re-
markably girlish appearance, was indicted for the mur-
der of her mistress, Catharine Bacon. There was also a
charge of stealing property belonging to the deceased.
Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Denman conducted the prosecu-
tion ; Mr. Ribton defended.
Mr. Bodkin having given an outline of ths case for
the prosecution,
Hannah Ba;gett, a milk vendor, deposed that she
took some milk to the house of deceased on the morning
of the 29th January last, the day of the murder. Pri-
soner received the milk from witness. It was then ten
minute. past eight.
Henry Palmer, a young lad, knocked and rang two or
three minutes at deceased's door, on the morning refer-
red to, to ask if be should sweep away the snow. Pri-
soner, at last, unbolted and opened the door, and he saw
that she was bleeding from a wound is her throat. Ran
.away, and gave an alarm. Was on the terrace about
a quarter:of an hour before he knocked, but saw no one
about.

Evidence was then given that on the Saturday before
the murder the prisoner had given same numbers of a
dictionary to a person named hi winyard, residing at Ro-
chester ; and it appeared that she had always repre-
sented to this person that the deceased was her aunt.
The books were identified as the property of Mrs.
Bacon.

Mr. Hammill—llo you suffer much agony ?
Complainant—No, sir, not now ; but I feel cold here
(plachsg her hand on the wound), as though nothing was
there.

Mr. Bacon was recalled, and some questions were put
to him with a view to ascertain whether any plate was
missing from the house. He said he found a small quan-
tity of plate; but he was not aware what quantity of
plate his mother possessed, and he was, therefore, un-
able to say whether there was any missing.
In answer to questions put by Mr. Ribton, Mr. Bacon
said that his mother received about 85/. every half-year
from one source, but she derived money from others.
He also said that she was a saving woman, and did not
spend half licr income. The money that was in the box
consisted principally of gold and bank notes.
This closed the case fc r the prosecution.
Mr. Ribton haring addressed the jury for the defence,
Baron Platt summed up, and the jury retired to con-
sider their verdict at ten minutes before 8 o'clock. The
prisoner was removed below.
At fourteen minutes past 9 •'clock the jury returned,
and amidst the most breathless silence,
Mr. Clayton, the foreman, read from a paper the
words : "We do not find the prisoner guilty upon the
evidence produced."

In answer to the charge, the scoundrel sullenly re-
plied that he had done it, and should say nothing.
Mr. Hamicill directed hnn to be remanded for a week,
and that every care meanwhile might be taken of his
victim.

Samuel Smith, summoned to the spot by the last wit-
ness, f mud prisoner standing with her throat cut. Went
iuto the first-floor bed-room, and saw the Body of deceased
partly lying in the room and partly iu the passage, so that
the door could not be shut. Deceased was dressed ex
cept her gown.
Dr. Gammie' 94th Regiment, deposed that he went to
the house, 11, Ordnance-terrace, about half-past nine.
Saw the body of deceased, who had apparently been
dead about an hour. Found serious wounds at the back
of her head, either of which would have been fatal.
Questioned prisoner as to who had done it, and she
answered, "Two men who came for dust did it with a
clever." She stated also that one of the men had cut her
throat in the kitchen, and that they then left the house,
and slammed the door after them. Witness found an axe
in the cellar with blood on it, and in the kitchen was a
bloody knife on the dresser. There was a pool of blood
in the kitchen. From the appearance of prisoner's throat,
thought the wound had been inflicted about half an hour
before he saw it. It was such as might have been in-
flicted by herself. When he first asked prisoner about the
matter, she could not speak, but shook her head, and
pointed up stairs. Prisoner subsequently told him that
one of the men had carried the body of deceased up
stairs. The wound on prisoner's throat was not of a
serious character. The deceased was a small, short
person, and very thin.
Barnabas Howes, constable, examined the house.
Found a pail of bloody water. On the following day,
in company with Superintendent Everist, found some
articles of clothing in the privy belonging to the house.
Mr. Matthew Bacon, son of deceased, said deceased
did not in his opinion weigh more than four stone. No
one resided in the house but herself and the prisoner.
Deceased frequently came down partially dressed, and
finished dressing in the kitchen. Deceased always fed
the cat herself. On the morning of the murder, about
half-past nine, saw his mother's body, and observed that
the face had been washed. Prisoner, after a question
several times repeated, told him she bad washed the face
of deceased. Saw no appearance of any struggle having
taken place in the kitchen. (The witness then de-
sceibed the appearance of the cellar, kitchen, &c.)
Witness, after examining the lower part of the house
went up stairs and saw three of his mother's keys lying
on a chair. Deceased usually carried these keys in her
pocket, and they opened drawers where other keys were
kept, one of which opened a box where his mother kept
her money. He opened that box during the morning,
and found it contained 1001. in stoney and cheques.
He had since been shown a variety of articles which he
recognised as the property of his mother.
Cross-examined—My mother was in the habit of keep-
ing about 1001. in the house. She has had about five
different servants during the last two years.
Mr. Relent Atkinson, surgeon, described the injuries
sustained by deceased. Was certain the deceased could
never have rallied after the infliction of the first blow :
it must have entirely stunned her. Was of opinion that
the wound in the prisoner's neck was one she could
have inflicted herself, and ho saw no other mark of in-
jury about her, and she did not complain of any. While
ho was examining the prisoner, a bloody piece of paper
fell Irons her breast, and, upon opening it, he found it
contained a brooch and a ring. The paper was crumpled
up in a careless manner.
Cross-examined.—The prisoner was for seine time in
imminent danger from the wound 'she had received.
Some of the wounds on deceased might have been caused
by a fall.
Mr. Thomas Everest, superintendent of police, in
searching the prisoner's room, at the house in Ordnance-
terrace, found a duplicate, and in the bed of the prisoner
there were two books, one of which was " Othello,"
and the other the " Arabian Nights." He also found a
dress, and in the pocket of that dress there was another
duplicate, and also a florin and a sixpence. There was
another dress in the room on which there were marks of
blood, behind and at the pocket. The blood appeared
to have soaked through from the outside of the dress.
Witness then went down into the cellar and found the
marks of blood from thence to the privy. The door
of the kitchen presented the appearance of having been
opened by a bloody hand. Upon the seat of the
privy there were appearances as though somethit g had
been forced down, and upon examining it, he found a
dress, a shawl, and a front of false hair belonging to the
deceased. There was agreat deal of blood inside the shawl
and also upon the dress, and the latter was also very
much torn. Witness afierwards examined the bask
kitchen, and found two saucers on the floor of the
kitchen ; they had milk in theist, and they were so near
the pool of blood that it appeared tas have splashed into
them. There was also some cooked lights close to the
saucers. Witness afterwards traced blood frota the
kitchen to the syper part of the house, and near the hi-
side of the front door some blood appeared to have
been spurted. The door was fastened by a latch, a
spring-lock, and a chain sliding into a groove. There
were mere than aelozen bloody finger marks upon the
inside of the door, as though a person had stas,rgerel
against it, and there was a pool of blood about eighteen
inches, inside the passage. There was also some blood
upon the door chain. The deceased lady was a very
light person, and he lifted her easily with one hand. On
the Wednesday after the murder, he made a further
search in the front cellar, and found a puree concealed
iu a tub of sand. It contained forty-one shillings and a
sixpence, and many of the coins, as well as the purse it-
self; were bloody.
Cross-examined—It was about four o'clock in the
forenoon of the 29th January that he found the dress,
and be did not discern the blood upon it until two or
three hours afterwards. The purse was in a tub of sand
that was close by this chopping-block in the collar.
The statement made by the prisoner on the day of
the murder (after due caution) to Mr. Boys, a magi-
strate of Rochester, was here put in as follows :—" This
morning, after getting my mistress's breakfast ready, I
was doing my work and was in the cellar chopping
of wood ; a knock came to the front door ; I went up
and answered it, and there were two men, one of them
asked if I wanted the ashes taken away ; whilst I was
answering the other one came in the door ; my mistress,
hearing me talking, came down stairs almost imme-
diately ; she had got her gown and handkerchief on her
arm, and went down stairs into the kitchen, and I went
down at the same time with the other man, and I was
so frightened I did not know what to say or what to
do ; the man who came in first attacked my mistress,
who ran into the cellar in front. I called out for help
two or three times, and my mistress called very loud for
help also, and then the other man pulled me about for
ever so long to try to take liberties with me, and
after ill-using my mistress ever so long he dragged her
up stairs. I don't know any more that followed, than I
kept screaming, and the man that was down stairs in
the kitchen, took a knife off the dresser and drew it
across my throat and then left me. He then went up
stairs ; he had not been up long before there came
another knock at the front door, and after some time I
managed to crawl up through the passage to the front
door, and that is all I know. I know the dress of the
men well, for one man had got corded trousers and a
great coat with a red comforter round his neck, and the
other one dressed in what I think they call fustian ; I
have Min the men before, but do not know their nainee.
I think it is more than a week since they came to the
front door in the same way as this morning ; there was
a donkey and cart at the front gate when the men first
knocked at the door ' • the man that was down stairs
with me I bit his hand so severely as to make my
teeth very nearly meet. One of the men looked about
20 or 21 years of age ; the other, I think, looked
a little older ; the shortest and the oldest of the two
it was whose hand I bit. I wish particularly to
add that I took a ring and brooch off the mantel.
piece belonging to my mistress, !'she having left
them on the mantelpiece last night, and I was afraid the
men would take them, so I took them off the mantel.
piece, but in my fright I do not know what has become
of them."
Susan Clark, servant in one of the houses adjoining
to deceased's, said, in their kitchen they could hear what
took place in the kitchen at No. 1. Was in their kit-
chen during the morning of the 29th of January, but
beard no noise that attracted her attention.
Cross-examined—She had occasion to go up-stairs to
her mistress, and also into the garden during the morn-
ing before the alarm was given.
Re-examined—Witness was not out of the kitchen
more than five minutes altogether.
Mary Jane Croucher, the servant at the house on the
other side of the ono occupied by the deceased, gave evi-
dence of a similar character.
Elizabeth Parrett, formerly servant to deceased, de-
posed that while she was in deceased's service she was
intimate with a servant at No. 10, and they used to
knock at tho well, and they could hear each other du so,
and it was a sort of signal between them. While she
was with the deceased it was her custom to keep cat's
victuals in the wood cellar, and the deceased always fed
the eat herself, and gave her milk after she had her own
breakfast.

The prisoner, who had been brought up to hear the
verdict, was removed in a fainting condition by the
women attendants.

The verdict appeared to strike every one in the court
with amazement, and it was rumoured, subsequently,
that a prominent member of the Anti-Capital Punish-
ment Society, who was on the jury, had stood out against
the whole of his colleagues, until they consented to a
verdict of acquittal.

MARCH 17.
The prisoner, Elizabeth. Ayes Laws, was to-day again
placed at the bar before Mr. Baron Platt, to take her
trial upon an indictment containing► three counts, the
first of which charged her with stealing a satin dress ;
the second a towel, some pillow-cases, and other articles
and the third, a brooch and a ring ; all of which articles
were said to be the property of the deceased lady.
A. different jury was of course empannolled to try the
prisoner.

Mr. Denman conducted the prosecution. The prisoner
was undefended.

Evidence was adduced to show that the prisoner had
on two different occasions pawned the articles men-
tioned, giving a false name and address.

The prisoner, who made no defence, was found guilty,
and sentenced to six months' imprisonment.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.—EXETER, MARCH 17.
SHAW Y. WHITEWAY.— SEDUCTION.
Mr. Collier, Q.C.; and Mr. Coleridge were counsel fur
the plaintiff; and Mr. Slade, Q.U., Mr. Kanlake, and
Mr. Cole were counsel for the defendant.
In this case the parties were very respectable, and the
case excited considerable interest. The damages were
laid at 2,0001. The plaintiff is a shipbuilder at Torquay,
and the defendant a coal merchant and shipowner of the
same place. The action was brought by the plaintiff to
recover compensation in damages from the defendant for
the seduction of his daughter, Miss Maria Shaw, a young
lady of prepossessing appearance, aged about 30. From
the learned counsel's opening, and the evidence of the
young lady and her father, it appeared that defendant
became acquainted with her very early in life, and was
the first person who ever obtained her affections. When
about 15 or 1f; years old, she was apprenticed to defen-
dant's brother, Mr. Mark Whiteway, a linendraper of
Torquay, where they frequently met, and where it ap-
peared the attachment first sprung up between them.
After leaving Mr. M. White way's, Miss Shaw lived at
home with her parents, and was regularly visited by the
defendant, who took her to places of amusement, and to
church on Sundays. About 10 or 12 years ago, marriage
was spoken of, and defendant begged the young lady to
think nothing of any other man, a request with which
she complied. The whole of her youth was entirely de-
voted to defendant, and after some time—not making any
sign towards marriage—she asked him what he meant
to do. " Oh," he replied, "my intentions are honour-
able ; I intend to make you my wife." When pressed,
however, by the plaintiffs father as to when he intended
to marry his daughter, defendant repeatedly made ex-
cuses ; one of which was, that he preferred waiting
until his father died. His father did die in 1852.
Still defendant would not marry, and it was evident
he never intended doing so. After some time, however,
the defendant would not say definitely when the mar-
riage should take place. Miss Shaw's father and family
believed that he was trifling with her feelings, and the
engagement was broken off. She was then offered mar-
riege by a respectable young man, named Durant,
which, however, she did not accept. The defendant
then requested that the engagement might be renewed,
and, after some time, lie was again admitted as her
suitor, promising to marry her, and frequently protest-
ing that his intentions were perfectly honourable. They
had been on these terms of intimacy for the last seven or
Seals,sit ht defendant having associated with her,
walked with her, and endeavoured to seduce her, but he
remained perfectly virtuous until the spring of 1852,
when the defendant effected her ruin and seduction
in a private room at the back of some premises
belonging to him. On finding herself in the family
way, she told defendant of it, who affected not to
believe it, saying, "Oh, my sister was in that way
once, but sown got rid of it." The poor young lady
kept her condition secret from her family as long as
she could, but a child was born in August last. De-
fendant was sent for to come to her bedside ; and Miss
Shaw's father asked her whose child it was ? She re-
plied. " It's Mr. Whiteway's." Whereupon he said he
would go down on his knees, and call God to witness
that it was not his. She asked him "how he could
look in her face and say that ?" On which he came to-
wards the bed to speak to her, but she turned away
from him and would not speak. After this, Dr, Blake,
who attended her, brought, at defendant's request, a
five pound note which was indignantly refused. He
also proposed to allow her ss. a week for
the maintenance of the child, and Si. a year for
its clothes--all of which was rejected. Defendant sub-
sequently admitted that he knew the child was his, and
raid he would willingly maintain her. He was asked
again to marry her, which he refused, and hence the
present action.
A witness (Mr, Hearder) was called to prove defend-
ant's means. He stated that he had sent to him, as
clerk to the Local Board of Health, a list of his house
property, in order to prove his qualification t• rote for
members thereof. In that document he gave the value
of his house property alone at about 3001. a-year.
As no witnesses were called for the defendant, Mr.
Collier addressed the jury for the plaintiff, contending
that it was clear the defendant had coolly and delibe-
rately pursued one course—theseduction of this pooryoung
lady—which he was ten or twelve years in effecting. He
believed there never had been a snore aggravated case
tried in any court of justice, and called upon the jury to
give exemplary damages.
Mr. Slade, for the defence, alluded to the disparity in
the ages of the parties, his client being 20 years older
than the plaintiff. He contended that it was a money
match, and that the reason of the plaintiff's refusing to
marry young Durant was that defendant was more
eligible in point of circumstances.
His lordehip summed up, and the jury gave a verdic
for plaintiff— damages 4001.

Mr. Lacon was !lore recalled, and he explained that
his mother never came down stairs without having a
dress on, but she frequently had another dress on her
ar►n.

The former witness's cross examination was then con-
tinued, and she proceeded to identify all the articles pro-
duced by the officer Er ervst, as belonging to the deceased
lady. She also said that after the door was once opened
in the morning it was only secured by the latch, and the
chain was never put up in the day time.
The boy Palmer was here re-called, and he said he was
certain that he heard the sound of a bolt being run back
when the prisoner came to open the door.
Mr. W. Weeks, a pawnbroker at Chatham, proved
that both the tickets found in the dress of the prisoner
referred to property pledged by the prisoner in the name