The National Register.
London, England, 1813-08-22 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.- a"

TRIAE'OF NICHOLSON
FOR • THE MURDER-4WICHITAIS-04.4t§:

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Friday Philip Nicholson wtiO 'tried at Maid:etorre foie the worder
of Mr. and Mrs. nom. The prisoner *its,' °EI few • minute's after a
oc k , brought:to the bar in fetters;•and with a .belt round his
waist, to which his writs were 7ibioned, so that 14-Was nimble to
raise his hands, with a view, we snppinie, titiprevent bin-Client doing
any personal injury._ He was conveyed Ao•tite bar by. ate jailer ix
Maidstone,Mr. Adkins, the Goveinor (.ICOldliajfAXiffitilAS)4.4,oll.4.'
several constables.—The prisoner being arrate.nedLan.d asktiettbr hie
plea, he said that he had already ttiade a full eoifessioo _of 4..11 the
scier
eumstances of his guilt, whichcoufession he was re
.tely to co.nidlin„ •
but as it appeared to be the, general wish that. lie sbould,, tate his .
trial, he would plead " Not Guilty." The prisoner §:4oke serindis.:.,4*-
tinctly, and in so low a. tone, thet we coup) with Aliffieulty.eoßea.- -•
his meaning. .
. .
Upon the Jury.being sworn, Mr. Roberts. opened the oast for
prosecution. .• • • * ••• F
Mr. S. rjeant Shepherd observed, that the Prisoner stoolkindietertfur isitst
petty treason, in the murder of his master, The law in its wittriole,bort
made that crime subject to heavier punishment. .and he Apffebendeet
the policy of that law was to secure the safety and comfort of man its.- t t
domestic life ; for by vigilance and caution a man might guard against •,,,e L.
external violence, yet no degree of human prudencer utet*
against domestic treachery. The law,. therefore, had declared *
such violations of duty on the part of a servant petty treason, thereby.
saying it was a untie of such magnitude that it was iufezior, only to
crimes against the safety of the State itself • •
The facts of the case were such as could leave no doubt nf the guilt •i
of the prisoner. The. unfortunate transaction took place, on the .31st, of •
May. The prisoner was footman in Mr. Buear's family, and was rte
only person who slept in the house, he other male servants bei:g
lodger± in the detached buildings. About ten o'clock on the 301 h (the
Sunday evening) Mr. Boner retired to rest; the next trwriiing the timid
servant who first rose, observed that the anti-room heading to her mas-
ter's bed-room was locked on the outside, which .was unus.ea!, and
chewed that some one must have come out of than Num. On op:fling
the door she saw that the rushlight had beers removed, and that a had
smell came from her master's bed-room ; she also saw the marks of feet
leading from the bed-rooM. The witness being greatly alarmed at tl•--,ise
appearances, went up stairs to her mistress's mail, w ho, on beinimkt
what she had seen; ti.clied that her master my; no :
streti were reties
tiered. They both came down stairs, and •tt
'.rata . into
where they found Bonar lying deer: on the floor, bloody, and Iris
head wounded; and Mrs. Bonar in her bed, as it ofti marl, appeartoli,
not quite dead. On the Alor, lying near Mr. Bonar, the ball poker
•was found, which was evideoJy the weapon with which he had been
murdered. In the room was also found the candlestick, which did not
belong to the chamber, but had been blotn,;ht from the servant,' hall,
I where the Prisoner slept. This state of stings caused a gen.fral ;Jams
in the family, and the Prisoner, with others; was in the roma, wl.ra it
was remarked that the Prisoner took • the sheets, which ware. Li wily,
and bringing them down into the hall, he tied them up in a sheet kons
his own bed ; but it was discovered. that one of the sheets whim!' he
thus tied up, was one of his own sheets, and it was artist onqu t.stions
that when he committed the tact he wrapped a sheet from Ins bed rouud
his body, and thus attired, went to his master's room. A surgeon was
imniediatcly sent for, and the Priscater expresses) a treat auxitety to gti
to London to fetch, as he said, Mr. Astley ; but hit was in so
perturbed a state of mind, that he could not saddle his e, and the
co :chman did it fir him. It was observed by a ‘vasherwomar, that the
servants' hall window was open at fora o'clock in the morniag, whom
she came to work, end as a servant recollected shutting it on the nil; lit
before, as they went to bed, it was evident it must hive been opens cl
icy Form. one within side, between twelve and four in the morning. an d
as the Prisoner was the only person who shirt in tha room. it was it -
(erred that he must have done it. These circumstances inducing a sit s-
picion against biro, he was taken into custody, and while he was
custody, and daring the time the Coroner's Jury was sitting, lie nr:i
an attempt on his o.sat life. The won !d was not howeve r
being sewn up, lie was apparently hkely to rocover. It huweve 7
broke out bleeding afresh, and the• Prisoner appeared to he in a ds
state. It was then that he sent for Mr. bonar, the son of the deceasur:
and there made a confession, which put his pint ties (.11(1 all (hat
That confess'. n no doubt was MAC uncles at ircyrcsicct that be %r •,5
dying. and was intendcd,as the only atonement i!e could inAr far ttl .a
dreadful crime he had perpetrated. This w;:s reduced int', tir.lia
signed by the Primer, and attested by several re,.pectabk '1
and a M :gistrate,• in whose presence it was made. This would be rot
in evidence, and could have no doubt of Ole coil'
Anne Curneck, the house-rm:id, May (lake,

It Gf the r
the 1.1...,u5:•-:rit'i!, 4 .