The National Register.
London, England, 1818-04-12 00:00:00

Fn IDAY.

This morning John Farm!, baker, was brought into court, and
arraiumal, for the murder of his son, John "tweet, by shooting at
him with a pistol, on the t3th ot• Nlarch last, in St. Nave's, South-
wark. The prisoner is an uncommonly grave and thoughtful look-
ing man. Ile was respectably dressed m black, and wore long lank
black hair. As soon as he took his seat in court. he applied his hat
to his forehead, and seemed to be occupied for a few minutes in deep
devotion. !le pleaded '• not guilty" witit firmness. There ass no
counsel for the prosecution. Mr. Adolphus was counsel our the pi:-
toner.

Mary Ann Bush, a girl about 11 years of age Faid. her mother was
deal, and Mrs. Wade kept house for her father. Mts. Faweet was
not aiong with than at present. She lived in the house on the 13th
of March, and also her rim, John Fawcet. She knew the prisoner,
remembesed hi,: coining to their house on the 13th, a little before g
at night. The shop was opened, and he came in. Ile asked if her fa-
ther was at home. She made no answer, but Went towards the stairs
and called " Father." twice. The prisoner then asked who was at
home. She called " Father" again. lie asked whether John was
at home. meaning his son. She said, " No." f.lie knew he was at
home, but he had threatened to minder him. Ile said, " Never
mind, I'll go up stairs to him." Ile got to the third
step of the
I stairs, s John was coming down. He then drew back step by step.
till he got on the bit of board that wan hailed to the stairs. lie ad-
vanced to the first step again, whik.lohn was on the third step. The
risoner then aired with a pistol Joint was close to Lim. John and

Arlin, ie.

he came then down together ; and when the former got into the shop,
he fell on his knee and left elbow. Prisoner turned round, lookLd
at him, and said, "Ah !" John said nothing. The prisoner then
walked out of the shop.
Cross-examined by Mr. Adolphus.—Father did not.tcll her what
words to use. Mr father kept a potatoe and oyster shop. She was
left to keep the shop. pier father and his housekeeper were up stairs,
the housekeeper was Mrs. Wttde. She told her to call her Wade,
because, she said, the prisoner had another wife in Yorkshire. She
was Mrs. Faucet ; they had lived nc'•.t door to her father, and had
three children. John was one of them, and near 20 rears of age.
Mrs. Faweet had heed a few months with her father before the 13th
of March:. She and her father did not sleep together. There were
but two beds in the hou.e; she and her brother anti sister occupied
oar of then. She had not seen how the other bed was occupied.
Mrs. Fawcrt was ;here early and late. Before that, her father was
in prison. She used to go and see him there. Mrs. Faucet brought
lathes tote her husband's house to her father's 4 and witness and her
brother sod sister were clothed with clothes belonging to the prison.
...es children. pier father was then in prison. The prisoner had
come to the house about a month before, to get hack his wife, he
saw her father then and Mrs. Faweet, but she refused to go with him,

Jane Cummins, confirmed the foregoing statement.
Mr. W. Spee.h, attorney; took the prisoner, and afterwards the
pistol. which he found thrown away in the yard.
F. Bassett, dresser in St. Thomas's hospital, saw the deceased in
that hospital.
Cross-examined.—Deenesed escoressed to him in a very feeling
manner, that he believed his father had had no intention to hurt
him; and .expressed himself as a ceding son would of aa afflicted
f alter.
i'lie prisoner when called upon for his defence, gave in a written
explanation of his conduct. He had been married ,20 years to Mrs.
Faweet, and had 45 children by her. Ile had kept a baker's shop
in the Mile-endemed, and had been happy till his wife's misconduct
had ruined him. She took away his goods and gave them to Bush,
with whom she lived when his son was unfortunately killed. She
had often got him arrested ot.false pretences. She had got him into
V. hiteeross-streetprieon, where• bush was imprisoned, and there sup.
plied Bush with every thing, whilesshe never came near him, or paid
hint any attention. She at last enabled Bush to obtain his release,
e.. I from that moment she lived in his house. He obtained his dis-
c.:arge notwithstanding the plunder and the defamation he had sus-
tained by his wife, his creditors well knowing that she had been the
author of all his misfortunes. When he went to insist upon her
return to him, she told him that shes had a sharp knife, and that if
te ever came near her again, she would stab him to death. His son
was unfortunately led to live with his mother and Bush. He was
anxious to get him out of their hands; and going with that
iiitention. he felt it necessary to arm himself with a pistol. in conse •
quence of his wife's threat. The pistol unfortunately went off; and
tile consequence was the death of his son ; which none could lament
. more bitterly than he did. As to Bush, he had the effrontery to
appear that day in Ms clothes; and..his child, Mary Ann Bush, was
dressed in the clothes of his children. With this explitnaiion he left
.r.is ease in the hands of God, and of the Court and Jury.
J. Lemon, master baker; J. Ellem. a rope-maker; J. Lodge, a
victualler ; R. Brown, a carpenter ; J. Falkner, and his wife, all
from Mile -end 'road; and H. Vewton, clerk to the London Flour
Company, had knc'wn the prisoner for many years, and gave hint
the best possible character as a husband a father, and a neighbour.
Hannah Richmond. adaughter of Mrs. Fawcet by a former mar-
riage, said she was a hide child when her mother was married, Qt)
years age, to • the prisoner. Hesock her into his house and treated
her as his own chili, with the utmost tenderness. She was now mar-
ried. It was six years since she ceased to live in the prisoner's house.
Ile always behaved towards the deceased with affectionate tenderness.
Ile was art affectionate good man Mall his children.
J. George, while making a distress on Bush's geode, heard. Mrs.
Fawcet say to her son, " John, I think I have seer. Fawcet pass, I
:tiave got a knife in readiness for him, and the moment he comes in
I'll certainly plunge it into his heart." He saw her at the same time
showing him the knife.
Mr. Baron Grahair. summed np at considerable length, tand with
much discrimination. That the prisoner had killed his son was be-
yond all doubt. If he did so wilfully it was murder; if he did so
tinintemienally, but meaning to kill Bush or any other person, it
was murder. No censure was adequate to the profligate conduct of
.Mrs. Fawcet and of Flush ; but still if the prisoner 'dent to Bush's
:louse with the intent to kill, the jury must find. him guilty. It
appeared to him very difficult indeed to find any one circumstance,
en which to Liiintl a supposition that he had not such an intention.
The law could find any alleviation only in the momentary insanity
supposed to arise fro:n instantaneous and violent provost-erten. • He
felt it extremely difficult to extend the benefit of this conssenction
of law to the prisoner ; but it was for the;ury to judge for them-
s
'l'he jury .oentMsittet in.anxious and earnest consultation for nearly
• Pall an hour. At length they turned roundoinil assumed their places.
Their foremen pronouneedtix verdict—Not uilty.
Marks of satisfaction were evident within ;he bar. The multitude
ithout could not be restrained from expressing their joy and appro.
nation aloud. 'file prisoner, who had been deeply affected during
the whole of the triaLwas now completely overpowered. He was im-
ediately discharged, a..: he hurried :way from the bar.