The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-15 00:00:00

The Death of a Guardsman at the Willibi edon

Rifle Meeting,

This morning, Mr 'W. Carter, the ooroner for Eas t lurrey,
resumed the inquiry at the Rose and Crown, Nor '.13. Wim-
bledon, into the cause of the death of Thomas Loop er of the
Coldstream Guards.
After several additional witnesses had been ex, 1m
The Coroner, in summing up, said the jury wo ulrt have
to satisfy themselves that Sergeant Roberts had fire d the
shot, and if so, what was the degree of homicide of that
act—whether it was felonious so as to justify a charit of
murder, or whether there was such a want of considerat on
in the act which would make it the duty of the jury to sea id
the case to another tribunal as a charge of manslaughter
Even if Roberts did not see deceased, who it was said, wat
behind the target, he would be liable for any consequences
that might ensue from his carelessness or want of obser-
vance of those proper regulations which had been laid
down for the due csrrying on the business of the Xatiolas.l
Rifl-3 Association, in the promotion of rifle shooting at the
Wimbledon meeting, and which were obligatory for th e
welfare of all parties engaged.

The jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure,
(Loud cheers in court.)

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.---This Day.

Tne September Sessions of the Central Criminal Court
commenced this morning at the Sessions House, Old Bailey,
before the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, W. Lawrence, Esq.;
Alderman Challis, the Common Sergeant, T. Chambers,
Esq., Q.C. Deputy Recorder; Alderman rhillips, Alder-
man J. W. Lawrence, the Sheriffi, H. H. Nissen, Esq.,
and Thomas Cave, Esq. ; the Under Sheriffs, Messrs Ni-
cholson and Gammon, and other civic authorities.
The calendar contains a list of 102 prisoners for trial, of
which 1 is for murder, 1 attempting to murder; shooting
at feloniously with intent, 1; wounding feloniously, 6 ;
manslaughter, 4; sending threatening letters, 2; forgery,
3 ; burglary, 14 ; 12 uttering counterfeit coin. The other
cases are of the ordinary character.
The Grand Jury having been sworn,
The Common Sergeant proceeded to deliver his charge,
and remarked that although the calendar did not contain a
longer list than usual, ho regretted to say that the details
of some of the cases presented very melancholy appearances,
there were no less than five cases involving loss of life,
one only of them amounted to murder, the others were
charges of manslaughter, and in one form or other there
were no less then 23 cases involving violence to the person,
which was very much to be regretted. The jury no doubt
were acquainted with their dirties, and it would not be
necessary'for him to address them at any length. There
was the case of murder, in which a woman named Hartley,
alias Bowen, was charged with the murder of her infant
male child. It appeared that the prisoner had given birth
to the child in a workhouse, She left with the child, which
was at that time in perfect health. She was afterwards seen
to go into the parlour of a publichouse with a paper parcel
and to leave the house without it. This attracted attention,
and on the waiter searching the room, the paper parcel was
found stuck up the chimney, and on taking it out, on search-
ing was found to contain the body of a child. It Was :J cad,
but warm ; and on a medical gentleman being called in, on
examination he found marks of recent suffocation producing
death, and if the jury were satisfied, on the evidence, that
there was a prima facie case against the prisoner, it would
be their duty to return a true bill for murder; and then,
supposing there: was any ground for reducing the offence,
that could be inquired into on the trial before the petit
jury. There was another charge of a very distressing and
painful character, in which a woman named Mary Blake
was charged with the manslaughter of two of her children
by starvation—one an infant, and the other a child
about three years old. It appeared she and her children
and three others last received in and out door relief from the
workhouse. She left, and afterwards placed the children
in a miserable room, and was in the habit of leaving them
there, going out in the morning and returning late at night.
Sometimes staying out all night, and going in in the
morning. The children attracted the attention of some of
the lodgers, and on going into the room they found the chil-
dren in a frightful emaciated state, without food, and covered
with vermin. The children were taken to the workhouse.
The prisoner was no doubt responsible for the death of the
the infant, as it was her duty to have furnished it with
the necessary nourishment, and if it died from
that cause, and from her wilful neglect, she was
guilty of manslaughter. As to the other child, a diffi-
culty might arise as to whether the prisoner was a married
woman or note If she was, the husband would be respon-
sible and liable to punishment. As it was his duty to have
provided for the child, there was no doubt the prisoner bad
been receiving in and out-door relief for two years, and had
abandoned her children to take up with another man, and
she could have gone to the pariah and obtained relief ; in•
stead of that the left the children starving. If they were
satisfied that the death of the second was occasioned by the
ptisoner's neglect she was responsible, and it would be the
duty of the jury to return true b ills.in both cases. The
Common Sergeant having referred briefly to some of the
other cases dismissed the jury to their duties, and in the
course of the morning several true bills brought in.

A Bailie before his Peers.

At the Bathgate Police-court, on Wednesday, Mr James
Lamb, a junior bailie, was tried before BEiilies Johnston
for causing an obstruction on the public street by exposing
goods or merchandise. The proceedings, as reported in the
Glasgow Herald, were rather novel.
On being called upon to plead, Bailie Lamb said—Before
I plead, I request your honours to remove that little dog ;
it's a nuisance"—(referring to a little dog which, although
not the procurator-final's, is in the habit of following
him).

Their henours saw no necessity for removing the obstruc-
tion. Bailie Lamb, however, thought proper to give the
dog a hearty kick, to the disgust of all present.
The Procurator-Fiscal—Your honours, I do think
such conduct is highly reprehensible on the part of Bailie
Lamb to ill-use that dog as he has done, although it is not
mine. If Bailie Lamb is very anxious to kick all the dogs
out of the room, I think your honours would be justified in
kicking out all the lambs. (Laughter.)
Bailie Lamb, however, pleaded not guilty, and wished
the case to go to proof. He had three objections to the
relevancy of the libel-Ist. This case has arisn at the
instance of the procurator-fiscal, and we have no procu-
rator-fiscal. 2d I am not charged for any crime, and
might just as well have been accused of manslaughter,
as the summons did not set forth any particular charge.
3d. The summons has been signed only by one bsilio, and
one evidently void of common sense. (Great sensation.)

The little dog again approached Mr Lamb, with the
evident intention of being friendly, but only received
another kick, amid a round of hisses.
The Procurator-Fiscal—Your honours, seeing the ani-
mus of Bailie Lamb against the dog, I think he is no man
at all ; and in the manner he has insulted your honours so
grossly, renders himself liable to imprisonment for con-
tempt of court.
Bailie Lamb—l entirely object to the procurator-fiscal
pursuing this case. We have no procurator-fiscal ;Mr
Gardner can't hold two offices.
The Procurator-Fiscal—The highest legal opinion has
been got on this point, and I can both be councilor and
procurator fiscal.
Bailie Lamb—l deny it. Really, your honours, I can't
speak if the clerk makes such wry faces ; he puts me off
the summons altogether. (Laughter.)
The Clerk—Your honours, this is utterly contemptible.
Am I under the protection of the court 2 If so, I won't
stand such language.
Bailie Lamb—l see, Bailie Johnson, you are paying no
attention to me.
Tho Clerk—Your honours, bas Bailie Lamb pleaded
guilty of not guilty ?
Bailie Lamb—ls that a' the length ye'r ? I pleaded not
guilty. Now, no faces, clerk I
The Clerk—l really can't stand this; it is perfectly dis-
graceful.
Bailie Lamb—Go oils Mr Gardner, and lead your proof.
Peter Waugh was then sworn and examined, and sub-
stantiated the charge.
Bailie Lamb—l object to that man as a witness—he is
not sober—he is drunk. _ _

Waugh—When you can prove it, I'm drunk.
Lamb—ls he on oath ?
Bailie.Johnson—He is.
Bailie ii,nb—Better administer it again.
The procura:or-Fiscal—You, Bailie Lamb, are degrad-
ing yourself before the whole community. You have no
respect for your supeviors, and less for yourself.
John Arther, burgh pfficer and town crier, was next
called as a witness.
Bailie Lamb—l object to c.Jock " being a witness—he
is ten times worse than the prt.vious one. He is never
sober night nor day; and I won't b;lieve he is sober now
unless he goes through the ordeal, and stands three mi-
nutes on one leg. (Hisses.)
The Procnrator-Fiscal—lt strikes me,
if any one is
drunk, Bailie Lamb is.
Bailie Lamb—Now, clerk, no faces to me
The Clerk—Your honours, will you allow me to be in-
sulted ?
Bailie Johnston—We can't allow this, and must call you
to order, Bailie Lamb. [The clerk turns his back to Bailie
L amb .]
The Fiscal then addressed the court, craving a convic-
tion, commenting strongly on Bailie Lamb's proceedings,
the gross nonsense he had spoken, the annoyance he had
given the court, and the ridicule he had attempted to bring
cn the presiding bailie&
Bailie Lamb thought the fiscal too harsh. If they wanted
to remove nuisances, it Would be well for Mr Stewart, of
the Commercial Hotel, to try and prevent the " bus" (re-
ferring to Bailie Robertson's bus, which goes to the rail
way station to await the trains) from causing such a noise
on the street.
The magistrates, after consultation, found the case
fully proved, and being the first offence, fined Bailie
Lamb in 20s. No expenses. Bailie Lomb gave notice of
appeal.