The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-06 00:00:00

, ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
HOME' ClRCUlT.—Chelmsford, March 4.
(Bel re Mr. Baron PARKE.)
Henry Harrington, 20, labourer, was indicted for the
wilful murder of Enzseeth Cobb, at Tollesbnry.
Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Rod well conducted the prosecu-
tion. The prisoner was defended by Messrs. Parry and
Woollett.

The Learned COUNSEL for the prosecution opened the
case to the jury, in a clear and temperate address. He
said that the charge which they were about to inquire
into was one of the most serious that could be brought
under the notice of a human tribunal, and the eircurn-
,tances by which it would be sought to bring home the
dreadful crime to the prisoner, were such as would de-
mand their most serious attention. He then proceeded
to state the nature of the evidence that would bo ad-

laced to support, the indictment, slid the following wit-
nesses were examined:—

James Cobb, examined by Mr. Rod well—ln December
last I was living with my wife, Elizabeth Cobb, in scot
age at Tollesbury. We had no family of our own, but
a little girl, named Spurgin, seven years old, lived with
us. On the night of the 25th of November last we went
•.o bed about' nine o'clock at night. William-Mame,
myself, my wife, and Eliza Spurgin lived in the cottage
it this time. A man, named Pewter, also lodged
with us, but he was not at home this night. There
ire two sleeping rooms in the enrage, one opening into
~he other. Mason shpt in the first room, and
aid my wife, and the little girl slept in the further one.
The child slept in a crib two feet from my bed on my
fife's side. On the following morning I got up at a
quarter before six. I was called by Mason. Mason and
eyself are both dredgermen. When I went out of my
room I left My wito in bed lying on her right side.
I was dressing she opened her eyes and asked
me what time I should he home, and I said half-past one.
thee wished her good bye and left the room. I never
4aw my wife alive again. When I got down stairs
Ibsen came in from the garden, and he took his basket
lad went off to his work, John Wash, who lives in a
.ottage next to mine, and who is also a dredgerman,
hen came to me, and said he was going to his work,
Ind he walked on a few minutes before me. It was not
more than tea minutes past six when I left the cottage.
the door was not fas:ened, but was merely left on
the latch. - Mason and Wash 'worked on the same
aoor as I did in oyster dredging, but not in the
,ame boat. The key of the door was left inside,
sad 'anybody could open the door from the outside by
moans of a thumb-hole. One of tho windows of my cot-
tage opens upon a little flower-garden, and looks into the
,chool-yard. That window was fastened on the inside
when I went out. It was large enough to allow a good
sized man to pass through it. When I got to my work
found Wash, and all my mates there. I did not see
Ileum I left ray work to go home, between half-past
me and two o'clock; but in the meantime I had heard
of something that had happened. When I wont up stairs
I found my wife lying dead in the bed with her throat
cut.. She was lying at this time on her left side. There
was a box in my bed-room in which I kept my clothes.
I found it bad been opened, and nearly all the contents
were strewed about the floor. I had some money in a
rea-caddy in the same room. This caddy had not been
couched. Upon going into Mason's room, I found that
Isis box had also been opened, and some of his things
were lying strewed about the room. Pewter's box,
list, appeared to have been opened. The prisoner
lived at Tollesbury, but I only saw him in
my house upon one occasion, which was much
about a month or six weeks before this occur-
rence took place. He came for the purpose of buying
some fish for his sister, Mrs. Wash. Aeon; the month
of November I had the intention of buying a boat, and
I had looked at. one which I thought would suit me. I
did not know the price of this boat, but it was sold
afterwards for 01. It was well known about Tollesbury
(hat I was looking after a boat. I examined the win-
dow sill adjoining the gander. The window was open,
and there was a piece of bark and a leaf upon the sill.
By Mr. PARRY—The prisoner came only just inside
the door at the time, I have spoken of. Ile was not in
the habit of visiting us. My cottage is separate, but
two other cottages adjoin the one occupied by Wash.
Several men lodged in the other cottages. Some of
these men are dredgerraen, and the others are labourers
working upon the land as ploughmen, hedgers, and so
on. I board that a hedge stake was found in an osier-
bed abotit five roods from my cottage, but I did not
see it.
elr. Chancellor, a surveyor, was here called to prove
the correctness of a plan of the cottages occupied by the
deceasedand the other persons, which was put in evi-
dence. Ile also proved the osier bed, where the stake
was found, was in a directly contrary direction to that
leading to a cottage called Salcot.
Cobb was then further cross-examined. He said, I
am sure it was about ten minutes after six when I left.
Mason had gone away before me. My wife said nothing
more to me than to ask what time I should be at home.
I did not overtake any of the other men, and they all
got to their work before me. There are a good many
other cottages in Tollesbury besides those I have
ll those people
men-
tioned, and people lodge inmost of them. A
were aware that I intended to buy a boat. lam not sure
that it was not halt-past seven o'clock when I got on
board my boat to go to work, but I think it was not more
than seven. The 'first person I sew when I got to the
v I oncokt nothing river was Wash. I did not hear that my wife was mur-
dered, until I got nearly home, between two and three
O__cioee ,tt: I had said that I should be at home at half-past
and the people I knew
what ho was upon? - • • Sir, is
mofe,
aasfkitt.hemihife
who were with him. I did not, as I know
gmaebtoMrt theabout S°llmYu' radnedr htei askedl metrn eMi f knewSoliy
mreyaswolqiefae d, no, Sir, is my wife murdered?
t the
eadw
way
ywpttlaca murdered before they told
questionedtl n
m e whoall question was, because
we w nse away from the boat
t along About m rezer.
the thisd
I was never taken into custody. The policeman told
at we got to the
me that my wife was murdered. before
the time I first pro-
posed haveit asked if my
I
vr
beda r e
that
t usedalnit
it was
lladwas
a cannotai.shalfc
cottage. I could not get homel
may
the rimer
pwoisteedwoana amcacrottiienrteodf
bmeyforweolrkWas told
say what induced me to do so.
question, illuizeitle
that was found on the " woolve" for a year
before this time, but I am not
used by the people in the other cottages.
dark when I got up on the morning in
before I kit. I never was in trouble for anything
gave Mason a light. Mason did not come into my bed.
but I was once charged with
dredging in an unlawful place. I was got into trouble
ght upon myself,
by another man, cud was sentenced to seven years'
tion. I have been transportaliberty now for more
rlobOrraou
than ten yeas. My wile was 33 years old.
Ito-examined—qty wife and I lived on the happiest
terms together. - When I left her Ou this arming I pat