The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-03 00:00:00

PERSONATING A TOTER IN WEST

SURREY.
At the Epsom Petty Sessions, Horatio Henry
Milling was charged before the Baron de Tessier and
Mr. Farmer, with knowingly and falsely personating
a voter named John Milling, at the recent election
for Members to serve in Parliament for the western
division of the county of Surrey. Mr. Sanders said
that he was instructed to prosecute the defendant
Milling, for falsely and , fraudulently personating a
voter named John Milling, and he believed it would
also be his painful duty to include in that charge a
person named Thomas Chitty, of Leatherhead, for
aiding and abetting the defendant. Mr. W. Everist,
solicitor, of Epsom, said :—" On the 20th of July
last I acted as agent at the West Surrey election, at
Epsom, for Messrs. Drummond and Evelyn. About
one o'clock on the day in question my attention was
called to polling booth No. 2, where I saw the de-
fendant in company with Mr. Thomas Chitty. They
went up to the poll-clerk, Charles Bell. I followed,
and asked Chitty who the voter was. lie replied
that I should know soon enough. The defendant
Milling had a card in his hand, Vote fbr Challoner.'
In consequence of what I saw on the card I went
to the poll-book, and stated that John Mil-
ling was dead. Mr. Chitty said that he was
not, for he was his landlord. I replied that I
held a certificate of his death. The defendant said
he 'voted for Challoner.' Before the vote was re-
corded I interposed, and requested the clerk to put
the question as provided by the statute. The de-
fendant, after some time, said, My name is Horatio
John Milling.' I then charged him with personating
a voter named John Milling. I now produce a cer-
tified extract from the Crown-office of the entry made
by the poll-clerk, with the initials of the under-
sheriff attached (put in and read) ; also a register of
the voters of the western division of the county
of Surrey, which contains the name of John
Milling, No. 2,192 on the register, describing his
qualification as freehold." Other evidence was then
given to show that the defendant and Chitty walked
arm in arm to the booth, and that Chitty de-
clared that Milling was the • right man. At this
stage of the case the chairmen said that the
bench felt it incumbent upon 'them to call upon
Chitty (who sat at the further end of the court) to
appear to this case, as the evidence already detailed
implicated him seriously. That person very reluc-
tantly took his place beside the defendant Milling.
The chairman, addressing Chitty, told him that, as
he was placed in a very serious position, he might,
if he pleased, avail himself of professional aid.
Chitty replied, that when ho entered the room he
had not the slightest idea of being called upon to
answer any charge of this description. He could
positively assert that he did not know the Chris-
tian name of Milling, whether it was John, Henry,
or James. lie held land under Mr. Milling, bait
he' really did not know his name. This was the
case for the prosecution. Mr. White appsebended
that the bench would now hear the defendants' wit-
nesses. The Chairman inquired if they wi•bedto say
a, "thing relating to the charge ? Miliing
:When I went to the polling•hooth to give m, v
in, Mr. Everest said, John Milling is dead,' or °r
Words
to that effect. I said tint was my brother. My -
brothe.ler
is Horatio alining. I did not personate
at all ; that is all I have to cay." The 011,irit„u
that they stood fully committed to take iheit said
trials at
the next assizeP, but bail would be te,
,cfp,cd them-
selves in 1001., and one surety ia 50/, Bail being
given, the defendants were liberated.

CRICKET.---ETON v. HARRow.___Tile following is
the result of this match, Harrow winning by 71 runs.
Score :—Uarrow, Ist innings, 2l''; 2nd 108. Eton)
Ist innings, 142; 2nd innings, 110.

HORRIBLE MATRICIDE.

LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.-0a Saturday niglo, at a
late hour, a shockiiz murder was committed at
Prenton, in the parish of Woodcburch, about two
milts from Birkenhead, on the Cheshire side of the
Mersey, under eircamttances of an extremely painful
nature.

In Prenton.lane stands three cottager, which are
nhabited by agricultural labourers. In one of them
dwelt a widow, nained Eiiz ibeth Thomas, aged 48, '
and a family consisting of two grown-up sons, Wil-
liam and Joseph, aged respectively about 25 and 23
years, and a little boy, Samuel, aged nine years.
The unfortunate cause of the tragedy had for some
time been suffering under mental debility, which had
prevented him from following his 'usual occupation.
His conversation at times wee strange, and his actions
were characterised by considerable peculiarity, but
up to Saturday evening he had shown no disposition
to commit violence.
It appears that on Saturday night, about nine
o'clock, his mother, his little brother, and he were in
the cottage awaiting the return of Joseph, who had
gone out for a walk. Turning suddenly to his mother,
he asked why she was sitting up. She replied that
she was waiting for Joe. He told her to go to bed,
as he meant to stop up until Joe returned. She then
went. to bed with her young sou, who always slept
with her. It is supposed that the maniac at once pro-
ceeded to the garden at the back of the house and com-
menced digging a grave of considerable depth, and
that, having completed the operation, he proceeded to
his mothers chamber armed with a razor. The un-
fortunate woman was asleep, and he immediately per-
petrated the act which caused her death. Her
struggles awoke the little boy, who screamed in fright.
His brother told him not to make a noise, and taking
him in his arms, carried the little fellow to his own
bed, where, after kissing him twice, he left him, tell-
ing him "he would be with him presently." He
appears then to have returned to his mother, tied her
hands together with a handkerchief, wrapping her up
in the counterpane, bound a rope round her waist, and
then carried her down stairs, through the kitchen or
scullery, over a wicket gate leading to the garden, up
some high stone steps, and to the grave which he had
already prepared. Owing to the precaution of tying
the body in the counterpane, no blood stained the
ground on the way to the garden, except one drop on
the top step. At 11 o'clock the brother returned.
On opening the house door the murderer called from
his mother's room, " Who's there ?" He replied,
." Me." William then descended the stake, and on
seeing his brother he said, " Joe, I've killed my
mother, and buried her in the garden. I've made her
comfortable, and she will be a good deal better off.
Don't you go and say anything." The body of the
unfortunate mother was afterwards foand buried in
the garden.
The prisoner was placed before the magistrates at
Birkenhead this morning. His appearance suffi-
ciently betokened the unhappy state of his mind. He
seemed quite unconscious of the awful nature of his
position, and his countenance was lamentably want-
ing in expression.
On being asked in the usual way whether he was
guilty of the charge, he replied rapidly and with
great vehemence, " No, I did not ; not as I can re-
collect."
Samuel Johnson, aged 9 years, the youngest son
of the deceased, was then placed in the witness-box,
and, after several questions had been put to him as to
the nature of an oath, he was sworn. He said, my
mother was a labouring woman. She went out
washing. She was a widow. William Thomas (the
prisoner) is my brother, and lived with us. Another
brother named Joseph lived with us. On Saturday
night I want to bed about 9 o'clock. My mother
went to bed at the same time. We slept together in
the top room. There are three rooms up stairs.
Soon sifter I got into bed I went to sleep. When I
went to bed William (the prisoner) was left in the
" house-place" alms ; and soon after I got
into bed I heard some one go out of the
house-place into the back garden. After I
had been asleep some time I was awakened by
my mother, as it seemed to me, pushing againet
me. I then saw William standing by the bed, on
the side where my mother lay. He had a mor in
his hand, and was going to cut her throat. It was
dark at the time. lie held the razor in his right
hand, and a lighted candle in the other. He put the
candle in the window place, and grasped my mother's
throat with one hand, and cut her throat with the
razor which be held in the other. My mother
wrestled and tried to get away, but did not struggle
much. She struggled a little, but was soon quite still.
lie then came round the bed to me, and carried me to
his bed in the front. When he left me he said, " I
will be with you just now." I was crying very
loudly all the time, and he told me to hold my noise.
When he left me he went back to my mother's room,
and presently afterwards, hearing his steps on the
stairs, I looked and saw my mother's head. I could
not see the body; it was being dragged down stairs.
About ten minutes afterwards he came back to me,
and put a clean shirt on. He then went into my mo-
ther's room. Presently I heard a noise, and on looking
up Isaw the bedclothes being pulled down stairs. I could
not see who was doing it. I heard William go out
of the house by the back way into the garden. I
heard nothing more for about half an hour, until my
brother Joseph came into the room, followed by
William. Just before this I heard William's voice
downstairs,
speaking to Joseph. He said, " Joseph,
I've killed my mother." I then heard Joseph's voice
crying bitterly. William. said, " What's the use
being that soft? ehe is better off." They then came
upstairs and into the room together. The first words
said were by William. He said, "If you had been
half an hour later it would all have been sided"
(cleared away). Joseph then took me out of bed
and took me to the house of the next door neighbour,
where I was pot to bed. I stayed there all night.
Before my mother and I went to bed William was
sitting at the front door. He asked my mother what
she was staying up for, and told her to go to bed.
She said she was sitting up for Joe. He replied,
Never mind, I will sit up for Joe." My mother
and William had not had any quarrel that day.
They generally agreed very well. She was always
kind to him, and he generally to her, except that
sometimes he would " sauce" her a little. They had
had no quarrel, but two or three days before I heard
him " sauce" her.
The prisoner was asked if he wished to ask his bro-
ther any questions. He turned quickly round and
exclaimed, sharply and loudly, "Eh ?" Tne question
was repeated, and in the same tone he replied, " No,
I've nothing to ask him."
Joseph Thomas, brother to prisoner, corroborated
the last witness as to what was said by prisoner when
he came home. He afterwards called in some of the
neighbours, and on searching the garden found the
body of his mother two feet under ground.
By the Magistrate—There had been a difference in
his manner about a week before this occurred. He
seemed to be getting gradually worse. Whenever I
went in lately he ordered ma out of the house.
The prisoner (loudly and angrily)—" Thou art a
liar."—(Sensation.)
Witness--He had been out of his mind previously,
and a surgeon attended him. He was never violent
in his conduct. There appeared to have beenlsborae.d-
-thing wrong about his head for nearly a y
nmeeve
erviolent,
mother
offer_bu alludefor toth thee
last circumstance.
welvemonths he
ear.
, lastHe was
during the
sue.eeemkedhetboebeeaugleeirtainthgerfomoloitseh,ex
lis
The witness made a cross t icited.
odeposition.
den. Ther
the body buried In the gar e WEIS a very
George Roydon., a farmer, proved the finding of
see. prl.
large gash is . house at the time,
sorter remainild in thiand
west
a constable, proved the finding of
i the throat a the deel'=l
• tly to the Bridewell Birkenhead when asked to
quietly
do so.
of ,TOWL,FT'S and flannel
jacket belonging to the prisoner, all •
covered with
the neure of the
a bloody Thomas
shirr, Hughes,
and a ;
blood.
Isaac Byerly, surgeon, described
beSsixtudorm suesvt'e:avwe eedelklssPed :or
_ Is antaneous
whom I have :attended
death.—l know the prisoner,
pr
mother
called me salt see him. He
Complained of headache.
wound,
ofss which
He was also suffering from drowsiness, and betrayed
other symptoms indicating
brain. He was bled, and an excited state of the
other appropriate remedies
H
were used, with a view
of abating the excitement.
told me e improved
he, ellnd at the end of the fortnight he
quite well and able to go to
work. Two or three weeks ago his mother ceme to
riot
me and said he hadbeen able to go to work, and
requested me to see him again. I went down. His
headache appeared relieved, and to me .he spoke
quite rationally ; but his mother informed
me that he occasionally made absurd remarks, and
Was odd in his manner. I again ordered blistering
and lowering remedies, and his mother informed me
fthat he improved. On Friday morning, the day be-
ore
the occurrence =.n question, she called on me and
said he was not quite so well. I gave her a blister to
ue applied on the back of tie neck, and told her I
should like to see him, bat she did not bring him up,
and I never saw her again alive.

By Sir E. Cust-0; Friday morning I had some
conversation with his mother about his removal to the
lunatic asylum. His mo!hcr said if be becamtS worse
he should ba removed to an asylum. He answered
me quite rationally, and I thought his /tent,' de-
rangement was only temporary. His mother never
and the nrisoner was
compiaina tO me of his using any violence but only
This hiss absurd remarks. ) only
This conelurhd the evidence,
asked in the ustrd form whether be bad'
say ,in answer to the charge.
"No, I've not anything
After
.anything to
trial ..tt the assizes,
losara
,Vief pause he
replied,
He was thn committed for
charged wifh the murder.

TEe ibquest was held at Preuton yeaterday even-