The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-12 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.—DORCHESTER, March 5.
CROWN COURT.
(Before Mr. Sergeant Shee.)
Edwin Alfred Preedy, aged 20, was indicted for the wilful
murder of Charles Evans, at Portland, on the Bth of Sep-
tember.

Mr. Poulden and Mr. 11, T. Cole were counsel for the
prosecution ; Mr. Prideaux defended the prisoner,

When called upon to plead,
The prisoner said—l did the act, but not intentionally, sir.
The Clerk of the Arraigns—You must say " guilty" or
" not guilty."
Prisoner—lf it is a matter of form, I say "not guilty,"
sir,
Mr. Poulden opened the case, merely stating the facts as
they appeared in the evidence.
Mr. Clay—l am the governor of the convict prison. The
prisoner came from Millbank to the prison on the 14th of
March under sentence of three years' penal servitude.
Evans had been shoemaker warder.

Cross-examined—lt was for stealing wearing apparel
after a former conviction.

John Moore—l was a convict. On the Bth of September
I was in the cleaning gang. It is a yax t of my duty to carry
the dinners in tins to the convicts. A knife is put under
the doors. Three of us go round with a warder to collect the
tins and knives. I went on this occasion with Evans, the
warder, and Ashton and Scholefield, convicts. When we
came to the, prisoner's cell Evans unlocked the door and
Schofield put out his hand for the knife. The prisoner had
his knife in his right hand and his tin in his left. He
looked at us, pushed the men on one side, let drop his tin,
and rushed after Evans, the officer, to the next door, seizel
Evans with his left hand, raised the knife with his right
hand, and struck him under the ear with the knife. We
dropped the trays, and seized the prisoner while he had the
knife in the wound. He seemed to jerk the knife in the
wound. Ile then pulled the knife out.
At this moment a scene took place which, we believe, has
never been witnessed in a court of justice. When the pri-
soner first came to the bar he looked a very harmless young
man, but during the evidence he became restless, and sharply
asked a question. Immediately after the answer the pri-
soner threw one leg and arm over the front of the dock, and
very nearly succeeded in getting over. Two warders who
were in the dock rushed at him and seized him, and other
warders jumped into the dock, and an almost deadly strug-
gle took place, the prisoner kicking, fighting, and roaring
more like a wild beast than a human being, and it required
nearly ten strong men to hold him. Several bad hold of
his legs and arms, and some were holding him by the hair
of his head. This continued for some minutes, and when
it ceased it was only because he was held fast. The ferocity
of the man was beyond anything that can well be imagined.
The surgeon of ihe gaol, who was in court, went to him,
and was then called by the Judge, to whom he stated that
this was a repetition of what he had seen before in the gaol.
His observation would not justify his saying that the pri-
soner was insane. His opinion was that he was perfectly
sensible to all that was going on.
The Judge then told the prisoner that the trial should
proceed, because the surgeon was of opinion that he knew
what was going on.

The surgeon asked the prisoner if heknew him.
Prisoner--Of course I do. Shake hands. You are a friend

®f mine.

The prisoner then began struggling again, and was very
violent.

It was suggested to the Judge that, as well for the safety
of the prisoner as for others, it would be better to put irons
on him.

The Judge said he did not like to do this ; but the vio-
lence continuing, his lordship gave way, and consented to
the irons being put on.
The prisoner was then heavily ironed and strapped—cer-
tainly as much as any maniac could be : but it was some
time before this could be managed, on accouat of his ex-
treme violence.

After half an hour's delay the Judge went out to consult
Mr. Justice Byles, and their lordships remained in con-
sultation for a considerable length of time, and the prisoner
appeared to be completely exhausted, and appeared as it
were asleep.

Another surgeon was sent for, and
Mr. Sergeant Shee returned into court, and ordered the
prisoner to be taken into a private room and examined by
the surgeon. With some difficulty the prisoner was car-
rieL of court.

After another half-hour's delay business was resumed,
and the following witnesses were examined :

Alfred Anson—l am a surgeon of this town. Since the
adjournment of the Court I have examined the prisoner,
and in my judgment at this moment he is in perfect pos-
session of his understanding, and is perfectly able to under-
stand what is going on.
John Good, the surgeon of the gaol, gave similar testi-
mony.

Dr. William Houghton, the surgeon of the convict
prison at Portland, confirmed the testimony of the other
two medical men.
The Judge then said that the trial must proceed. It was
extremely painful to him to be obliged to sanction the re-
straint under which the prisoner was placed, but from his
conduct it was necessary that it should be continued, and
as much force as was necessary, but not more, would be
used to enable the trial to proceed.
Altogether the scene was painful beyond description, and
the writer of these lines very nearly suffered by the pri-
soner's violence, for his heavy boot when thrown over the
deck came close to our reporter's head.
John Moore's evidence was then proceeded with—l
seized him first, and Ashton seized his arm and wrenched
it back. The prisoner cried out " Murder 1" and let the
knife drop out of his hand. We had a struggle with the
prisoner. He attempted to get down, as if to the knife. I
got on his back. He made a rush at Roberts, another
warder, who came up. We then all secured him. Evans
ran round ihe hall, and I did not see him again.
Cross.examined—Each man is locked in a separate cell
during dinner. The prisoner rushed upon Evans imme-
diately the cell door was opened. The prisoner was very
violent, but not so much so as he has been here this morn-
ing.
The other persons who were present were called and con-
firmed this evidence.
James Douglas—l am assistant-warder at Portland. I