The Sun.
London, England, 1839-11-29 00:00:00

VICE-CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.)

Short causes and unopposed petitions and exceptions
occupied his Honour the Vice-Chancellor the whole
morning.

QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY.)

(Sitti in B.
The COURT t ook thengs specialanco paper
today, and dis-
posed of several causes. The cases argued contained
no point of the least public interest.
The Counr will sit at nisi prius on Monday next.

EXCHEQUER COURT-THIS DAY.

(Sittings at Nisi Prius before the LORD CHIEF BARON.)
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL v. BOND.--SPECIAL JURY.
The Jury, in this case, who had been locked up all
night, were sent for this morning at the sittit,g of the
Court.
The usual inquiry hating been made, as to whether
they had agreed to a verdict or not ?
The FOREMAN said—As foreman of the Jury lam
sorry to inform your Lordships, they cannot come to a
unanimous decision.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—If the Jury are not likely
to come to a unanimous decision, which the law requires,
I have no hesitation on the part of the Crown to con-
sent to their being discharged. The course of justice
requires that a reasonable time should elapse in the hope
that the Jury may be able to agree ; but after a reason-
able time has expired, it would be unreasonable to insist
on their; being: locked nil until they come to a unani-
mous decision,

Lord ABlNGER—Gentlemen, the Attorney General
now consents to your being discharged. I wish to state
that I had no authority to discharge you myself merely
Lrecause you could not agree. It is is not the province
of a Judge, merely on account of a disagreement, to dis-
charge a Jury.
The FOREMAN of the Jury then stated that the Jury
wished to call the attention of his Lordship to the
inadequate accommodation provided for them when
they retired for the purpose of deliberation. They
were first confined in a very small room where
there was not a sufficient number of chairs for them to
sit upon. After remaining there for four hours, they
were shown into an adjoining court of large dimensions,
exposed to severe cold and draughts of wind, where
they were confined the whole night without fire or
other accommodation than the benches and tables of the
court. They felt that the ends of justice were not at-
tained by such treatment of the Jury, and that they
ought not to be called upon, in the conscientious dis-
charge of their duty, to be deprived for so many hours
of food and firing, endangering their health, and sub-
jecting them to privation and suffering, and being kept
from their families.

Lord ABINGER—Your memorial may be transmitted
to the Commissioners of Woods and Forests if you
wish it. I did not build the court, and cannot order
accommodation to the Jury. As to going without fire
that is what the laW prescribes.
The FOREMAN—It is the wish of the Jury to have
the memorial sent to such authorities as will take charge
of it.

Lord ABINGER.—I suppose, gentlemen, you are
unanimous on that.—( Laughter.)
The FOREMAN—Quite so, my Lord.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-4 believe it is the gene-
ral opinion that there is very inadequate accommoda-
tion for the public in the courts at Westminster Hall.
Lord ABINGEII.—I have no observation to make
upon that, because I have no power to make any al-
teration.

The FOREMAN—The Jury meant nothing disrespect-
ful to your Lordship in the course they have taken.
Lord ABINGER.—I make no complaint, gentlemen.
The Jury then left the court.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. BOYNE.—SPECIAL JURY.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (with whom was Mr.
Jervis) said in this case there was no danger of the
Jury being locked up for twenty-four hours without
fire or food.—(A laugh)--for it was extremely short
and simple, and he believed it was undefended. The
defendant was a tobacconist in Walmsgate, Yorkshire,
and the charge against him was, that he had brought
tobacco on to his premises without a permit ; and also
that he had tobacco on part of his premises which was
not duly entered. The tobacco in question was found
in a closet, and consisted of two bags, each containing
fifty pounds.

Evidence having been adduced fo prove the fact
stated by the Learned Gentleman,
The Jury found a verdict for the Crown—Damages,
Two hundred pounds.

CRIMINAL COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT.

Before Mr. Baron PARKE and Mr. Justice BOSANQUET.
MURDER OF A WIFE BY HER HUSBAND.—Williani
Lees was placed at the bar, charged with the wilful
[murder of his wife, E;izabeth Lees, in the parish of
St. George's in the East, on the 18th of November
last. The prisoner appeared quite unmoved, and looked
about the Court as it he had been a mere spectator.
Mr. Clarkson and Mr. Bodkin conducted the prose-
cution, and Mr. Ryland defended the prisoner.
The first witness examined was Sarah Bailey, who
seemed dreadfully affected.—She is the prisoner's sister,
andresides at Islington. Prisoner came to her house
on the afternoon in question, and said " Here is the
key." He said he was a murderer. John Lees and
Sarah Lees were present. He did not say who he had
murdered. They all went tegether to Chapman-street
to the prisoner's, and found his wife's body on the floor.
Prisoner is a hair-dresser.
Cross-examined—Prisoner hurt his head when he
was fourteen, and had been subject to fits.
John Lees—ls a brickmaker, living at Islington.
Prisoner is his brother, and last witness his sister. \Vas
engaged in removing things from her house on Monday
week. Prisoner came in between three and four ;he
took Benjamin Bailey by the hand, and kissed him, and
said he was a murderer. He produced a rope from his
pocket, and the key of his door. Witness then accom
panied him to a coach stand ; his wife and sister went with
them. They went to his house in a coach. The coach
stopped before it came to his house in Chapman-street.
Witness knows the Chapman Arms. Witness and
the prisoner went is there, and the women went into a
green-grocer's opposite. Prisoner called for some half-
and-half and a pipe. Witness had a pipe at that time.
Did not believe what prisoner had said. He appeared
drunk. Prisoner and his wife were both in the habit of
drinking, and when drunk they were very passionate.
After drinking the half-and-half witness went to his wife
and sister, leaving the prisoner in the Chapman Arms.
Witness and his sister and sister-in-law went to pri-
soner's house. Witness unlocked it, and they all went
in. This was between four and five. The shop was
dark. Sarah Bailey felt about. The prisoner brought
a light, and witness discovered deceased lying on the
floor of the shop dead.
Cross-examined.—Did not consider prisoner a man
likely to commit a crime ; his appearance was not that
of a man in his senses ; he seemed as if he had been
drinking. When the body was discovered, witness told
him, if he had done it, to resign himself, not knowing
he had done it: He began to sing and whistle. Has
heard his wife was given to drinking.
George Canes lives in Lower Chapman-street, and is
a bookbinder. Was at the Chapman Arms on the •
afternoon in question. Saw prisoner there, accom-
panied by last witness. Prisoner asked witness to give
him some tobacco. The prisoner, "who had come in at
one door, went out at the other. His brother caught
him, and said, " Bill, you shall not go—you are a mur-
derer—you have murdered your wife." He said " The
Almighty required him," but witness did not hear the
conclusion. Prisoner said nothing, but seemed
agitated and pale. There was blood on his shirt-
collar, and one of his hands was covered
with blood. Witness asked the brother if it
was so, and he replied it was, and that prisoner's wife
lay dead in the shop. The brother appeared much agi-
tated. Witness went to the prisoner's house and found
two females standing on the step of the door, crying—
the door was shut. Witness had gone in search of an
officer, and when he returned to the public-house with
an officer he found the prisoner and his brother were
gone. In consequence of what the landlord said they
went in search of the prisoner, and found him hi
James-street, walking towards the Commercial-road.
That was from his house. He was alone. Witness
and the policeman went up to him. Prisoner turned
round to come with witness, when the policeman laid
hold of him. He said he did not want any policeman,
but would go with witness quietly to the station-house ;
he did so. Witness then went to prisoner's house, and
saw deceased lying on the floor with her head to the
fire place. Was not acquainted with prisoner's wife.
Cross-examined—Has known prisoner some years.
Never knewhim a
have tits. He did not seem sober. Ile
appeared quite calm, except from the excitement of drink.
He made no resistance. He was taken with a fit when
before the Magistrate—that was on the Tuesday.
Sarah Lees—Was at her sister-in-law's on the
Monday. Was up stairs when prisoner came. Saw
him when she came down. Recollects hearing prisoner
say he
was a murderer, but did not say of whom. Accom-
panied prisoner, her brother, and sister-in-law to pri-
soner's house.

Cross-examined—Knew prisoner's wife. Both pi '-
sonar and his wife were given to drink, quarrelsome and
passionate. Deceased was In the habit of staying out
at night against her husband':, will, which made him very

John Lees recalled by Mr. Baron PARKE—RecoI-