The Sun.
London, England, 1830-03-25 00:00:00

AND HER PARAMOUR.

CARLOW ASSIZES, MARCH 20.

Catherine Smith was put to the bar, charged with
the murder of her husband, Nathaniel Smith, by
giving him a mortal wound on the back part of the
head. at Torneduff, in this county, on the night of
the 18th of January last, of which he languished
until the 24th, and then died.

The prisoner was a middle-aged woman, low in
stature, and her countenance indicated nothing of
ferocity. During the trial she displayed the most
unflinching fortitude, and evinced no emotion except
when her child was produced as a witness against
her, when she wept for a moment or two bitterly.
William Styles, about twenty years old, the para-
mour of the prisoner, and whom the Crown had
allowed to become an approver, sworn.—Stated his
knowledge of the deceased, who lived near witness's
place of abode, and proceeded in his deposition as
follows :-1 knew him three or four years; be was
married ; I knew his wife ; they had four children,
the eldest of whom is grown up; Nathaniel Smith
is dead (identifies prisoner, his wife.) On the 18th
of January last, three or four hours after nightfall, I
saw Smith at a place called the Croppy-gap, about
thirty perches from his own house; it was agreed
between me and Catherine Smith to kill him there ;
Catherine Smith was with him at the Croppy-gap;
I had a pronged fork belonging to my uncle in my
hand ; I stood behind the ditch, and knocked him
down with the pitchfork/ by a stroke on the back
part of the head; he fell into the ditch. Catherine
Smith struck him with a stone on the body, and
then threw a smaller stone on his head ; when I gave
him the stroke, a small portion of the fork attached
to the prongs was knocked off, the rest remained in
my hand; after we had done this, we went home
together to her house; she promised to marry me,
and give me all the property she had ; Smith was
not able to leave the place after he was struck; he
was brought into the house, and died on the follow-
ing Sunday, the 24th January; I saw him on Friday
night, and he could speak then. On Sunday morn-
ing Catherine Smith took some of a mixture of
tobacco-water, supplemint (corrosive sublimate) and
turpentine, which had been used for curing the scab
in sheep, from a red jar, and put it into a tin pannikin,
and then gave it to the deceased to drink; this was
about the time the bell rang for prayer; she then
took a handkerchief off her neck and smothered him.

The prisoner offered no defence, and the jury, after
a few minutes' deliberation, returned a verdict of—
Guilty.

The usual formalities were observed in passing
sentence. The prisoner, whose fortitude maintained
her as well after conviction as during her trial, de-
clared that the whole was the result of a conspiracy
against her. She pleaded her pregnancy in bar of
execution, when a jury of matrons was immediately
summoned, who pronounced her quick with child,
and execution was postponed accordingly.

MANNERS OF THE DAY.—We understand
that the leading object of this novel, from which so much
is expected, is to exemplify the ultimate effects in modern
high life of the following different descriptions of marriages
(according to the present received method of classification)
namely, the marriage de convenance, the bon mariage,
and the mariage delicieux.

TITHE MEETING.-ST. ANDREW'S HOL.•
max.—Yesterday a Meeting of the Parishioners of St.
Andrew's Holborn, was held at the Parish Workhouse,
Little Gray's Inn-lane, to consider of the best means of
proceeding with regard to the Rector's claim for tithes,
be having lately sent notices to some of the parishioners,
calling on them to furnish his solicitor with the names of
their solicitors, with a view of filing bills in equity to
enforce his claims. At twelve o'clock a numerous meet-
ing assembled, and Mr. MANSFIELD was unanimously
called to the Chair. He explained that the object of
calling the meeting was to receive the Report of the Com-
mittee of the parishioners to inquire into the claims of
the Rector. The Report of the Committee was read,
recommending the inhabitants not to pay tithes on premi-
ses for which they had not before been paid ; and that the
inhabitants should form a common purse to resist the
claims of the Rector. An opinion of a Learned Counsel
of the law was read, stating that the Rector had no
claim on new houses, nor on houses for which a payment
had not been uniformly made from time immemorial. The
Report was then received. After which, subscriptions
were entered into, for the purpose of defendisg those
against whom actions might be brought for the non-
payment of tithes.

MURDER IN ROSS-SHIRE.---THREE MEN
APPREHENDED..--SO anxious have the officers of the
Crown in Edinburgh been that every possible inquiry
should be made into the murder of HELEN MacxENzat,
that J. F. STODART, Esq., advocate, has been sent to
Ross-shire, to superintend renewed investigations. On
Monday this gentleman, accompanied by the Sheriff and
Procurator-Fiscal, proceeded to Invergordon, where they
still continue taking precognitione. During the exami-
nation of some of the witnesses, circumstances were
elicited which induced the authorities to order two men
(one of them the deceased's nephew), residing at Barbara.
ville, near the church of Kilmuir, to be apprehended. In
their progress to Barbaraville the officers observed a man
run off on seeing them approach. They instantly pur-
sued, and with some difficulty succeeded in securing him :
he proved to be the nephew of the deceased. The officers
then took into custody the two men, and also a shoemaker,
who resides about 100 yards from the house which poor
HELEN occupied. Yesterday they were taken in the
mail-coach from Invergordon to Tain, and lodged in the
gaol there, where they are now confined in separate cells.
While on the coach the prisoners were not permitted to I
hold any communication with each other ; one of them
was placed in the fore part of the coach, one behind, and
the third inside. The shoemaker, HELEN'S neighbour,
observed to a person sitting close by him—" I am happy
that I have been apprehended, that the case may be
sifted ; for, as I resided near the woman, my neighbours
would cast suspicion on one. lam entirely innocent, and
I know I will soon be set at liberty; but as for that man
inside" (meaning the deceased's nephew), "he is the
murderer. He has not been sober since." A knife, the
handle of which is covered with blood, and a petticoat,
have been found, which it is likely will lead to some im-
portant disclosures. One of the prisoners, on his first ex-
amination, we understand, stated that he received no part
uf the deceased's property, but his wife contradicted this,
and mentioned that he had some days after the murder
taken 141. out of HEratsr's house, and gave a reason for
doing so that he was afraid others who had a better legal
title to the cash would have carried it off. Some of the
prisoners, it has also been observed, have had more money
since the murder than they could honestly have come by.
A n.ae and woman, who were ordered to be taken into
custody, left the district some weeks ago, but are now, we
learn, in Aberdeenshire, and will be brought back....-In-
verness Journal.