The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-26 00:00:00

spectable way," and that they had tea together. She said
that he declared that his intentions were to marry the girl.
Evidence was given that the young woman had left one
of her situations in consequence of the defendant. The de-
fendant's letters were pat in, and in ono of them he wrote
"my mother and sisters send their love to you." This was
relied upon for the plaintiff as an implied recognition by
the defendant's family of his engagement to her.
Mr. Hawkins called no witnesses for the defendant, and,
in addressing the jury on his behalf, did not deny that an
engagement had been proved, and admitted that its breach
could not be legally justified, and that there was no impu-
tation upon the character of the plaintiff, But ho urged
that the case wanted all the elements of aggravation, and
was not a case for serious damages. He urged in particu-
lar, that it did not appear that the engagement had been
made known to the defendant's father or family. And it
was perhaps a good thing for both the parties that the
engagement had been broken off, as their position in
society was not the same, and the family of the young
man would not have liked the union, It was, he urged,
the common else of an attachment to a pretty barmaid, by
which a young man had been carried on a little further than
he intended. It did not seem however to have gone further
than taking tea together. (A laugh,) There was no evi-
dence of wounded feelings or distress of mind, nor were
there any ill consequences by disgrace or otherwise, which
often ensued in such cases. It was merely an ordinary case
of the rupture of a rash youthful engagement, and the
smallest amount of damage would suffice.
The learned Judge, in summing up the case to the jury,
said that the plaintiff was entitled to a verdict, and the only
question was as to the amount of damages. As to wounded
feelings, it was for them to say what were likely to be the
young woman's feelings at such an engagement being broken
off at the last moment without any reason being assigned ;
and without, as it appeared, any previous notice of lt.
z-urely her feelings were likely to be very much wounded
when the engagement was thus broken off, after it had
lasted for a year and a half, and without any cause or reason
being assigned for the rupture. Oa the other hand, how-
ever, it did not appear that the defendant was a person of
any property or independent means. _

The jury einsidered some time, and then found for the
plaintiff.—Damages £lOO.

OXFORD CIRCUIT.-SHREWSBLTRY, March 24.
(Before Mr. Justice Crompton.)

Edward Cooper, 30, labourer, was indicted for the murder
of his own son, John Cooper, on the 15th Deceraber la t,
in the parish of Baschurch in the county of Salop.
From the evidence of 19 witnesses, it appeared that :the
prisoner, who is a widower, was seen to enter, with the boy,
into an ash coppice, near his master's house. In
about an hour afterwards he went to a house near the cop-
pice and borrowed a spade, andwhen the spade was returned
in about half an hour, it appeared as if it had been
used. When asked what he had done with the boy
on his return to his master's house, he said he had
sent him to Manchester. Some two months afterwards sus-
picion was aroused, in consequence of nothing being heard
of the bey, and the prisoner was arrested. Search was made
in the coppice where the prisoner was seen to go with the
boy, and on coming to where some of the bottom clay ap-
peared to have been thrown on the top, that place was dug
up. The man that were digging had not been at work long
when they came upon what they first thought to be a stone,
but on trying t o remove it they found it to be a boot. From
this it was evident they were at the right place, and the
body was got out. It was identified as the body of John
Cooper. The body was buried with the face downwards,
with the hands behind the back, and a handkerchief was
passed twice round the neck, and tied so tightly that it had
to be cut off by the surgeons who made the post mortem
examination, by direction of the coroner. No doubt existed
that death had been caused by strangulation, and, from the
appearance the body presented, it had been thrust into the
grave before it was dead, as the trousers were kicked above
the knees, as if the deceased child had been trying to get
up. When the prisoner was taken into custody, and
brought before the magistrates, he said, after being cau-
tioned, that he had sold the boy to a travelling man for
half a crown.

The jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict of
guilty of wilful murder.
The learned Judge pronounced sentence of death, hold-
ing out no hopes of mercy.
The prisoner—My lord, may I speak ?
The learned Judge signified his assent, and the prisoner,
in a loud voice, and with wild gesticulations, exclaimed,
" Mr. Woolrych, you are a Christian gentleman, it is you
who brought me to the place of judgment; it is you and
your servant Jane Saddler who bring me to the execution
tree." He was then removed.

TS.