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

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD CIRCUIT—OXFORD, March 2.
(Before Mr. Justice Crompton.)
-William Powell was indicted for the manslaughter
of Josiah Joseph Walker, at Kirtlington.
Mr. Sawyer appeared for the prosecution; the
prisoner was defended by Mr. Lister.
Atm Tolley deposed that her husband was landlord
of the Six Bells at Kirtlington. Knew both deceased
and the prisoner, who are related to each other.
Deceased came to the Six Bells in the afternoon of
January 28. and drank some beer. The prisoner
came in shortly afterwards, and sat down opposite
deceased, and appeared to be tipsy. He commenced
abusing deceased, who was perfectly sober. De-
ceased, after threatening prisoner with his stick,
eventually got up and put prisoner out of the room
into the passage, where a scuffle took place, which
lasted a minute or upwards. Deceased returned
to the taproom, followed by prisoner, and resumed
his seat and had more beer. He left the house
about five minutes after his return to the tap-room,
the prisoner remaining about ten minutes after de-
ceased. Witness did not know that anything
dangerous had taken place in the passage.
The witness stated in cross-examination that
there had been disputes between the parties arising
out of some property. Deceased made no obser-
vation on his return from the passage where the
scuffle took place. There was nothing particular in
his manner or appearance, and he went away after
drinking his beer without making any complaint
or observation.
The servant girl at the Six Bells remembered
seeing deceased remove prisoner from the taproom
into the passage, and heard the scuffle. Remained
in the taproom until they returned, and afterwards
until deceased went away. After deceased left
heard the prisoner say he would " mark 121111
(meaning deceased) for putting him out." Witness
left the taproom directly after prisoner uttered the
threat, but did not see him leave the house.
Another witness, the son-in-law of the deceased,
with whom he lodged, remembered his coming home
the same evening about half-past five. In conse-
quence of what deceased said witness got a light,
undressed, and examined him. There was a cut in
the groin near the left-hand pocket of the trowsers,
and the bowels were protruding. He was sent to
the Oxford Infirmary.
Thomas Powell, police-constable, went to Kirt-
lington on the night in question, saw deceased, and
examined his clothes ; both his trowsers and
his shirt were cut through. Went afterwards to
prisoner's house, and charged him with cutting and
stabbing. lie said witness might " take him, hang
him, or transport him, or do anything else with
him." He was then tipsy. Witness took him to
the Six Bells, searched him, and found four knives
upon him, but all free from marks of blcod.
Mr. Sydenham, surgeon, attended deceased on the
evening of the 28th January. He was on a bed,
with his intestines protruding from a wound on the
left side, and lying on the abdomen. The wound
was such as might have been caused by a sharp
knife. Witness ordered him to be removed to the
Infirmary. The witness stated in cross-examination
f
w_abalnet
in
thatt im e tyh e
attention wou d
was
than
dangerous
trhaituhge rf
of from d
walking home
intesseahaaarwacdteerc.ealsetdwas brrahlef-paaosttio9n oo'cflock before wit-
from the public house might have caused the bowels
to protrude, and until protrusion took place there
would not necessarily be pain. A very slight cut
in such a part of the body might cause the bowels
to protrude.
Mr. Wingfield, house surgeon of the Ratcliffe
Infirmary at Oxford, also gave evidence as to the
nature of the wound. Deceased died on the morning
of
Anotherthe 3Othpforloi
police
constable,t h e effects
whoof the
wasinwound.
charge of the
Bicester station on the night of the 28th and received
the prisoner in charge, deposed to a conversation
with him, in the course of which he said " it was
deceased)no use to daenndy
mi it, at at
there,
ert he raen wasd
I
put out of the house," and (meaningwonaslYnhotimgoing to
with
he bad dune it with
his bread and cheese knife.
Mr. Lister, in his address to the jury, dwelt
upon the circumstance that the prisoner was in
liquor at the time, and further urged in his favour
the suddenness of the collision between him and ibe
deceased, from which the absence of malice might
reasonably be presumed, and that deceased might
in fact have met his death by accident.
The jury found a verdict of guilty, with u recum-
mendation to mercy.
The learned Judge sentenced the prisoner to ten
years' penal servitude.
John Evans, an attorney's clerk, Edward Lewis,
and Thomas Baker, were charged with setting fire
to a stack of hay at Ducklington on 2d Nov. last.
The prisoners pleaded guilty, and on being asked
in the usual manner whether they had anything to
say why sentence should not be passed upon them,
Evans observed, "My lord, I have been going on
very badly for a long time, and if you wish to do me
any good you had better send me out of the country."
The learned Judge sentenced the prisoners to
sight years penal servitude.
Evans—Thank you, my lord.

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-
GARDEN.
L u(ler the Management of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W.
Harrison, Sole Lessees.
THIS-EVENING, March 3, Balfe's New Opara of 'IRE
ARMOURER OF NANTES : Mica Louisa Prne Mrs. A.
Cooke, and Miss Anna Hiles; Messrs. W.
Harrison. H.Weiss,Santley,
H. Corti, C. Lyall, Aynsley Cooke, and .
Conductor Mr. A. Mellon.
r
fter which, the Gand Comic Coriatmas Pantomime, en-
titlAed HARLEQUIN BEAUTY AN L. BEAST.
Doors open at hall-past bmmenee at 7.

111IEATRE-ROYAL, DRURY-LANE,-
Lessee and Manager, Mr. Edmund Falconer.
THIS EVENING, BONNIE DUNDEE ; or, The Gather-
ing of the Clans. Mes,rs. Henry TlOrraine, Edmund Phelps,
Sinclair, Chas. Selby, Henry Haigh; Mrs. D. P. Bowers,
Mrs. Edmund Falconer, &c.
After which, the Grand Pantomime of LITTLE GOODY
TWO SHOES.