The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-04 00:00:00

THE CakTHAM MURDER.

Upon the application:of Mr. Ribton, who appeared
for the prisoner, the trial of Robert Alexander Bur-
ton for the murder of a lad at Chatham was post-
poned to the summer assizes, when it is understood
that the defence of insanity will be set up.

OXFORD CatCUIT.—STAFFORD, DEC. 3.
THE SEDGLEY 3kIVE.DER.

Jesse Watts, William Henshaw, Hannah Simms,
and Mary Downing were indicted for the wilful
murder of Henry Swinnerton, on the 4th of No-
vember last, at Sedgley.
Mr. Boughey and Mr. Motteram prosecuted;
Mr. Brindly defended Henshaw. The other pri-
soners were unrepresented by counsel; and Mr.
Kenealey was instructed by the judge to watch the
case in their behalf.

It appears that oe the 4th November the de-
ceased was out drinking at several pubic-houses.
At one of these public-houses, the Three Horse-
shoes, he treated the female prisoners to drink, and
he was there joined by the two male prisoners. He
accompanied one of the female prisoners out of the
house, and was shortly afterwards followed by the
other prisoners, who beat him with a life preserver
and robbed him, and from the effect of the injuries
rf ceived he died on the 10th November, in a fright-
ful state of suffering.
Isaac Kelsall was the first witness called. He
deposed that he was drinking with the deceased on
the night of the murder, the 4th of November, at
the Anchor public-house. The prisoners were
there, and were treated to drink by the deceased.
They then went to the Three Horse shoes pubdc-
house, Deepfields, :where tho prisoners followed
them, and were there treated to drink by the de-
ceased, and he took out 14s. or 15s. to pay for what
had been drunk. Deceased and the prisoner Simms
then went out together. Watts, Henshaw, and
Downing followed them almost immediately. Wit-
ness followed them in the direction of Blue Button
Bridge. When near the bridge he saw deceased
with his jacket off lying on his back and bleeding
from the mouth. Watts and Downing were by his
side, and Henshaw and Simms were about 1U yards
off. When they saw witness Henshaw and Simms
ran away. Deceased was calling for the police.
Witness helped him up and put his clothes on.
%%ratts and Downing were standing on either
side, and deceased said one of them had robbed
him of 14s. or 155., and he said he would
have his money before he went. When the
female prisoners ran away Watts called after
them, and said, " What have you got to run away
for ?—let us throw him into the cut." The prisoner
Watts then struck deceased and knocked him down
over some rails into the field, and was about to strike
him again when witness prevented him. Watts and
Downing then went towards Bilston, and deceased
followed them, and said he would have his money.
Witness then went back to the Three Horse Shoes
public-house alone.
Wm. Lees deposed to being at the Three Horse-
shoes on the night of the murder, and seeing pri-
soners and deceased there. On his way home about
half-past 12 he met Downing in High-street, Bil-
ston, coming from the direction of Deepfields. He
spoke to her, and asked her if she had just come
home, and she replied " Yes, she had come along
the cut side, and had had a good fight. You saw
the man in the room with us ?" Witness said " Yes,"
and she continued, "Re wanted to go with the other
girl that was with me, and said she had robbed
him, and he wanted his money, and just as they
began to fight I gave him one or two good uns.
Jesse knocked him over the rail, and we had to run,
for they had gone for the police." While they were
talking Henshaw and Simms came up, and witness
left them all together. In a minute or two after
witness heard a whistle, and Downing shouted
" earn. eight. I know that's Jesse." Witness
then saw Watts and another man come along and go
in the same direction as the other three prisoners.
Superintendent M'Cre, of Bilston, stated that
deceased died on Nov. 10. On that day he charged
all the prisoners with the murder. Henshaw said,
"I was not near them when fighting." 'Yatts said,
" When I got up he wanted to fight the old man,
and be struck me several times. And I then hit
him, and he tumbled over the rails on the canal
bank, and we had a round, and he then put on his
clothes, and came with us towards Bilston, and
went into an iron works. He was quite well when
he left us." Downing said, "We should not have
gone near them only We heard the other girl call
out murder."' Was present when Watts and
Henshaw were placed at the foot of deceased's bed.
He identified them as thoesmedentowbheoinhgapdrbeseeant him.twhen
decPellacseebdeidGe nririfitehdsthdeepraen.

Dlr
. Griffiths, ffi
theh ,
surgeon,
deposed to being called in
to attend
He was in a dangerous
condition. Found bruises y
on the face and throat
jaw. He found a difEcuit_
in articulating. He
tdeceased.seo
gradually got worse, and died on the 10th of No-
vember,He
made had been inflicted.
u nd
examination of the body.
ther injuries
eat violence. His face and
o s i
marks
postay
of@
very
ze r y
.erogreat
throat were bruised, the jaw was fractured, also the
bone at the top of the throat. Death was caused
by congestion of the lungs and brain, arising from
the injuries he had received. Such injuries might
be caused by violent blows, or from a fall.
The jury found all the prisoners guilty of man-
slaughter.
Sentence deferred.

NEWCASTLE ASSIZES.
THE HIGH CRANE MURDER.
On Tuesday John Dixon and Thomas Miller
were tried before Air. Justice Keating, on the
charge of having wilfully murdered Patrick Rogers,
on the Quayside of Newcastle, on the 16th of
August last.
The prisoners pleaded not guilty.
It appeared that the deceased, an eccentric old
man, well known in Newcastle, had gone into a
public convenience where the prisoners and others
were. The prisoners began teasing the poor old
man ; one of them set fire to his hair with a lighted
lucifer-match, and, Proceeding from one act of
cruelty to another, they took him up in their arms
and pitched him down the hole into the river which
ran below, where he Was drowned. The strange
thing was, that though other persons were present
no one offered to interfere.
There was some evidence that the prisoners did
not mean the old man's death; and the jury, taking
a lenient view of the case, in which the judge said
he concurred, returned a verdict of manslaughter.
The prisoners were both sentencEd to penal ser-
vitude for 10 years.