The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-26 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—CARLISLE, Feb. 25.
CHILD MURDER AT PENRITII.
At the assizes to day, Catherine Simpson, a
young woman, aged 21, was tried before Mr. Jus-
tice Mellor, for the murder of her illegitimate child
by drowning. She confessed her guilt on being
taken into custody.
It was proved that the poor girl was subject to
fits of insanity, and on thet ground the jury re-
turned a verdict of not guilty.
THE DURRAN-HILL MURDER.
William Charlton, aged 32, engine-driver, was
tried before Mr. Justice Willes for the murder of
Jane Emmerson, an old woman who kept the gate
at the Durran-hill crossing of the Newcastle and
Carlisle Railway, on the 21st of November. The
facts of the case may be briefly recapitulated as laid
before the jury by Mr. Price, and deposed to in a
mass of evidence.
On the part of the prosecution it was said that
the deed was done between the time when the last
engine-driver passed with his train, which was
about a quarter to ten, and the time when he had
a second opportunity of seeing whether there was
a light, and did not observe one, which was some-
where about a quarter or 20 minutes past ten—
within the space of about half an hour. Next
morning, when the first engine passed the cross-
ing a little after three o'clock, the gates were
found opened and all right ; therefore somebody
must have been to the gates and put them so as to
enable the engine to pass without stopping. The
driver of this train did not see the old woman as
he was accustomed to do, though he whistled several
times very loudly. The next train that passed Was
driven by the prisoner. After that, about half-past
five or a quarter to six, a man named Blaylock,
coming along the line to his work as a platelayer,
and passing by the old woman's cottage, found her
lying in a pool of blood. On examination there
were found to be a number of footmarks all round
the cottage, leading up to the gate of a garden in
which the old woman kept a pickaxe. That pick-
axe had been taken out of the garden and used by
the person who committed the deed. Blood was on
the handle and the door, and the drawer bore marks
of its having been used to force them. It was
found that the old woman had never been to bed,
as the bed was unmade and her night clothes were
still airing before the fire. When the police came
the footmarks were examined and casts taken of
them. The prisoner's duty was to go out with the
second engine in the morning, and he was accus-
tomed to be called up about half-past three by a
man named Chambers; he usually came down to
the engine sheds, bringing his breakfast with him,
which, after giving directions to his fireman about
getting his engine ready, he generally ate in an ad-
joining cabin. On the morning in question he
was awoke a little after three, and came down as
usual, but he brought no breakfast with him.
After giving directions to his fireman, he absented
himself from the sheds on the excuse of going to
get his breakfast. It was an unusual thing for him
to come without his breakfast. Between half-past
three and four o'clock, a pointsman on the line,
named Carruthers, heard footsteps, and in looking
round he saw what he had never seen before—the
prisoner coming down the line from the direction of
the old woman's cottage, quite in another direction
to his own house, where he said he went to get his
breakfast and his knife. The casts of the foot-
marks, as well as the shoes taken from the prisoner,
were produced. Those prints bore many peculiari-
ties—such as one of the semi-circles of nails being
larger than the other, the distances between the
nails, the fact of there being one little nail leaning
aslant upon another, Sze.—which must have been
accidentally made by the shoemaker. Accurate
measurements of the casts and tracings were imme-
diately made, but the prisoner was not apprehended
till a month after. He went out with his train to
Newcastle as usual, and as they were Passing the
old woman's cottage, he kept his fireman engaged
in close conversation, and.then told him to ptt some
coke in the fire—thus preventing the fireman from
looking about him. When the news of the murder
reached Newcastle, the fireman asked prisoner if
he same up in the morning.
,
the
s
answer, " and I saw the old
, heyseas7 I the
did,"lights
was a
woman herself standing in the porch." About a
month after the murder, he was apprehended and
his shoes taken. On being examined with the
casts, a most remarkable and accurate resem-
blance between the two was discovered ; but
fifty-four sparables indented in the casts had
been taken out of these shoes. When before the

magistrates, and seeing how the evidence was going,
the prisoner made a statement attempting to cast
the blame upon his brother-in-law, Thomas Robin-
son. In the first place, he gave three different
accounts about the nails—one to the fireman, one in
this statement, and another to the policeman ; and
also proved it was beyond doubt that Robinson was
miles away from Carlisle, had slept that night with
another man ; and, in fact, could cover the whole
of the time in which the murder could possibly have
been committed. The prisoner's house was searched,
and under one of the slates on the roof of the privy
was found a paper containing 52 sparables, which
were of the same character as those which had been
in the shoes ; and another sparable was found in the
prisoner's pocket. The paper in which the 52 were
wrapped had some tobacco dust in it, and some
similar dust was found in the prisoner's pocket.
Some of the nails appeared to have been taken out
by pincers and some by a chisel; and in the pri-
soner's house a chisel and a pair of pincers were
found belonging to the company, which he had n 0
right to have there.

Mr. Campbell Forster, having addressed the jury
for the prisoner,
His Lordship, in his summing up, left it to the
jury that if the circumstances were all consistent
with the prisoner's guilt, and there were some of
the circumstances which were inconsistent with
any other rational conclusion, it was their duty to
find the prisoner guilty ; but if the circumstances
were all capable of another conclusion, they ought
to acquit. His Lordship then went carefully through
the whole evidence, pointing out the falsehood of
the prisoner in endeavouring to fix the guilt of the
murder on his brother-in-law, the circumstances
attending the finding of the " sparrowbilis " and the
tracing of the shoe impressions corresponding with
the prisoner's shoes, and told them that these must
not be looked at separately, but altogether, and their
judgment must be formed on the whole facts.
The Jury retired about 11 o'clock, and, after being
absent five hours, returned at 4 o'clock with a ver-
dict of guilty of murder, coupled with a recommen-
dation to mercy on account of the prisoner's pre-
vious character.

His Lordship then, putting on the black cap,
passed on the prisoner the awful sentence of death
in a most impressive manner, holding out to him no
hope of mercy, though he should transmit to the
proper quarter the recommendation of the jury.

ASSIMILATION OF THE IRISH AND
_ENGLISH LAW COURTS.

Our readers are aware that a Royal Commission
is now sitting charged with the important duty of
inquiring into the Irish Law and Chancery Courts,
and the propriety of assimilating the practice of the
English and Irish Courts. This Commission, which
holds meetings both in Loudon and Dublin, is sup-
posed to be of opinion already that the Irish Courts
have no longer a sufficient amount of work to do.
How that may be, we cannot say—the evidence will
in due time show. If the statement is well founded,
the Landed Estates Court may in part be the tem-
porary cause. We are not so sure that large reduc-
tions would be safe or judicious, even if the fact be
as alleged. However, as to the general principle of
assimilation, there is no room for a second opinion,
and if, in carrying it out to a prudent extent, a re-
arrangement of offices and duties take place, it will
be just that the " assimilation" should reach salaries
as well as processes and duties, and that the Irish
officer performing the same function as his English
brother shall receive a like reward.

There was a time, indeed, when something could
be said in favour of giving a larger emolument to
the London official, the cost of living in the metro.
polis was so excessive. This is admitted to be noW
changed. If in London prices of a large variety
of articles have been lowered, in Dublin they have
increased. The assimilation-process here has proved
to be the injury of the public servant residing ill
Dublin, and thus his claim to be put on a footing
of equality with the London officer of Law, Chair
eery, or Bankrupt Court, is stronger than ever. It
rests upon abstract justice, and is supported by
the circumstance just mentioned.

Among the legal changes about to take place in
the direction indicated must be included a new Act
to assimilate the Irish Bankrupt Act to the English ,
statute passed last Session. This new Act wit',
make various changes, and greatly enlarge both the
judicial and administrative duties of the Chief Re'
gistrar and other functionaries. The Chief Regis"
trar will, we have heard it said, receive power to
make adjudication of bankruptcy; to receive the
surrender of the bankrupt; to grant protection!
to pass last examinations when unopposed; to hell;
and preside at meetings of creditors; to audit and
pass accounts of assignees, &c.—all of which
greatly increased judicial duties will not only add
to the importance of his office, but impose upon an
already sufficiently occupied and competent officer
a large amount of fresh responsibility. In addition
to this, there are novel administrative duties to be
put upon him, and an entirely new department
placed under his care—namely, that of the regis-
tration of deeds.
Here, certainly, is a case where the principle of
true justice manifestly applies. In London the
officer who discharges the same duties gets .£1,40,°
per annum—the Irish salary for identical work
only £BOO. In the new Act, if we be rightly
formed, no provision whatever is made for assimila-
tion of salaries ! Now, is that fair P We do 0,1,
ask the question, or press the point, for the sake °,'
any individual. We are contending for a princiPl
of, as we conceive, no trifling importance. If Irte
offices are to be assimilated to English, let us have
no sham assimilations. Good honest work, reT
dered in this portion of her Majesty's dominions) l
just as worthy of adequate payment as if done in
any other, and the legal public, and persons Oil'
cerned, may rest assured that if, in any one case'
this assimilation and increase of duties is allowed
to take place without an assimilation in the import
ant point of the emolument, the precedent will rule
in every other case, and the value of our most jai'
portant legal appointments, in subordinate depart-
ments, will decrease. In this important matter wet
with a clear conscience, raise the cry of " Justice
to Ireland !"—Evening Packet.

COUNTRY MABAL:tb.

- 10-

LIVERPOOL—FEB. 25.
We had a fair attendance of town and country millero
Beans, peas,
and dealers to-day, and wheat was in better request at 1‘
slight improvement. Flour was dealt in to a considerable
extent, at a decline of 6d per barrel and is per sack. pate
dli
anitdeoualttmteeaml were
avterylatde rates. In
dull.
for, and 3d per qr lower. rnanldesabizargleuiyralled

LEEDS—FEB. 25. ain s
We have a moderate show of grain. There
slow demand to-day for wheat, and prices tend down
Barley does not sell freely, but at last Tuesday's rates.
Beans and oats sold very sparingly, and little or no altera'
tion in value. is awards.

MELTON MOWBRAY—FEB. 19.
There was a tolerable show of wheat to-day, and, g
a quiet trade, prices were very little changed. Barley
a languid sale, and at downward prices. White wheat, 0
Od to 66s Od ; red, 55s Od to 61s per 36 stone ; be/f:
slow, at 44s to 51s for old; new sorts, —s per 36 °io.l:
barley, 35s ;to 38s for malting, and 31s:to 33s per cll.'
grinding; oats, 28s to 33s Od perl24 stone.

NEWCASTLE-UNDER LYME—FEn. 24.
At this market to-day there was a fair show of wheal
with a limited trade, and inferior sorts were hard to sell'
White wheat, 63s to 68s; red, 65s to 64s per 36 stone.
Barley at about the rates of the week previous, malting
selling at 35s to 41s per qr., grinding 30s to 328 per 30 at.
Oats, 25s to 278'per 24 st. ; beans, 4is to 460; new, 38s to
46s per qr.

sale. than lot
The supply of store cattle to-daylarger 0
week, consisting of Scots, shorthorns, and Irish. Th
4s to 48 6d (estimated weight wile
,CwA3tTshT6awL.dsioEtoosw.
4s Od ; Irish, 36
attsecnodtasn,
4s
se otof b4usy6NedrOs; Rw:asotlsthCiniloatlnl
8,
0
fat).
Fat 3s 6d ; De v ens,
Fat beasts a large show, hut sales slow, at 7s Od to 70.65
per 141 b.
sheep—There was a good supply of sheep in the penEt
and a fair sale.
Fat sheep, 8s Od to 8s 6d per stone
onst
•' prime, Os Od. ,
Pigs--A fair supp ly. Store pigs, 18s to 20s; fat p
7s 3d to 7s 6d per stone.
_....,

BIRTHS.
the
wife
DoDSoN.—On the 25th inst., at 6, Seamore-place, t"
of J. G. Dodson, Esq., M P., of a daughter.
NAPIER.—On the 24th inst., at 54, Green-street, Groso‘
nor-square, the Hon. Mrs. W. Napier, of a son. th
•, e
WALTER.—On the 25th inst., at Long Ditton, Surrtitort
wife of James Walter, Esq., of 2, Clifford's•mn, sob'
of a son.

BRODIE__mAcKwoRNTItR_RoIaAGthEeS.
24th
Church, Worthing, George Sinclairßrodini eaqt• itihYrdiet°o!
park-square, to Jane Deere, second daughter of the la
Herbert Mackworth, Esq., R.N.
NEWTON—ANDERSON.—On the 24th inst., at All Soil of
Langham-place, Regent -street, Mr. John P. Newtalkir.
Dundee, to Elspith, youngest daughter of the late
John Anderson, of Denmark-hill, Surrey.
DEATHS.
BLACKLEY.—On the 23d inst.. at Clifton, John Blacklel9
Esq., aged 64.
BowEß.—On the 22d inst., at High-grove, near Cheadle'
Cheshire, Major Bower, aged 77.
DOULTON.—On the 23d inst., at West-park, Mortlake)
of
Doulton, jun., Esq., eldest son of John Doulton,
Lambeth, aged 43.
PRINCE.—On the 24th inst., at Stockwell, Philip A.
Esq., late of Hylands, Epsom, aged 66.
REED.—On the 25th inst., at his residence, Cambridge
heath, Hackney, the Rev. Andrew Reed, D.D., aged
ti
RIPPINORAI4.—On the 23d inst., at Kender-grove) 191
Kent-road, Mary R. Rippingham, aged 79.:

_ - - - -
LONDON : Printed and Published by 11.1JRDO YOUNG of
No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TAE BuN Office No. 112,80411.1'
in the Precinct of the Savoy in the County
Wedseedah Fepruary go, 184