The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-07 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COUR7.—(This Day.)

The sessions of the Central Criminal Court commenced
this morning before the Lord Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen,
and Sheriffs.

The calendar comprises the names of sixty prisoners for
trial, amongst them being that of Mrs. Vyse, who stands
charged with the wilful murder of her two children.
The Recorder, in charging the grand jury, observed that
owing 10 the short time that had elapsed since the court
last assembled there were not so many cases as usual, and
their duties would be of a light description. There was,
however, one case upon which he thought he ought to make
an observation, viz., that of Ann Cornish Vyse, who was
charged with the wilful murder of her two children. It ap-
peared from the depositions, that on the 22d of May the
deceased children were seen alive and in their usual health,
and in about two hours after they were found lying on
the bed dead, and there could be no doubt that their
deaths were occasioned by poison. The analysis of the
contents of the stomachs proved that fact. It was also
alleged that the poison had been administered by the pri-
soner, as early in the morning of the same day she pur-
chaseda quantity of "Battle's Vermin Killer,"at the shop of
a chemist in St. Paul's Church-yard, and she was after-
wards discovered in her bedroom with a sever wound in
her throat, she having attempted to commit suicide.
The evidence was of such a nature that they would doubt-
less send the case for further enquiry, and any explanation
as to the state of her mind when the act was committed
might then be urged on her behalf. The only other case
involving loss of life was that of a woman named Mary
Mahony, who was charged with the manslaughter of her
infant. It appeared that on the day of the occurrence the pri-
soner had been out drinking with a man with whom she
cohabited. The female came home in a state of intoxica-
tion in the evening, and on going into her own
apartment she fell down on the floor, and went to sleep
on the top of the child. Death was clearly occasioned by
suffocation, and if that was occasioned by carelessness or
negligence the prisoner was guilty of the offence charged.
There was also the case of Alfred Kelly, who was indicted
for sending a threatening letter with intent to extort money,
and from the evidence it appeared that the prisoner had
purchased bread of the prosecutor, who was a baker, and
in the letter the prisoner accused him of habitually selling
bread short of the legal weight. He went on to state that
without he sent him two five-pound notes he would
make such proceedings public. The handwriting of the
letter would.be proved to be that of the prisoner.
There was another of these cases, which were now, he re-
gretted to say, of too frequent occurrence—viz., an offence
against the bankruptcy laws. The party charged had, on
the 14th of May, been made bankrupt, and on that day he
was found pawning his furniture, instead of handing it over
to his creditors. The only other case he would refer to was
that of Elizabeth Monk, who was charged with attempting
to strangle her child, but he believed that in that case it
would turn out that the prisoner was a person of unsound
mind, but if the attempt to kill was proved to their satis-
faction, it then became their duty to send the case for trial
in this court, notwithstanding the mental condition of the

prisoner.
The grand jury then returned to the performance of their
duty, and in a short time the trials commenced.
ROBBERY WITS/ VIOLENCE.

Mark Barnett, 17, Henry Sweetleve, 18, and James
doare, 15, were indicted for stealing a gold eye-glass from
hlr. Wilson, a licensed victualler in Seven Dials.
From the evidence it appeared that the prosecutor was
on his way home from his place of business when he was
knocked down by one of the prieonera and rubbed of hie
property while ti:e others held him down.
The prisoners were found guilty.
The police gave a ver.;' bad account of 6,ttch.
The Recorder sentenced Hoare to five, Sw eetlove to four,
and Barnett to three years' petal servitude.
ROBBERY FROM THE REFUGE FOR THE DESTITUTE.
Richard Hughes was indicted for stealing a coat, three
new rugs, and a number of other articles the property of
Robert Mountatephen.
The prisoner, who pleaded guilty, had formerly applied
for admission to the Refuge for the Destitute, and from the
good manner in which he had conducted himself ho was
appointed porter. While he was fulfilling that situation he
availed himself of the opportunity not only to rob his em-
ployers, but also several of the poor persons who became
inmates of the charitable institution.
The Recorder said it was a bad case, and sentenced the
prisoner to 12 months' imprisonment with hard labour.
THE LUDGA.TE HILL TRAGEDY.
Mr. Montague Chambers has been specially retained,
with Mr. Sleigh, to conduct the prosecution on behalf of the
authorities of the City of London; and Mr. Sergeant b'al-
lantine has also been specially retained for the prisoner.
It is understood that the defence that will be set up at the
trial is that the unfortunate lady, at the time she com-
mitted the dreadful act, was in such a state of mind as not
to be criminally responsible, and if this should be made out
to the satisfaction of the jury, the melancholy result
would be that, upon an acquittal on the ground of in-
sanity, she would be consigned for the remainder of he."
life to a criminal lunatic asylum. The terms of the sentence
in such a case are that the prisoner shall be confined during
her Majesty's pleasure ; but in cases of murder the cle-
mency of the Crown is rarely extended to the criminal, and
the almost certain result would therefore bo imprisonment
for life as a criminal lunatic in Bedlam. Since the unhappy
lady has been committed to Newgate she has been in the
infirmary of the prison, and, as may well be imagined, she
is in a very low and desponding state. She is not yet re-
covered from the injury she inflicted upon herself, and she
is constantly under the charge of a female warder, to prevent
the possibility of her doing herself any further mischief.
The judges who preside at this session are the Lord Chief
Justice Cockburn and the learned judge of the North Wales
Circuit.