The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-27 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORFOLK CIRCUIT.—NORWICH, MARCH 24.
(Before the Lord Chief Baron.)
THE FATAL CATASTROPHE IN THE LATE SNOW STORM ON
THE EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY-TRIAL OF MESSRS.
ASHCROFT AND LATHAM.
Mr. Peter Ashcrpft, the superintendent of the perma-
nent way, or resident engineer of the Eastern Counties
Railway, and John Latham, one of the inspectors, were
charged with the manslaughter of Thomas Ellison, who,
with the Rev. Joseph Bell and four others, were killed
by a collision on the above line during the heavy fall of
snow in January last.
Mr. Serjeant Kyles submitted that there was no case
to go to the jury.
Chief Baron—l do not understand how there has been,
what certainly appears to me, as nearly as may be, a
mockery of justice. Ido not know who is responsible
for it, and I should very much like to know. I certainly,
think that somebody is deeply responsible for this pre-
tence of prosecuting for the death of these_rnen, and not
fixing the blame where it appears to me to attach. It
is quite clear that Howard travelled on the wrong line,
and at a treater speed than four miles an hour, and with-
out having a man with a signal before him, and without
having left an order in writing at the station. It is
Howard that is responsible for these deaths, though it
might have been a question for the jury to say to what
extent other persons might have been responsible with
him.

Mr. Cooper, for the prosecution, said that he did not
know who had instituted the prosecution ; but those by
whom he had been instructed did not wish, after the re-
marks his lordship had made, to proceed with the case,
if the jury were of opinion that it hat not been estab-
lished by the evidence adduced.
Chief Baron—l cannot help thinking that there has
been some very improper misconduct in this affair. A
pretended sacrifice to justice has been made, for the pro-
tection of the public from the danger arising from the
want of due care and caution on the part of railway-
officers, and this offering has been made by putting for-
ward persons who are the wrong people to try. I don't
know what opinion the jury may entertain of the case.
) The jury turned round for a momedt or so, and re-
turned a verdict of Not Guilty against both of the de-
fendants. A similar verdict was taken in the other
cases. The results elicited considerable applause in the
court, which was with difficulty suppressed.
LIRBAROUS MURDER AND ROBBERY—SENTENCE OP
DEATH.
William. Thompson, aged 21, was indicted for the
wilful murder of Lorenz Beha, an Italian, a travelling
jeweller, and stealing from his person two 51. notes, and
divers other monies, of the value of 151.
The murder was one of a most atrocious character.
The deceased resided in Norwich, where he kept a
watchmakers' and jewellers' shop. He was in the habit
of travelling the country with a box of watches, trinkets,
&c., &c. On Monday, the 14th of November, he left
Norwich, on one of his monthly journeys. The last
time he was seen alive was on Friday, the 18th of No-
vember, about half-past twelve, when he called upon a
person at Wellingham. A little after three that same
afternoon, a person passing along the road from Welling-
ham to Tittleshall, observed a pool of blood. He fol-
lowed the track to a place in the fence by the side of the
road, where something appeared to have been dragged
through. He went over the fence, and on the other
side found the dead body of Beha. Near the body he
found an p.xe, which had blood upon it and a very
small portion of hair. The body was examined, and
a deep wound was noticed on the back of the head,
as if inflicteiii by an axe, and which was sufficient to
account for death. On the body being turned over,
three similar wounds were seen in the face, any
of which would prove fatal. The pockets of the
deceased had been turned out and were empty. His
box of jewellery was lying by his side, but it had not
been broken open. It would appear that the murder
had been committed between half-past twelve and half-
past three on the Friday afternoon. Inquiries were
then instituted, and it was ascertained that the prisoner,
who is a labouring man, living with his father at Tittles-
hall, was seen near the spot between twelve and one,
and that he had an axe under his arm. He was again
seen about half-past one coming from the road where
the murder was committed ; he appeared hot, as if he
had been walking fast, and he had no axe under his arm.
Later in the day he paid two sums of money, and he
was noticed to be dressed different to what he was in the
morning. That same night he was apprehended, and
by his bedside were found a pair of trowsers, which were
spotted with blood from the knee to the bottom of the
legs. The slop (smock frock) he wore was stained with
blood, as also the trowsers' pocket. On the following
morning a watch was found in an old oven in the cottage
where the prisoner lived, and the deceased's purse under
the roof of an outhouse. In the purse were found
two watches, two 51. notes, and about Si. in gold and
silver. It was learned that the deceased bad recently
given change for two 51. notes, which were proved to
be those in the purse. Much circumstantial and con-
firmatory evidence was adduced as to the prisoner's excited
demeanour at the period of the murder, and the axe
found near the body was said to resemble one which
belonged to his father, and a few days after he had been
committed to Norwich Castle he sent for Mr. Peirson,
the governor, and made a long rambling statement, to
the effect, that as he was walking along he saw a large
pool of blood by the side of the road, and observed the
track of it to the fence, where something had been
(ragged through. He looked over into the ditch, and
saw a man standing over the body. He was the same
man he had seen in a plantation just before. His hands
were wet and covered with blood. He said he would go
and tell somebody, and the man caught hold of his
trousers and daubed his legs, and swore he would chop
him down if he said anything about it. He told him he
would not. The man then took out the deceased's purse
and gave it to him, and told him to go. The man was
blind with one eye, and wore a Tom and Jerry hat, and
said his name was Walter Edding.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
His lordship then put on the black cap, and in the
usual terms left the convict for execution.