The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-23 00:00:00

CRI,ITINA

'.—Sept. 22.

OLD COURT.

Trophy Knight, 37, was indicted for the wilful murder
of Henry Grove.
Mr. Payne and Mr. Mew conducted the prosecution ;
Mr. Sleigh defended the prisoner.
Mr. Laurance Ormerod, house-surgeon at St. Mary's
Hospital, deposed, that about 11 o'clock at night, on the
29th Aug., the prisoner came with a child to the hospital,
and he observed that it was just dead, and he noticed
that there was a large bruise on the forehead, and
blood was issuing from the nose and mouth. He made a
post ntortent examination, and discovered a great many
bruises on the bead, and there were also scratches on
the face. Upon examining the interior of the head, he
found that the outer plate (of the skull had been frac-
tured, and this injury corresponded with the principal
external bruise. A quantity of blood was suffused on
the brain, and he had no doubt that the death was occa-
sioned by external violence operating upon a very ema-
ciated frame. The body of the child was very much
emaciated, and in his opinion the emaciation was pro-
duced by the want of proper food, as all the integral
organs, and particularly those referring to the digestive
powers, were remarkably healthy.
Cross-examined--The injury upon the heal, which
was the most serious, he did not think likely to have
been inflicted by the hand of a woman. For a snort
time, when the prisoner brought the child to the hospi•
tal, she cried and appeared to be very much distressed,
and she told him that the child had fallen accidentally
from the bed, and that its head struck against a Lux
that was by the bedside.
Aim Grove, the mother of the deceased child, depo,:ed
that she placed it with the prisoner to nurse. She was
to pay her ss. a week. The deceased was about eleven
months old at the time of its death.
.Tulia Barnes and Mrs Rock, lodgers in the house in
which the prisoner resided, having been examined,
Mr. Sleigh made a very able speech to the jury on
behalf of the prisoner, and after observing upon the utter
absence of any motive on the part of the accused to com-
mit so serious a crime, he urged the probability that the
fatal injury had in reality been occasioned in the man-
ner stated by the prisoner, namely, by the child having
fallen from the bed during her absence, and struck its
head against the box by the bed-side.
Mr. Justice Erle having summed up, the jury, after
deliberating about a quarter of an hour, returned their
verdict, finding. the prisoner guilty of manslaughter, but
they at the same time recommended her to the merciful
consideration of the court.
The learned judge inquired of the jury whether they
were of opinion that from the balance of evidence it ap-
peared that the prisoner had behaved kindly to the child,
up to the time of the unfortunate transaction ?
The jury said they were unanimously of opinion tha
she had.

His lordship then said, that taking into consideration
the recommendation of the jury, and the other facts of the
case, he was about to pass a sentence which might be con-
sidered a very lenient one. He believed, however, that
the prisoner had, while under the influence of drink,
struck the child without any intention to do it any
serious mischief, and he hoped the present proceeding
would be a warning to her for the rest of her life. He
then sentenced her to be kept to hard labour for one
month.

William Lye surrendered to take his trial for the man.
slaughter of William Davis.
._..

The jury found the prisoner guilty, but recommended
him to mercy, and he was sentenced to be imprisoned,
without hard labour, for one month.

THIRD COURT.
(Before the Recorder.)
OBTAINING MONEY BY OFFERS OF MARRIAGE.
Thomas William O'Keefe, 46, labourer, and P. Turenne
O'Keefe, his son, who had been out upon bail, were in-
dicted for having by fraud and by false pretences, con-
spired and obtained from Priscilla East the sum of 1251.,
with intent to cheat and defraud her thereof.
Mr. Wrn. Cooper and Mr. H. Gifford prosecuted ;
and Mr. Parry appeared for the elder prisoner, and Mr.
Ballantine and Mr. Ribton for the younger one.
The case excited the greatest interest in consequence
of the position of the parties upon both sides. The elder
prisoner, although described in the calendar as labourer,
is well known in the dramatic and literary circles, and
is son to the dramatist of that name. Both prisoners are
well-dressed, fashionable-looking men, particularly the
elder one, who wears a well-arranged entire beard.
Mr. W. Cooper having stated the case, which he did
by merely recapitulating, in a brief and concise manner
the evidence he was about to lay before the jury, called
the prosecutrix, a fashionably attired, pretty-looking
woman, apparently about 30 years of age, who, having
Leen sworn, said—My name is Priscilla East. At pre-
sent reside at No, 25, Harrington-square, Hampstead-
road. In May, 1853, I was living at No. 16, South-
ampton-street, Fitzroy-square. My sister then lived
there with me. We resided at a boarding-house. The
two prisoners lived opposite. In that month, whilst I
was walking in Fitzroy-square, the elder prisoner came
up and first accosted me. He apolozised for doing so.
He said he thought I was from the country, and did not
know any friend, or he should have sought introduc-
tien that way. I repulsed him, and he again apologised,
bowed, and left. The same night I received a note, mak-
ing an appointment to meet him the next day. I did
not do so, but went out with my sister instead.; He
wrote again, appointing to meet me. lam an or-
phan, and have property. I did, after the second
letter, meet him in the square. My sister was not
with me. He said his name was John O'Neil, and
lie was a single man, and his intentions towards me
were of the most honourable character. About three
weeks after this the elder prisoner offered me marriage,
and I looked upon bins as my accepted lover and future
husband. About one month after our meeting we were
out driving in a carriage, which he had hired, with my
sister and the younger prisoner. We called at several
places, and at each of them his son went in, and when
he came the elder prisoner said, "Have you succeeded?"
and seemed much troubled when the other said " Nu."
I asked him the cause of his trouble, and he said he had
promised to pay 10/, that day, and asked me to lend it
to him, which I did. In a month after he borrowed of
me another sum of 151. In fact, he spoke to me of his
political affairs, and said he had an action about them,
and that all his money was locked up, and lie wanted
100/. to pay the law expenses: The younger prisoner
was with bins at that time, and also when I lent him
that sum. In the month of August we were out in the
carriage, and drove into Cannon-street to a place he said
was his lawyer's. Whilst waiting at the door there, he
sent the clerk out with a note asking me for the loan of
1001. I sent him back word " No." He then came out
and said it would be a great loss if he did not have it ;
and I arranged to let him have it to prevent his case
from falling to the ground. Upon that day I lent him
12/., and 1001. shortly after. He knew when I should
have it, as he had asked me all about my affairs. He
said he was going to Liverpool to have his case tried.
He had all along said he intended to marry me, but that
he wished the matter kept a secret for family reasons.
He then went to Liverpool, and wrote from there for
me to 2'o down, and I thought he then meant to marry
me, and went down with my sister, and we went to
lodgings at a boarding-house which he had prepared. I
had all the requisites prepared for my marriage. He
said he should not then be married, but that I was
to await the result of hie law-suit, and that we
were to go abroad for that purpose. I and my
sister then came back from Liverpool, and took
lodgings together for a few weeks, and from there
I went to Brussels, and lodged in a boarding-house.
After I had been there about a fortnight he came.
I then lent him 161. He again put off our marriage
for family reasons of his own. When I found we were
not to be married I came away, and went to my married
sister at Calais. He, the elder prisoner, came there,
and again professed marriage, and at his request I came
over alone to England, to sell out a share in the Sun
Fire-office, which I did, and took the money over to
Antwerp, and there gave him 2501. I then came back
to my old lodgings in Southampton-street. This was in
October. He had then said that if he married then he
should lose 300/. a year and 8,000/. I then did not
hear; from him for some time, and did not see him again
until 'January, and we had a disagreement. I then told
him I heard he had been married, and he said that it was
true, but that he was free to marry, as he had been
divorced from his wife, in consequence of her being in-
sum. I told him I did not think his name was O'Keil,
and be said he did not know whether it was that or
Keith. Down to the time of his being taken into cus•
before his arrest I met him by chance in Vine•street ; we
ins
ellek hands, and I asked him if ever he intended to give
back my money, and. said, " What am Ito do to live
(iitayronungd,o
ynoout returnm it to me ?" He said, " Why, my
mean
come and live with me." I said,
"What do
as
with D? you mean that I am to live
You as Yhmura,rneinsutlress ?' H. e said, " You know what
I am when I
P my mind to a thing 4 you know
lam a determined man. lam that does not care
diff
and what
for God or man,erence end
can
not think to escape from me ;
a wfeewre words from the parson
make ?" ( Several letters
the seal of a foreign count), „r
•I_t, a
wa el put in, and one with
when writing to me, st ys used the seal
Cross-examined by Mr. Parry—
Alter the whole of the
money had been advanced (524/. was the amount) I took
an acknowledgment for the whole. I did dine with him
at the Hotel de Paris, in the Haymarket. That was
when he had broken his ribs.
Mr. Parry—ls that a
cure for broken ribs ? (Laughter
She then explained that he, )
having met with an acct)
dent by falling down stairs, she was anxious to see him ;
but not wishing to expose him to what might be said if
she came to his lodging, and being somewhat recovered,
proposed she shouid dine with him at the lintel namd
e.
Cross-examination continued.—My sister and the
younger prisoner were of the party. After the dinner
inner
and
the prisoner said he should take my sisterhis
nephew te ge to the Haymarket,
as the piece was one
he much wished her to see.
Pray what was the piece named ?
" VVillikins and his Dinah." (Roars of laughter.)
Was that the orieinal one ?
N., I forgot ; they went to the Olympic. Oh, then there they did see the original " „
(Inereaeed laughter.)
I stayed at the hotel with him. Ire was very unwell,
and laid upon the sofa. When my sister and his nephew
came boom we slipped together, and bad wine and bis-
cuits, and my sister and myself were seen home by them.
I never offered to go and see him disguised as a boy. I
did wish to gO and see hint, and offered to go disguised,
but I think it was the disguise of an old woman. Dur-
ing last Christmas I agreed to marry Nott. It was
be"ause O'Keefe had not written to me for some time.
But whets he came back I gave Mr. Nott up. I met Mr.
Nott by his being at the same boarding-house. Mr.
Nott had proposed three times to me. At the fourth
proposal I accepted him.
Evidence was then given to show that in February