The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-06 00:00:00

CR:I4INAi-CdUid.—(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT,
(Before Mr. Baron Martin.)
George Vernon Ilennan, 35, stone sawyer, was indicted
for the wilful murder of Jane Hainan.
Mr. Ryland prosecuted, and Mr. Sleigh was counsel for
the defence.
It appeared, from the statement of the learned counsel
for the prosecution, that the prisoner and his wife had
been married for 13 years, and that for the last five they
had lodged in a house in Waterloo-street, St. Luke's, and
that during the whole of the time they had been living
together they were on the most tender and affectionate
terms, and that no quarrel was ever known to have taken
place between them. On the night of the 17th March,
the prisoner and his wife were at the house of the mother
of the prisoner, and they left to go home about 11 o'clock,
and at this time they were on the most friendly terms. It
appeared that they then proceeded to their own house, and
nothing more was seen of either of them until the follow-
ing morning about eight o'clock, when the prisoner was
seen to go out of the house, cud very shortly after arils
the persons in the house, in consequence of something that
occurred, went into the prisoner's room, where a dreadful
sight presented itself, the unhappy woman being in her
bed with one side of her skull completely beaten in, and
her neck also dislocated from another blow There was a
heavy hatchet in the room, covered with blood, and from
the position in which the deceased was lying it appeared
as though the dreadful injuries had been inflicted upon her
while she was asleep, and she did not appear to have moved.
At a later hour in the morning the prisoner was found
wandering about completely drenched as though he had
been in the water, and he was making grimaces and danc-
ing about like a maniac, and he was taken to the house
of his mother and put to bed, and Inspector Brennen
shortly afterwards took him into custody. The prisoner,
it appeared, had been in a lunatic asylum about six years
ago, and that a short time before this transaction he had
acted in such an extraordinary manner that his mother
wished him to be placed under restraint, but the unhappy
deceased entertained so synch affection fur him that she
would not be separated from him.
One or two witnesses having been examined to prove
these facts, the jury expressed themselves satisfied, and ac-
cordingly returned a verdict of not guilty, on the ground
ot insanity.
The prisoner was ordered to be detained in custody dur-
ing her Majesty's pleasure.

DEPARTUIiE OF SEAMEN FOR THE
BALTIC FLEET THIS DAY.

It being known that a very numerous draft of sea-
men for service in the Baltic and North Sea fleets would
proceed this morning from her Majesty's ship Crocodile,
from an early hour the Tower Wharf and Custom-
house Quay were thronged with persons anxious to wit-
ness their departure ; the volunteers numbering ninety,
all able seamen, went mustered and inspected on the
deck of the Crocodile, by Commander W. Greet, R.N.,
who, having addressed ,hem in suitable language rela-
tive to the nature of the service they were about to
join, the boats (pinnace, cutters, and jolly-boat,) of the
ship were manned, and the brave fellows embarked amid
deafening cheers from their shipmates whom they were
about to leave, and the persons assembled on shore. In
the headmost boat was stationed the excellent brass
band of the Crocodile ; the passage up the river to
London-bridge, while being enlivened by numerous
favourite tunes, the most prominent of which were
" Cheer, boys, cheer," and " Jack's the Lad," the aqua-
tic procession was heartily cheered by the crews of the
vessels as it passed along. On arriving at London bridge
the men embarked on board the E:fin steam-vessel for
conveyance to Sheerness, where they will be borne on
the books of the flag-ship until their services at e required
on board the Hannibal and other vessels fitting for the
Baltic. Their passage down the river was marked with
enthusiastic cheering. and when the steamer approached
the receiving-ship off the Tower, a simultaneous cheer
arose from each vessel, and which, being caught up by
the persons on shore and the crews of merchant vessels
on either side of the river, was continued until the
steamer was lost to sight.