The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-28 00:00:00

spective advantages, than to remain committed to
much larger responsibilities, with returns altogether
unsecured; and that the shareholders be requested to
support personally, or by proxy, an alliance with the
Great Northern Company, in the absence of an
eligible offer from other companies. The meet-
ing concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
OLD COURT.

(Before Mr. Justice CaEsswELL and Mr. Justice
MAULE.)
THE TRIAL OF JOHN OVERSTON FOR
SHOOTING AT MR. CRAWLEY.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. CLARKSON then addressed the jury for the
prisoner. He said the question for the jury to de-
cide was not whether the prisoner was a person of
sane mind at the present time, for that he admitted,
but whether he was of sane and of sound mind when
be fired off the pistol at Mr. Crawley. The fact of
his having taken two pistols with him and trying to
destroy Isis own life, after attempting that of the pro-
secutor, and the circumstance of his having written
the letter which was produced in the Court relative to
the disposal of his affairs after his death, were the
main reasons upon which the medical men he should
call founded their opinions as to his sanity. In
cases of insanity, it was generally found that the
attack was immediately proceeded by some vexation
and disappointment occasioned by family misfortune
and pecuniary distresses, and in the present case
there could be no doubt that the prisoner's mind was
worked up to a state of insanity, in consequence of
the proceedings which were taken against him by
Mr. Crawley. Thy Learned Counsel, after dwelling
upon some of the particulars in the case, read extracts
from a work on insanity, published by the Society
for the Diffusion of Knowledge, and also from other
works, for the purpose of showing that insanity arose
in most cases from moral and not from physical
causes. He then concluded by an urgent appeal on
behalf of the prisoner, and proceeded to call the fol-
lowing witnesses :
Sir John Easthope, examined by Mr. HUDDLESTONE
—He said, I have known the prisoner for twenty
years, and whilst I considered him a very sensitive
man, I always found him very kind, humane, and
obliging.
Mr. 'rite, architect of the Royal Exchange, who
was deeply affected whilst he gave his evidence,
spoke highly of the prisoner's character, and stated
also that he had known him for a considerable num-
ber of years. He saw him about two months before
the unhappy occcurence, and he noticed a change in
his manner.

Mr. W. John Hall gave similar testimony, and
said he considered him quite incapable of managing
his affairs when he saw him shortly before the oc-
currence.

Mr. Tillard, solicitor, gave evidence to the same
effect. _ _

A clerk in the office of Messrs. Parker, solicitor,
stated that he had noticed a great change in the pri-
soner's manner, arising from the state of his affairs

lie was the most docile client he ever was acquainted
With, and it appeared to him that his memory had
greatly failed him.
Mr. Henry B. Hall, accountant, who had known
the prisoner twenty-two years, said he saw him on
the morning of the 14th of August about nine o'clock,
and he appeared to be in a very excited state of mind.
During the last three years he had lost about 3,800/.,
and to that and other misfortunes he attributed the
great change which had lately been observed in his
conduct.

Several other witnesses were called who had known
the prisoner for many years, and they concurred ge-
nerally in the foregoing evidence.
During the examination of the sisters of the pri-
soner he wept much, and appeared greatly affected.
Dr. Connolly, chief physician of Hanwell Lunatic
Asylum, stated that he had for many years directed
his attention to cases of insanity. He had had an in-
terview with the prisoner, and had read the deposi-
tions and heard the evidence given, and his opinion
was that the prisoner at the time of the occurrence was
not of sound mind. In innumerable cases he found
that pecuniary and domestic troubles had deprived
persons of their reason. He had known several cases
analogous to the present. This opinion was subse-
quently confirmed by the interview which he had
with the prisoner.
Cross-examined—l am of opinion that the pri-
soner was not aware he was committing a guilty act
at the time of the occurrence.
Mr. "Winslow and Mr. Strette, surgeons, stated
they were of opinion, for the same reasons given by
Dr. Connolly, that the prisoner was of unsound mind,
and incapable of knowing the moral nature of the
act when he committed it.
The case for the defence having been concluded,
Mr. LAURIE was heard in reply.
Mr. Justice MAULE summed up and explained the
law to the jury.
The jury retired to consider their verdict, and after
an absence of three-quarters of an hour, returned
into court with a verdict of Not Guilty, on the
ground of insanity.
Some persons applauded in the gallery, but it
was immediately repressed.
The prisoner will be confined during her Majesty's
pleasure.
Hannah Williams, aged 20, was indicted for cut-
ting and wounding James Newbold, with intent to
do him grievous bodily harm.
Mr. Clarkson defended the prisoner.
The prosecutor, who described himself as a hammer-
man at an iron foundry in Itotherhithe, said that for
some months prior to 'September last he had been
keeping company with the prisoner, but he had broken
off the connexion. On the 13th of September, as he
was going to his work along Rotherhithe-street, the
prisonera sgoing to eanae up to him and said she understood he
wbe married to another young woman,
and he replied that he was. She then said that if he
did she would be revenged either upon the girl or
upon him ; to which he rejoined, that if she attempted
to harm either of them he would knock her head
off; and upon that the prisoner cut him in the neck
with a knife.
Upon being cross-examined, the prosecutor ad-
mitted that the prisoner was a girl of good character,
I and it appeared that he had seduced her while in a
respectable situation, under a promise of marriage.
He also said that when he was out of work the pri-
soner had given him money and clothes, and that she
had also provided him with food when he was in dis-
tress; but notwithstanding this it appeared that he
had abandoned her and formed a connexion with
another girl, to whom he was about to be married
The injury inflicted upon him by the prisoner was of
a very trifling character.
Mr. CLARKSON, in addressing the jury, commented
with appropriate severity upon the base and unmanly
conduct of the prosecutor; and he said he was sure
they would not convict her of the felonious portion of
the charge, even if they should feel themselves com-
pelled to find her guilty of an assault.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty of a common
assault, and at the same time recommended the pri-
soner to mercy, on account of the previous provoca-
tion she had received.
Mr. Justice CaEsswELr„ in passing sentence, said
he quite concurred in the opinion expressed by the
jury ; and there was no doubt that the conduct of
the prosecutor had been most base, profligate, and
disgraceful. Still, however, it was impossible to
overlook entirely the use of a deadly weapon ; and
he therefore felt compelled to sentence her to a further
term of imprisonment of one month.
Upon the application of Mr. BODKIN, the trial of
the charge of manslaughter, arising out of the ex-
plosion of the Cricket steam-boat, was postponed to
the next session.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
GUILDHALL.
Robert Smith, a young man of respectable appear-
ance, was brought before Mr. Alderman Sidney for
final examination, charged with stealing three um-
brellas from the shop door of Mr. Williams, a manu-
facturer on Ludgate-hill. Henry Barnard, a shop-
keeper, near the Elephant and Castle, was also put to
the bar, on suspicion of having purchased them
knowing them to be stolen.
thief e
Another person was apprehended on the spot as the
inthief, upon the testimony of a stranger who was
passing, and he would have been in great peril of
b
inno-
cent person
egvsecunorimrnegmn,dintetnreetddbhefnoiamrussentllfaethen was aware some othffe police on the follow-
ingence had not the real
was in jeopardy, but because he had
failed in the object with which he committed the
offence. The innocent man was discharged.
Mr. Elliott, a medical student, of North place,
West-square, identified the prisoner as the person who
snatched up some umbrellas from Mr. Williams's
door and ran off with them. The shopman speedily
rushed out, but he seized the wrong man, and this so
engrossed his attention that the prisoner got clear off.
The shopman proved that three umbrellas were
stolen, and one now produced was one of those three.
It occcurred about a quarter after seven o'clock on
Saturday evening.
Henry Mills, a City policeman, stated that the pri-
soner came up to him on Sunday evening, and asked
him if he was on duty there the night before, and had
heard of three umbrellas being stolen. Witness told
him he had. The prisoner then said that he was the
person who stole them, and he wished to surrender to
justice. Witness said he might then walk with him
to the station. Going along witness asked him what
was his motive in surrendering. The prisoner said
he hoped to be sent out of the country, as he found
he could not get a living here. Witness asked what
he had done with the property. The prisoner de-
scribed Mr. Barnard's little shop in Surrey-place, and
stated that he sold the three to him for ss. Witness
went over to the shop, and Mr. Barnard stated that
he had only purchased two for 3s. 6d. lie produced