The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1841

found the stairs quite wet with it, and seeing that there was 1
a passage leading from them, examined the floor of that pas-
sage. Along the floor of that passage, from the door of the
prosecutor's room, up to the very door and door sill of the
room occupied by the prisoner, the pa-sage was wet h
drops of fi esh blood, not like thei blood occasioned by the
!prosecutor's going down stairs, but small drops of blood.
This was immediately after the alarm had been given, and
before Mr. Peach knew that the prisoner was even in the
house. During the time that Mr. Crawford, a medical gen-
tlernan' Who was at the house at the time, was engaged in
giving his attention to the prosecutor, the prisoner was seen
not less than four times about the passage, and once he even
came into the prosecutes bed-room. He would now pro-
ceed to state what was the condition of the bed-room whit h
the prisoner occupied. The chambermaid had left him with
a candle about three inches long; the room was furnished
with a basin, a large jug full of water, a napkin, and a vessel
which was generally to be found in a bed-room. The candle
was burnt down to the socket. The napkin was missing, and
had never been found to this hour. The water jug was found
entirely empty, and its contents were in the utensil referred to,
impregnated with alum. There was a window in the prisoner's
bed-room, which was partly overhung by the curtain of the
bed. This window looked into a yard belonging to a Mr. Wat-
mere, and he would observe that on the curtain which covered
part of the window some blood was found, ns,t a drop of blo d
but impressed by the act of touch. The sh:rt, also, which
the prisoner wore had marks of blood cn it, p rticulaily a spot
on the arm, a great I art of which had been extracted by suc-
tion or some other means. The wound inflicted on the pro-
secutor was by some sharp cutting instrument, and about six
in the morning a black-handled razor was found, not set, ex-
actly opposite the room occupied by the prisoner' partially
wiped, but still wet with blood. Streit a razor would be proved
to have been in the prisoner's possession. There were some
lucifer-matches and sand-paper-found under the prosecutor's
bed, and the prisoner would be shown to have had some in his
possession before he came to Ludlow, while none wc.e found
upon him when he was searched.
The Learned Sergeant called witnesses to prove his case,
thirteen of wheals were examined, and the fourteenth, Mr.
Lud!ow, was under examination when our express left. One
witness, an interesting lad named Beddow es, who was at the
taking of a wasp's nest on the Saturday before Ludlow fair,
stated, that while the boys were engaged in taking the nest,
Misters came up, took up a spade and drove it three times into
the nest. Ile afterwards took out a lucifer match, and said,
" This is the thing to decide it." He did not light the match
at all. After holding the Incifir match between his finger and
thumb, he put it in his pocket.
Susan James, chambermaid at the inn, proved that she left
a napkin in the room the previous night, and next morning it
was missing.
Mr. Head, an architect, who was examined as to the con-
struction of the room, said the light in the prisoner's room
could not be seen unless The door was open. Tne distance be-
tween
the exterior wall of the Angel Inn and the spot where
the razor was found in Whatmore's yard was 28 feet.
Mr. Ludlow, on examination, related several circum-
stances which occurred on his meeting with the prisoner at
the Unice ro Inn, Shrewsbury, on the day of the tai-, and
also at the Angel, at Ludlow, at which ion he had slept
in Ne. 17, fur two years (the room in which Mr. Mack-
nth slept on the Light when he was att :eked).
Mr. Win. Maekreth was rex- examii.ed, and gave his
evidence as follows:—I was traveller in August last. to
the house of Christopher George and Co. of Bristol. On
the 19th of August I got into the Angel Inn, at Ludlow,
about five in the aft, moor, and had te. I travelled to
Ludlow in a gig, and had a diving-box wi h sue. I west
into the commercial room and had tea. Some persons
came in after the arrival of the coach and bad t ,a. I
went into a private room up stairs to transact some busi-
ness-with Mr. Bradford. I went there about ten and re--
mained for about three-quarters of an hour, or perhaps an
hour. I afterwards took a walk to the top cf the street
and down:gain, and then rctnrned to the commercial room,
which was empty. I rang the bell and ordered the boots
to bring slippers and. charnt ermaid a candle. I tool:
the drlving box up stairs with me. I occupied the room
No. 17. at the top of the stairs. I west- most positively
that I locked the door, for. I examined the leek. I went
to bed but ci I riot look uncle: the bed. I was asleep in
about two minutes. When I awoke I found my hand in a
wound in my neck. I cried out " Good God what is all
this?" when 1 felt the raw ft•sh. I attempted to rise, but
a hand from the I.sft pressed Lee down on the pillow. 1
shrieked out, and believe that when I did so tr e wound
across my face was inflicted. In trying to get oet of bed
on the right side I was pulled back by the left shoulder.
The cut across the mouth also cut my thumb. My weigh',
which was on the edge of the bed, carried me down to the
floor with the bed clothes. I went to the bed-room win-
dow and made an alarm. I broke a pane of glass and
called out " Fire murder I" I broke a second pane of
glass and heard people run down stairs from above. 'l%:e
blind was down within four inches of the bottom of the
window, and I had no light to see an) t!.it.g I groped
round the room and at last reached the door. I did not
hear arty noise in the room then, but when ge.t7ng cut
of bed I beard a rustle at the left, whit h is the side
next the door. The door was opened about four inche s.
and when I reached it I saw a little light, and thought
I hca-d, people down stria. The stairs arc to the
le f•. I went down them, and never turned to the
right. I am positive of this. I went down stairs.
holding by the bannisters, as far as the kitcheo door,
I saw the post-boy and Mr. Cooke. Tire lat'e' said "Go
up stairs : what hsve you done ?" I went up stsi,s, and
paused a short time at my door. After I bad gat in I
beard some persons say " Who is he ?" and, not being
aYe to speak, I went to my r'r vino. box anti took out my
cards, and showed them. I never lost any senses all the
tin.e, but understood all that was said. After my wounds
were dressed I noticed a person, who I learn was the pri-
soner, at the led certain, laughing and exhiLi ing grsat
levity t f conduct. He said " I have lost my stick ! g.—
have any of you seen my stockings ?" Ile wits laughing st
the time. I was seine time under medical cai 0.
Cross class i see.—When awakened I felt the blood too
upon me. I did r,ot know whs.t I tt:uck against .112 n I
felt the wound—wl,celer it was part of a nun's ere a or
no'. I heard a m i.e from tl e room over head. Tho
stairs adjoin No. 17 1 cannot say if ti e partition is
rsco-i. I stood for ,ome time by the door. Mr. Cooke,
the landlord, *as probably the first person % entered
the room sfte.-tthe assault. I was in no c lion to re-
cognise any one particularly. Before Mr. Peach or AI-.
Cross came in, I ant not sure if Mr. Crawford, had ren-
dered me assistance and left the room. I became fa;nt
and exhausted, and Leld out my hands for help, and Mr.
Peach assisted me.

MrP. Cooke. wife to Mr. Cooke, of ti e Angel Le,
Ludlow, examinee—Mr. C. ii in an infirm stat.,: his
mind is disordercd : he is not capable t 3 attend to give
cvldence.

Mr. Caoke's deposition was then read as follows :
Edward Cooke sworn—l am landlord of t!.e Angel lon
in this toter. I was in bed, and awoke yesterday morn-
ing ; I sleep fronting the street ; sen c ;iate about four
o'cleck, as near as I can say, I was alarmed by the break-
ing of penes cf glass, and a cry t f fire in a faint or broken
voice ; my wife went to one window loeking down the
pH, and I threw up ti.e window luoki g into the s•reet
and I cried "fire ;" I thee instan•ly an dee n stirs in my
shirt as I way. I fare i.d ti e b lie -d room across the way
was on fire, and I ran there to see ; how I got thee I can
scare ly tell ; I found there was nettling on fire, and I re
turned into the house, where I met Sam, one of the poet-
boys ; he informed me there was a person ifit'OCi:ig or,
the stairs ; I went through the kitchen up t> the
stars towards the spot ; I discovtred a ge est quan-
tity of blood on the landing of th stairs near
the dialog -room door, and about the fourth step
of the st.li s leal;ng towards the bed rooms; there I
found a g,eetlern tn in Lis shirt, which was much torn aid
covered wit 1 blood ; be was bleeding profusely fele
woueds in his re ck ; the st..irs were (severed with blood ;
he attempted to speak, but could not as I could uedt r-
,..tand ; I said to him, " Why, gotel God, yoe have cu=.
your throe, I" h • was supporti g himself by bolding to t le
stair-rail ; I said to him go rite, your bedroom, and I Will
f tllow you ; he heard west I said, and he walked up tl e
remainder of the stairs, tottering as he went, and much
exhausted, and went on into his Leiroom, and I fol-
lowed him ; he get on the Let on h:s side ; as soon --,s
he got into his room the first person that came to
us was a Mr. Lakin, a friend of mine who was sleeping
in the house; he remained but a stun time ; and ties
came a gentleman of the name cf Crawford, a surgeon,
from Shrewsbury, who was also sleeping in the house ;
some one brovget me a candle in the course of two
minutes, and I was going with it to No. 19 bedrooir,
where Mr. Crawford slept, when I met the prisoner in
the passage leeding to N.J. 19 ; I don't say that I ex-
actly met him; he 5:ood on or.c side with his back up
against the lift hand wall; he was in his shirt ; be said
something to me, ard called me by my name, but I did
not stop ; I went on with the candle for Mr. Craw-
fri to dress himself; I returned to the room of the
wounded gentleman, and Mr. Crawferd shortly followed;
he was the first surgeon who reran! ; we went hick to-
gether for some this ge which Mr. Comfort' hed in his
room, and then re erne& to tee wounded genie man',
room ; I saw the Prisoner again standing in the pessege,
as I pmed-with Me. Creeford to•and from his bed-roam;
in a few niotres Mr. 1-I,,dges, another surgeen, arrived,
and whil,t the surgeons were dressing the wounds, I re-
member seeing the prisoner come into the bed-room where
we were ; 1 noticed him in particular • I observed his
shirt was black and ditty; he went out of the room again,
and the next striae I saw him was about 7 o'clock ; re was
then in the passage coming from the direction of No. 20
be '-room ; he wa-, dressed; but Lad no boots or stockings
on ; he said he could net dress himself, for he had lost his
stockings; he thought they bad been dragged into one of
the other roosts; my wife provided him with a pair of my
old stockiegee which be put or, ; I did not see him in the
room of the wounded gentleman after be bad put the stick-
ings and boors on.
Samuel Paget, post-boy at the Angel ; Wm. Roberts,
• boots; Edward E ton, ostler; George Brown, servant to
Mr. Bayley, bankes; John Cioss, unman; and Thomas
Peach, shoemaker ; who were all present shortly after the
alarm, related a number cf circumstances in accordance
with Mr. Cooke's deposition.
Mr. Crawford, surgeon, of Sh:ewsbury, was examined
text, but his evident: was unimpot taut.
1 Mr. Henry [lodges, surgeon, of Ludlow, gave the 6,1-
27th it g evidence : e f Auguse to the Angel Inn ;I was called up on the morning of the
cheek was
c cats.
which .across the f.ce,
inches; there.
verely wounded .he had ' ' d • CU'R one
about sevee it ches 1 n
nearly hor;xontal :cove two ..se-..ere . t
the
found
extent a: 1
ngge n
at lLerronsagn , a -
cu: about
were cut through to the teeth ; the re t
in the middle
eoentied man water -le
aleeut tl,ree inches and the sight about two
was a wound in the throat, nearly hot iz:;ntal,
a tvh g, it was very deep, p.r:ieulstly
I found, on giving the
had it leers a It t'e'lti"
neat
it. came through the wound ;
1, .ve killed him ; it war • down in the neck it would
was just at th, part of the wind-
by
ik;,arplilleer :eon o
hadn
beenthe left side
considerable
roafbn
It the reemffbuesdi
0. n
(i If
pipr, which was not_cut through
done with a sharp and strong • ;
.ec..retie in great dat-gee at first, but he is
it must have been
to stubset u row t
a;
dthe
must
touhanydes
welt. I sewed the woueda up; the Hood
were inflicted from the right
been done
had spouse I out from some small arteries, which I heliete,l
tut drops of
blood on the stirs. After I had dressed the wounds I
intihaoodwubgt:echertneMccutri.t,.
d Jena the passege, not ,e
saw marks of blu(' blood, ; .V marks of
d In the
blood.
it e e
d-op of blot" at e• d 4 f the
^,.e was one elrpet
I . No. 20, about an inch from the door;' they
any one having stepie: . ..
1 leading to..
continuation of t, e spots. I went into No-.
I seemed to uZ i' —topes the window. I saw marks
20. The curtain cuTr,r

of fresh blood, not by dropping; it looked as if t brd
been done by drawing the curtain back. I gave my hand
a swing, and it went about two or three inc'res lbove tee
mark. lam 5 feet JO in.. the prie,cer is 5 feet (; it .
I believe Mr. Mackreth could not h ave gone along the pa-
sage to the right without the blood having spirted ':gain-t
the wall, which was the case in going down staffs to ti
left. The mark was about two feet from t! le window.
The window opened easily. Saw a place in Mr. Wha•-
more's yard where the razor was found. It was exactly
opposite the prisoner's bedroom. I saw the water jug
empty, and the 'lops in the chamber utensil. This was
about seven o'clock, after the prisoner bed left the roorr.
I examined the fluid in the utensil, and tasted it ; it aa3
mixed w jib alum. I have maie several experiment..., and
find that alum will take the stains of blood out of cloth.
Between nine and ten o'clock I examined the prisoner's
shirt; it was very dirty ; th2re were narks of blood on
the hack and two on the sleeve; on the right sle._ve v
marks of blood which aneareti to have b•en p.t: t ally
washed cr sucked. I saw the prisoner swathe and a
piece of alum found. He had oily about twopc ce in
his pockets. I saw under the prosecutot's bed m oks c f
a person having laid down beneath it. I saw the pti.oner
several times. He did tot asist in any way. Tim, was
something in his manner that c..used my suspicion, and I
Lai him taken into custody,
Cross-examined—l fitted tn...rks of blood on N-, 19
door, about three or four spots. Saw a wee of 1,10.. d in
the passage window. Did not find any blood on the C :rl et
of No. 20. The spot of blood near No. 20 was r f the
S:Ze of a pea. Hal seen tle prisoner two or t' r.re i tics
in Mackrerh's room. I.; aware that alum is used for ent.ling
colours fast.

Dr. Thomas Lloy,l, of Lud:ow, e.C3Cribd ca is us rxpe.
rim nts be had used by mitich he head reproduced :Ida: from
the slops in the chamber utemit I examined the w,unds
of Mr. Mackreth ; they were asdescribed by Mr. li..dges.
I did not si e :he pi-loner till about seven o'el ,ek. He
was near the door of the prosecutor, tires-ed all but his
br t
saldsC tun tone of great "
id ti
os i. The
uf117." I saw marks ouch r fire
bed having lain clover. T: ey
fosiahis
p r bootsa prisoner
tutor so nie u r
the
of a
appeared marks of a short person.
Cross-examired—l have found that alum will t xtract
stains of b•ood sooner than soap and water; if blood was
on the hands, and water was mixed with alum, it wouid
imme.liately obliterate the stains; I am not aware of as-
certaining the difference beta e2n the blood of man a.:cl
beast. When the window was open in Vie psssai. e, I
found it impossible to throw anything in the position
where the Jaz :r was found; there is not sufficient p ay
lbetween ti.c bars of the window to throw Royal 'g to
that place.
Mr. Thomas JAson was at f.;e Ar.gel.irn, Ludlow, on
the 19th of August ; was awoke about four o'clock in the
morning by a cry of " Fire Looked out of t! ewi dow
int) the yard but saw no one time; must have seen Gen)
if there had teen any one there.
Richard Hammond, police--Acer cf. Ludlow, se rchel
Mr. Whattncrc's yard en the 20th of August, about :ix
o'clock iu the morning, a-id found a razor; it was ee- with
blood ; there rasa little dirt on the edge of the blade; it
was not closed; went : the pisoner's room just I &Ore
six ; he was in bed ; he said he had been up is ti e
room end was just going to sleep ; he was covired up with
the sheet over his head.

Cross-examined—D;(l not pull the clothes rff the bed ;
only tome.? the bill et down as kr as the pri,oher's breast.
The witness produced Mr. Mackreth's shirt, which was
saturated with blood all over.

John Vaughan—lllive at Birmingham; know tl e
sneer ; lodg, d at the same house with him till July la t, at
No. 50, New Canal-streat ; he hal two razors pith lick
handles; the razor produced bas not he n set; the r.z
used had nr,t bean set, it had a black mark on the l lade
caused by rust.
John Hewitt, paccrra-, a Ludlow, searel el the pri-
sober's lodgings at Birmirgham, and found a black-handled
razor in a pormaateau, cot-it:thing some shirts marked
Josiah M:atcr. _ _

George Hathaway, °seer at the Arga Inn, Ludlo,,
found a pair of cc.tthn stockings on the 21st of Octol e* in
an old brewhou-e, it a grate that was not used; siw
the prisoner in the yard on t..e 2011 of August, Lear the
brewhouse ; gave them to Mr. Davis,the gaoler, who pre_
cluced them. They ae e stained wit' something, but
Mr. Hodges (the surgeon) c,uld not say if ti,oy awe
stains of blood.

Dewt e Town-,Lok of Ludlow, went to the Angel
Inn Ludlow, on the 20. h of August, and direceed the pri
som.r to be taken into custody. He said he bad slel,t at
Worcester on the Tuesday night, and that be cane hi the
Red Rover coach. Asked him where he joined the
coach ; l.e mid he walked from Worcester to Wooffei-tor,
and get on them lie slid lie was at Birmirgham on the
Saturday previous. He afterwards said i.e walked f rim
Worcest r to Ludlow and back from Ludlow to Wm ff
ton, intending to go to Leominster, but he ch mud his
mind, and came hack by t' e Rcd Rover to Lu'rliow.
Mr. VALENTINE LEE then addiessed the Jury for the
prisoner at great lergth, commenting on the evidence,
and pointing out sr venal circumstance a which oug'nt t
deeirie the Jury in bringing in a v riict of not guilty. Ile
concluded by quoting Lord Hole's alder ism—that it was
better that nicety-nine gui.ty persons 'should tsc•is e thao
one innocent man shi;uld suffer—and earnestly entreated
thc Jury to give their verdict with caution and cate if
they bad any doubt:, law, justice, and religion, demanded
a terclict of not guilty. .
His LORDSHIP then summed up the evidence, and coal,
mented upon ditfe ent points of it. Ile remarked that M.
Ludlow was et idently t to obje, t of the pt isoner's pursui
tteo blood had been continuously traced from Mr. M.to.k.
reth's room to 11 it'Anan it.e'a or two of the doors f No. 20
and tkat Itere was a smeAr of blood son the curt tin in thet
ro-m, on a lice with tke win,low. Mr. Cooke hod ad-
mitted tha', as the p isoncr stood near the wounded in ,n.
some bhicol migt.t hv • got upon his skirt. Toe t itFiroi y
f the case, was ate ther blood had been upon his shirt
and washAl out. Alum would do io and alum had
been found in the prisoner's po;sesd,n. Time was the
strongest ire,unaption that the dted had been comm tted
with the bloody razor found in Wbatmore's aril.
This razor might have been thrown out of dim-
window, for it was found 28 feet from the prisoner's
iodow and 35 lett from the passage window.
Lordship did not attach much importance to the find:l.g
of the tttckings; but thought it extraordinary how
the prisoner could have lost his. The question was
who but the prisoner could hive committed the duo t ?
Every person in the home, except Mr. Cooke, who was
unable to api eiir, had been examined. It eas a'rnceo
impossible it could Lave teen done by any person but
one au inmate of the house at the Vine. Tte person
must have been concealed under Mr. Mackrt th's I e
and got out by uubotting. the door.—His Ler.biip
observed t.. at the prisoner's tricking Mr. Ludicev
gate ground for strung susp:ci in. The at,le Counsel
who pleaded for the plisoner had not been able to
truce any innocent motive by which the prisoner
could be &dant rd. He concluded by saying Ih±t he
agrtei with Lord Hete, that tie first and most slued
duty of Justice was to [ro:e.t i noceaci, but its r. ext
a'ion was to detect and punish guilt. Tue qu .st on
fur :hair crusid,ration was—hat the p isoner commo:cd
the outrage upon h? Thy hai a sel ma
and sacred duty to per torn), a .d he now would leave town
to discharge r.
At a quir,er past seven o'clock the Jury refit ei to d.-
liherate oe their verdict. The Foreman r,quesAA that
the shirt, curtain, ana r...zor, should be given them to

Tie Learned JUDGE directed them to be handed up,
saying that ih y veore not et' much importar.ce„ and 0.4
the linen would net exhibit the same aptearanceis now as it
did in August.
Af, er an iibience of thirty-five niineve;, the Jury re.
tun.e Whi!c their names were boing called ever the
pliwner, who had preserved a reniiirkahly firm ckineani.ur
up to this period, cast his eyes very anxiou,ly around tl-.e
Court, and at them. When the F.,recnan pronounced
" Guilty," he suddenly swerved back a, if f.orn a brow.
He then shaded I:is facs Ur a minute with his hand, and,
for the day, appeared unnerved. Ile
pa therrtiallyfirsctetoiveeredul leriinsg firmness, and when the C:erk < f
As,ize ecliandel what he had to say why judgn eat
should not be given, that he should die aocoroirz to lew,
be replied in a subdued tone, " I am not guilty of it."
oci.amalion am then made; when the Judge put on
the sente,ce of dea.h :
in very feeling mariner, thus pAssed
the black cap, and,

‘bJosiaha v e comel ist t
b
r Atilaet caju
r acliorfion to whichpatientand the id,,e
inqueivry,lt!c
Jury e
has properly led there, that you are gui:ty of the art, c,ous
crime for which you stated indicted. - 1 have but seldom
wi-reed a case in which a crime Ile this has Teen con-
e, i et and exccut ,d with so mu,lth of delibA.a,i rci and de-
n nas you I a rxlili:cd. It is pssible that ac-
tiler per.;ou was interia.e.l to hr.ve suEred, and y u
si;e I him. with great industry, arid your L erred
.was unable to suggest anythri g previous to your a; rival
Ludlow to txi lain the -cireuntatances which mark your
pursuit of him.
dt You mutt prepare for the death which now swait •
ro, and I ear ne,tly entreat you to seek far that mercy in
toe next world, which you cannot re. eivc in thi,. The
ntence of the laN is, that you be taken hence to the
place wit-i ce you came, and thence to the phce of execu
lion, and then' to hanged by the tu ck until you are dead.
May the Lo,d have mercy upon your soul."
foe pr'n oner was then removed to one of the cells under
the Court, whither be was accompanied by Mr. Daws:ort,
Governor of the Prison, and the Rev. D. Winttinc,
Chaplain. After an interval of half an hour, he was re-
mdvea to the prison .
The trial lasted ne :rly tie eve hours.
Tlie prisoner is thus described in the Salopian Journal
published yesterday, with a full account of the trial :
"He is described tl:e calendar as twenty-five years 010,
but Coe; not look more than twenty-one. Ile is under
the middle size and sl;glitly made. lie WA= dressed i: a
dark green coat with velvet c-illar, dark figured sa in
waistcoat, grey trousers with black stripe, Ula,k satin
St ck with a nail cml reidered si rg. His shirt collar red
wris,bands were si,garly exposee• He wore his 114 tr
(.+bich is dark brown) divided near the midol-, and
smo brushed down at each ii le. His eyes, which
are er :a g-, re very dark and bright. His complex;, n
is dark, He has scanty black whiekera. Oa tlitt alt le
his ail earanue was dec!eedly inter( lag," (we b tie
that is the conventional epithet), and he dirt net
for k
a } erson likely to c. mmit toe rtrocieus crimu of %NI i
he"" co,,v.eted. lie appeared remarkably self-pcn;ses,ed,
and occasionally took notes of the evidence,"
ROME CIRCVIT.—LxwEs, Mertes: 23.
13.,th Courts proceeded to I,usiaess ttis day, Lord
Denman was on the Crown Court, and Mr. Baron Pa•ke
on the Civil Side.
CROWN Conti.
Lord Dais ws, on charging the Grand Jury, eine" .d
that ho was glad to see so numerous on attendance of ma-
gistrates who wore ready to Fe. form the duty of Grand
Jurors, and he had to congratulate them also on the
etc -
vice thq had rendered the counthryadbythheol(dlfinegott,t;ifeiprre•v,it.
19nugartaervseersysiogn:::tvh.iedhdintriootnoonley,xv,.ns„
barn
g .1,
lb,
ec cal
nytikati:eirced 7ps but.incn
ti a
to csr
ma
attiiidt.l;ly bn ,
preventinge
cent persons from suffering any unuveessary inaprkonmetir.
H regretted to gee that, notwithstmdirg the reCt3:lt,

chnrge of the gaol there were a great number of pri-
soners for trial at the present assizes, but the cases cA
not appear to offer any legal diffiztulty, and therefore he
would not trouble the Grand Jury with any observa,ions
iespeeung them. It was to be hoped that s)me means
wmild b taken t.) cause a greater spread of information
arid educate:l among the people, for this was tile only
means by which crime couli he eff.-etually checked ;
and without it no system of police, however vigilant, or
Inwever active the magistracy might be in the exercise sf
their duties, no effectual stop would ever be put to the pro-
gress of crime. After some turther observations of a similar
character, the Grand Jury were dismissed to their duties.
DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO MURDER.—Robert Fuller, a
oung nras respectably dressed, was capitally indicted for
feloniously cutting and wounding Elizabeth Fuller, his
wife, with intent to murder her.

Mr. Burrell appe -.red on behalf of the prosecution, and
Mr. Clarkson eerended V.e prisoner.
The circamstances cf the case were of a very extra-
ordinary character. It appeared that the erisoner bad
only been married to Lis wife a few months when the
idea of her berg unfa;thful to hien entered into his
imeginstion, and the affection he before appeared to
est, rutin for her seemed to be turned to the deadliest
bet e He continually ill-treated her, and he threa.eatd
that if she told any one he would murder her,
and t is threat had the effect of pre venting her friends
from being made acquainted with his conduct. Thiegs
went on in this way uct 1 the 24th of Novemher, when
the prisoner returned home about tea-time, evidently in a
very exeit-id• state, and he immediately took two pokers,
ars' went int) his bed-route. His wife followed him, but
the had no sooner got into the room than he secured the
door, and in a few minutes he a'tacked her w.th one cf
the pokers, fel:ea her to the vround, and with a knife
slit one of her ears, and inflicted a severe wound on the
tile of her bead. The unhappy young woman struggled
as well as she could, but at length she fell se iseless
across the bed, and covered with blood. By this time the
neighbours were alarmed, and they ran to the spot; but
ti e prisoner declared that he would murder the first who en-
tered, and they all stood aloof, alarmed at the dreadful thrests
be uttered. While they were standing outside the roam, the
I.,oner was heard to sob violenely, and to kiss his
wife, and say, " Come, and kiss me, Bess; I know
you are innocent—come int) my arms and die." The
pe. vets outside begged the prisoner to let them in, but be
c!ec!a ed he would murder the first who entered, unless his
wife said that he was wrong ; upon which the pour worn m-
etalled out, in a faint tone, " You are wrong, Robert." 11.,
then o; eat d the door, and, when the people went in, be
fell senseless to the ground, apparently completely ex-
I armed by the violence of his feelings. His poor vile
was in a most dreadful cond tion—one of her ears was
crempletely din led, and her head was wounded, and her
body bruised most severely, and a bent poker, wilt which
the blows had been iuleted, was found in the room
covered with Lleod. The prisoner was secured, and
the wife's condition was considered so . precarious,
that a Magistrate atended at her bed-side the next day to
take what she tnig:it say as a dying Ueelaration. After a
month's confinement, however, the injuries took a favourable
turn, ands' e was now stated to be almost entirely recovered.
Waen tie case was called or, Mr. CLARKSON sa'd that
he appesre4. on ',chaff of 111:i unhappy man at the be-, and
upon looking at the depositions Le saw that the utmost he
could here to (IT, ct was to shi:ld him from being con-
sisted of the capital charge. It was a melancholy ca. e,
certainly, and he brheved that the act must have been
committed under impressions which the Prisoner was now
e:1 aware were quite erroneous. He had, however, no
doubt cammitte l a grave offence, and the best that could
be done in his behalf was to consent to a conviction for a
most aggravated assault, but he hoped the Court would
allow him to state that notwithstanding what had occurred,
the prieiner'a wife pra3ed that a lenient sentence miibt.
be pistol upon him, and where he regaieed his liberty she
would be quite ready to lire vri.b him rg dn.
Laid DENMAN said I:e had looked o,t the depoti iens
and it appeared to him to be a most drea 'fel case, If the
prosecutrix thought that a verdict of as:aelt only might be
taker, he would not object to it, but still it would be a
case calling for severe punishment.
Mr. CI.ARKSJN said the prisoner ought to feel deeply
grateful for the course proposed to be adopted. He could
off r nothing further on his behalf, and upon a conviction
fsr assau t must Lave the case entirely is the Lands of
tie Cour'.

The Jury then found the prisoner Guilty of an aggra-
vated assau:t. •

Lord DENMAN Fa',.d it was a %e•y bad ease, and he must
take tirk.c to consider vih.t judgment should be passed
upon the prisoner.

James.Henty, rged 24, labourer, surrendered to !a7.:e
his trial up-in an indictment chiugi rg h;m with ere
thughte.• f William
. Toe prisoner pleaded Not Guilty," and the trial was
about to be proceeded wr.h when Lord DENMAN (xpressed
his op'nion that the prisoner had bette' retract Li. plea and
plead Guilty, as his Lordship sad be saw by the repositions
tuet e case was not of a character that would cal for
any severe punishment. His Lordship went on to say
that it appeared that the prisoner and demised I:al tem
drinking t, gether at a public-house, and when they went
out, by sorr.c means or other, not clearly asccrtaioe.l, a
quarrel and fight took pl;ce between them ; but it ap-
pearel that the deceased was most to blame in the trabszc-
tion, and that he had provoked the prisoner to act as he
did in figating with him. He should, therefore, under all
the circumstances, order the prison. r to be discharg 'd,
upon payir g a fine cf ls.