The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-17 00:00:00

THE MURDER IN WESTMINSTER

WESTMINSTER POLICE-COURT.—(THIS DAY.)
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
Sergeant Wright, 10 B said—About a quarter to
one he was walking down Regent-street in company
with some other constables. Having been informed that
a worsen had been stabbed, I proceeded to the spot, and
found a woman lying on the ground. I gave directions
to hay, her taken to Mr. Pestle's. She was taken,
and I saw that gentleman examine her ;
he pronounced her dead. I had her taken
to the dead-house of the workhouse. Whilst there
a young woman whom I know to be an unfortunate girl
came up, and I a-ked her to look at the female on the
stretcher. She did so, and said her name was Maria,
id gave me her address. Wright and I went
to the residence of the prisoner, 7, Vincent street.
His father looked out of the window, and we
told him we wanted his son. He came down
and opened the door, and showed us into the parlour,
where we found the prisoner in bed apparently in a
sound sleep. Wright called him several times by his
name, but he did not answer. I clapped my hand upon
bits, and he sprang up in bed, and said to the constable
who was with me, " What do you want, Harry ?" The
constable told him he had been ill-using " Maria."
Ile got out of bed and sat on the side of it. He
then asked the question "Is she dead ?" twice. I told
him she was. He asked where she was, and I replied in
St. Margaret's Workhouse. He then threw himself on
the bed in agony and grief, and exclaimed with his hands
together, " Oh, my God, I have done for her 1"
(The prisoner here asked for water, which was
fetched him by toe gaoler.) After a minute or
!::?, we induced him to dress. Seeing the
"a'te 01 excitement his was in, I took the precaution to
search his clothes. In the right hand pocket of the
jacket he
blade has now on I found a knife, the point of the
awaywfinuich was covered with blood. We took him
where eta__ and as we passed the end of the street
not go %woraan had been found he said he could
God! Y that place; he exclaimed, " 0 my
stands leekt't go by that place; there she
induced him Cc: at me.e After a little persuasion we
said, "There, noWhen he had passed the street he
that soldier, but
pethwzill go with you. It was owing to
on the way to the stationbe will be sorry for it now."
house he saicl—" The knife
bss done it for her, aei.
The prisoner did not antt,hte n'pe must do it for me."
t, 133 B, corroborated
Police-constable Henry \;),,*'ltl, any questions.
the evidence of the last witness.
Inspector Cumming corroberated the evidence of the
hal two witnesses, with this additioisia,dha,t when he met
„;_You have got
the prisoner in their custody he
him. To which the prisoner replied, have done it."
I told him not to criminate himself.
Mr. BRODZRIP—A prisoner should be told the charge
against him, acd should be then left either to speak Zr
Is.-At silent, as he may think fit. Any other course might
impede the ends of justice. It has not done so in this
case, but ienaig'nt have done.
Examination resumed—rifle prisoner said, " Oh, Sir!
if you btit knew what I have suffered fn. some time." I
reed the ' charge to Elm. He said nothing, but
Crouched as it he wished to avoid my sight. I took him
into me private room, and caused him to undress, it
or& r that I might examine him. I found blond on his
left ban e on the palm and the two middle fingers.
Whiist I was examen* ti e right hand, he ,pat a piece of
tobaceo fro= his mouth into the loft hand. I fond blood

on his right, and said to Mr. Keene, loud enough for the
prisoner to hear, " This is blood," to which the
prisoner said, "It is tobacco juice, it is not blood." I
then had him conveyed to the cell.
Mr. BRODERIP—Do you wish to ask the witness any
questions ?

Prisoner—Yes. Was there any tobacco juice on my
hands ? Witness—Yes, there was.
Prisoner—Was there any blood ? Witness—Yes, there
was.

Prisoner—No, there was not—there was nothing but
tobacco juice. You looked at my left hand and said there '
was blood upon it. You then asked to look at my right,
and I then chucked the tobacco into my left, in order
that you might do so, and you said there was blood on
that—it was tobacco juice.
Mrs. Harriet Darling; said the female, Maria Eden,
whose person she identified, had lived at her house about
nine weeke last Saturday. She said she was a married
woman, and that her husband was a brewer, and worked
at Thorne's brewery. She said he would pay the rent.
The prisoner came home with her when she took the
room, and remained every night with her for a fortnight,
but she never knew him to take his food there. After that
he came only occasionally. They sometimes had a few
words, but they were very trifling, and generally made
it up soon after. Never heard him use threats. She
was a very sober female. Never saw her tipsy. They
had some words last Friday. The female laughed,
and she heard something said about being hung at
Newgate.
Prisoner—l only stopped two or three nights. I did
not sleep every night.
Witness—You did not stop many nights, if you did any.
Prisoner—l used to stop sometimes on the nights I got
my wages. She used then to turn out and get some
money for herself. You are telling a story when you say
you never saw her drunk.
Witness—l was always imbed when she came home.
I never saw her. A more qit girl never lived in any
house.
Mr. George Pearce, the surgeon, of 5, Regent-street,
Vincent-square, was next examined—The female was
brought to my place about one o'clock on Sunday morn-
ing. With the exception of the loss of her bonnet and
neck handkerchi f htr cloth, s were not disordered. I
examined her; she was quite dead. She had a
i elizont .1 wound about three-quarters of an
inch in length above the lower end of the
second rib. I passed a probe into the wound. It ex-
tended vertically downwards about two inches and a
half. I tore open her dress before and behind in order
to see it there was any further wound. I did not find
an v.
Mr. BRODERIP—In your opinion was the wound
you viewed sufficient to cause death ? Witness—
I cannot say whether any vital part is injured
without a post mortem examination. About two ounces
of blood trickled from the wound.
Mr. BRODERIP—WeII, sir, you say the wound was
above the second rib. I suppose you have studied
anynsid edroi nu gh t
thathe vitalthe
woundparts
wasin
tthatthe
you havel me
co
aloncaatloitmyy, —if
death? Mr. Pearce—l have a doubt upon the subject.
Mr. BRODERIP--Now, surgeon, that is your answer.
Mr. Pearce was about to explain.
Mr. BRODERIP—I don't want any other answer • •
, write
ter a
down what he has said. (Af
pause)—What, then,
caused her death? Mr. Pearse—l believe the wound did.
Mr. BRODERIP—WouId such a knife as that cause
such a wound? Mr. Pearse—lt would.
Mr. BRODERIP—And that is the answer? Mr. Pearse
—lt is.

Inspector Cumming said that was all the evidence.
Mr. BRODERlP.—Prisoner at the bar, if you wish to
make any defence lam now ready to hear you. Have
you anything to say.ZPrisoner (in a low voice;—No, sir.
After the depositions had been read over,
Mr. BRODERIP said, owing to the doubt on the sur-
geon's mind as to whether the wound was the cause of
death, it would be necessary to remand the prisoner on
this charge of wilful murder until Wednesday, in order
that some competent medical man might be appointed to
make the necessary investigation.
The prisoner was then remanded until Wednesday.
The court was very crowded.

BAIL COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

Before Mr. Ju)tice COLERIDGE and a Common jury.:

BROWN V. 31.1.EAN.

This was an ection of assumpsit, brought to recover
501., to which the defendant had pleaded that the was
not indebted.

The plaintiff was a mariner, and the defendant the relict
ard administratrix of a merchant whe formerly carried on
business at North Shields. In 1846 the plaintiff was the
master of a vessel belonging to the deceased McLean,
called the Esther, of London, and he agreed to purchase
half of the vessel for 2001., paying 50/. and giving a
good bill for the balance of 1501. The plaintiff went on
a voyage with the vessel, and upon his return found
that 11bLean was dead, and that the defendant's widow
had resold the ship. She agreed, however, to refund
the 50/. paid by the plaintiff to her husband, but had
neglected to do so, and the present action was instituted
to compel her.
The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff.

EXCHEQUER.-(THIS DAY.)
(Sittings in Banco.)
POTEZ V. GLOSSOP.

Mr. CHAMBERS appeared in this case to show cause
against a rule, obtained last term, to set aside the verdict
for the plaintiff, on the ground of misdirection, and im-
proper rejection of evidence.
The defendant in the case was a clergyman residing
near Clifton who, having seen in some of the papers
advertisements offering to advance sums of money upon
personal security, made application to the parties.
A correspondence ensued, and the defendant was ulti-
mately induced to give his acceptance upon two
bills of exchange, upon the representation that the
money should be immediately forwarded to him, or if
not, that the acceptances should be returned. The de-
fendant of course never received the money, and all
efforts to obtain the return of the acceptances were
fruitless, and upon the bills arriving at maturity the
present action was commenced by the plaintiffs who
alleged that the bills had come into her possession
through having advanced some money upon them.
Mr. Cockburn and Mr. liumfrey appeared in support
of the rule, and contended that upon the trial of the
cause evidence was tendered which would have shown
that the plaintiff was not the bona fide holder of the
bills, but that such evidence had been refused.
Rule absolute.

CHARTIST CONVENTION.

(THIS DAY.)

The delegates met at the usual hour this morning,
when the chair was taken by Mr. Cummings (in the
absence of Mr. M'Grath). Only 18 members of the
Convention were in attendance.

After the names of the delegates were called over,
a long letter, thanking the Chartists for their exertions,
was read. It recommended them to insist that mono-
polies of every kind be at once abolished; to demand
that the six points of the Charter be immediately passed
into a law; that the military be disbanded, and a
National Guard established which might be called out
two or three days a week for exercise and the wse
of the " rifle;" that the Protestant Church be made
entirely dependent upon voluntary contributions for its
support; that all church lands be sold, the interest
on the national debt reduced, and that the people
be declared entitled to choose that form of government
which was most likely to produce tha greatest comfort
and happiness to the greatest number. They were not
to agitate for civil war, but it was evident that the motive
which ❑fluenced the present Government was self-ag-
grandisement. The writer cot eluded by again repeating
that he did not wish for a civil war, but, un the con.
trary, for national peace.
Mr. CIITTAY wished to know the name of the writer
to the letter which had been read.
The CHAIRMAN said, it was an anonymous communi-
cation. _ _

Mr. CUITAY—Then it cannot be received. We receive
no anonymous letters here.—(A laugh.)
A number of letters were read, expressing confidence
in the Convention, and one signed a "Tradesman's
Daughter," whieh recommends that the delegates should
turn their attention to the important question relating to
the currency.—(A laugh.) The writer advised the
members of the Convention to change all their 51. notes
into gold, and thus create a run on the Bank of England.
—(Laughter.)
The minutes of the last meeting were read and
confirmed.