The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-08 00:00:00

EVENING, JULY 8, 1848.

THE CHARTIST TRIALS.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
OLD COURT.
THE TRIAL OF SHARPE.
(Nfr. James White's examination continued from our
Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
After the business was resumed witness took a ver-
batim note of what took place at the second meeting.
Two persons, spoke at that meeting the defendant and
Ernest Jones. The defendant spoke first. The witness
was about to read his notes of the defendant's speech,
when

Mr. Sergeant WILKINS objected to this course, inns-
much as what occurred at the second meeting was not
included in the indictment.
The Lord Chief Justice WILDE intimated that
the evidence might be received, for the purpose
of showing the animus with which the first meeting was
called, but not as evidence of anything that took place
at the second meeting.
The witness then gave evidence of what took place
at the second meeting, which corroborated the testimony
of the last witness.
Inspector Waller, of the K division, stated that be
believed there was five or six thousand persons present
at the second meeting. He saw stones thrown at
the church, and the mob, as soon as they
saw him, cried out, " There's the - inspector, give,
it him." He called upon the mob to disperse, when
a volley of stones was thrown at the police, by which a
sergeant and seven men were very much hurt. Consi-
derable resistance was made to the police, but the
mounted police coming up, the mob was ultimately dis-
persed.

Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant WlLK'Ns—The ser-
vice was over when the throwing of stones began at the
church.

The Rev. Mr. Horton, the clergyman of St. James's
Church, Bethnal-green, corroborated the evidence of the
last witness with respect to the attack on the church, the
breaking of the windows, and throwing stones at the
police.

I- Horace Hardy, a policeman, proved that a meeting
took place on Clerkenwell-green on the 29th of May,
and the procession that took place afterwards.
The committal of Mitchel was then put in and proved,
and the grounds of that committal.
This closed the case for the prosecution, and the jury
retired to take refreshments.
On the return of the jury, Mr. Sergeant WILKINs
addressed them on behalf of the prisoner, and after
making some preliminary observations as to their ex-
pelling all prejudice from their minds, said the com-
plaints of the poorer classes were not altogether ground-
less, and that they found in our laws, which were held up
to them as perfect, measures most ruinous to themselves
and most salutary to others who were in a higher station
of life. They, therefore, were under the impression
that there was one law for the rich and another for the
poor. The Learned Counsel then quoted extracts from
speeches delivered by Messrs. Cobden, Bright, Wilson
and others connected with the Anti-Corn-law League,
for the purpose of showing that language equally
as violent had been uttered by them; and asked if a
poor man, seeing that those speakers occupied
places of distinction, had not a right to infer that there
was nothing illegal in following the example of men
who had been honoured and rewarded, and for doing
which he was now sought to be punished and degraded?
Now, he apprehended that poor men who felt that
the laws were partial and unequal in their effect, had
a right to assemble to state their grievances, and Mr. Ro-
milly, the present Solicitor-General, had no later than
last April, in the House of Commons, expressed his deli-
berate opinion that Englishmen had a perfect right to
meet for such a purpose, and that if in the heat of
eloquence a man was to say that he would force the
House to do anything, no jury would convict him of
seditious speaking. Was it unreasonable to expect that
the poor man should be discontented and careless w hat he
did as long as he obtained not a voice in the Legislature,
when he knew that thousands of his fellow-creatures
were unable to obtain subsistence by the sweat of
their brow, and were lacking a crust of bread for their
wives and families? Perhaps he might see a paragraph
in the newspaper, stating that some poor creature had
died in the street from absolute want—in another column
a powerful article of the editor's in behalf of the poor—
and in another that some dowager duchess hal given a
dejeuner to a numerous branch of the aristocracy, and
spent more in feasting those whose appetites were
palled, than would satisfy ten families for twelve
months, and keep them in comfort and happiness.
Was it matter of surprise, therefore, that the poor,
whose sufferings were so great, should, under
such circumstances, be dissatisfied with our rulers, and
abuse them in unmeasured terms ? The Learned
Counsel then addressed himself at considerable length
to the various counts of the indictment, and contended
that the words used by the prisoner could not amount
to sedition, and that the meeting at which he uttered
them was not an unlawful assembly. He concluded by
an exhortation that, whether Chartist or no Chartist, the
jury would do their duty fairly and impartially, and
with a view to protect the liberties of the subject.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL then addressed the jury
for the prosecution.

The Learned JUDGE summed up.
The jury retired at a quarter to eight o'clock, and did
not return into court until half-past. They then gave a
verdict of Guilty upon all the counts, except that one
charging a riot.

with his right hand. The deceased cried out, "Oh my
God, you have stabbed me to the heart." The prisoner
then threw something into the cell and ran out.
Mr. Henry Wakefield, surgeon of the prison, said
on Saturday, the 10th of June, he was called to attend
, Woodhouse. He found him quite dead. On making a
past modem examination he found a wound through the
ribs into the heart. It might have been done with the
knife produced.
George Owen, a warden of the prison, said, after the
death of Woodhouse he had the prisoner under his
charge, and stopped in the same cell with him. On the
Saturday evening, and on Sunday morning, the prisoner
made a confession which witness took down in writing.
The paper produced is the confession which he wrote.
Cross-examined by Mr. CLARKSON—Had received
orders from the deputy-coroner to take down in writing
anything the prisoner might say. He asked the prisoner
no questions, but answered the questions put to him by
the prisoner. The prisoner first began the conversation, and
he took out his pen, ink, and paper, and put down what
he said. Witness began to write down as soon as the
prisoner said anything he thought desirable to put in
writing, He did not write everything he said. The first
thing he asked was whether any one was coming to
read to him, or to console him, about the deed he had
committed. He knew what he was imprisoned for, and
believed it was well known in the prison. Witness then
read the confession which was to the following effect:—
That he did not intend to murder Woodhouse, but on
account of Woodhouse telling him that as he was get-
ting troublesome, the Governor would probably put
him in irons, he resolved that he should be the
victim. Latham was the one he first intended to murder,
but an opportunity did not show itself. On Wednesday he
got a knife, which he secreted in his stocking on Thurs-
day and Friday. When Woodhouse came to his cell on
Saturday morning he took advantage of the opportunity,
and struck a blow at him with his right hand, in which
he had the knife.

Mrs. Ferris stated that the doceased was her brother,
and was a warden in the prison.
This being the case for the prosecution,
Mr. C.taniisoN made a powerful appeal on behalf of
the prisoner.

Tim jury, after deliberating a few minutes, found a
verdict of Guilty.
Mr. Baron PARKE having put ou the black cap, ad-
dressed the prisoner in a most impressive manner upon
the enormity of the crime he had committed, and then
proceeded to pass the awful sentence of death in the
usual form.

The prisoner appeared much affected during the trial.
Before he was taken from the dock, he handed a paper
to the Judge, which was understood to be a further con-
fession, and his Lordship promised to place it in the
hands of the Sheriffs.

(Before Mr. Baron PARKE and the RECORDER.)
STEALING TWO 1,0001. NOTES.—Mr. Abraham Sim-
monds, the publican, who was charged with having two
1,0001. notes in his possession, which had been stolen,
was brought up for trial.
The particulars of the case have already been fully
placed before the public.
The case for the prosecution had only proceeded a
stage when the Court interposed, and stated that there
did not appear to be any good grounds for a charge of
felony, and that the prisoner ought, therefore, to be
acquitted.
The prisoner was accordingly ordered to be discharged
from custody.