The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-17 00:00:00

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST AN
UNDERGRADUATE OF CAMBRIDGE.
On Saturday last the borough bench of magistrates at
Cambridge were engaged for some hours in investi-
gating a charge of assault, with intent to commit a.
rape, brought against Henry Winterbringham, an under-
graduate of Corpus Christi College, under the circum-
stances detailed below. The prisoner was apprehended
on a warrant granted by the magistrates, He is a tall,
athletic man, standing rather better than six feet high,
and entered Corpus Christi College, as a freshman, in
October, 1850. The prosecutrix is the child of trades-
people, who have long held a respectable station in so-
ciety. The bench and the court were densely crowded
by members of the university and others anxious to hear
the case, and the prisoner was attended to the court by
troops of friends.
Mr. Cooper (attorney) appeared for the prosecution,
and Mr. Garrett (attorney) for the prisoner.
When the case was called on, the prisoner was sit-
ting at the table in front of the magistrates, and was re-
quested by a policeman to take his place in the dock,
whereupon
Mr. Garrett said he presumed there would be no ob-
jection to his client retaining his seat, and he trusted the
magistrates would allow him to do so.
Mr. Cooper replied that he wished the order usual in
such cases to be observed. He was not aware that there
was anything in the conduct of the prisoner which en-
titled him to any indulgence.
The Bench directed that the prisoner should go round
into the dock, and he did so accordingly. He behaved
throughout the inquiry with a sangfroid almost amount-
ing to levity.
The witnesses having been ordered out of court, Mr.
Cooper briefly opened the case, and then called—
Elizabeth Mary Parr, who said—l am between fifteen
and sixteen, and live with my father-in-law, Mr. Miller,
painter and glazier, of St. Andrew-street. I saw the
prisoner on the evening of Thursday, the 13th of March.
I had never seen him before to my knowledge. He had
a silk waistcoat on on that occasion, and a white shirt
with lavender flowers. He had his gown on. I was
doing up the shutters of the room of Mr. Headley, who
lodges with my father-in-law. I was in the street for
that purpose. It was about half-past nine o'clock, or a
little before ten. I had no bonnet on. The defendant
came up to me and said something about going out,
which I did not perfectly understand. He did not touch
me at that time. I did not say anything to him in
answer, and went in directly. I went into Mr. Headley's
room to fasten the shutters inside, and be followed me in.
He was there before I had fastened the first bolt of the
shutters. I thought he had come to see Mr. Headley,
and I said that gentleman would be in in a few minutes.
He immediately caught hold of me and kissed me,
and shoved me on the sofa. I called out, and he
said, " You little devil, you." [The witness then pro-
ceeded to detail the conduct of the defendant, which is
unfit for publication.] The door bell rang violently while
the assault was taking place, and the defendant got up.
My mother entered the room, and the defendant rushed
into the street. My mother went out after him. I felt
so faint I could not tell my mother what had happened
immediately. He ran out just as my mother came
against the door. I told my mother what had occurred
immediately she came back from pursuit of the prisoner,
which was about two minutes. My father-in-law was
with my mother when she came up, and he, too, ran after
the prisoner. My mother returned first. I Galled out as
loud as I could when I was on the BO* and he stopped
my breath with his head upon my chest. The prisoner
fastened the door of Mr. Headley's room when he came
in by bolting it." I unbolted it to run out. I, ran out
first, and the prisoner then escaped by the street-door. I
will positively swear the prisoner is the man. I have -
since been attended by Mr. Lestourgeon, the surgeon,
and am still under hie rare.
Cross-examined by Mr. Garrett—Did not laugh at or
speak to the prisoner. I expected Mr. Headly in
shortly. I am sure I did not ask defendant into the
room. I will swear I did not say " There is no one in
this room, come in." My mother and father-in-law
were at supper in the kitchen, about three or four yards
from the front room. The servant girl was in the room
with them Mr. Chalker, of Emmanuel (a lodger) was
in the room over Mr. Headley's. Mr. Nottage, of Caias
(another lodger), and a friend of his, were in a back
room on the same floor with Mr. Headley's room. I
called out " Oh!" twice before he threw me on the sofa,
They could not hear me upstairs. I had no difficulty
in getting out of the room when I did get out. I at-
\ tempted to get out when he first came in, but he caught
hold of me immediately. I cried out "Oh !" also when
he put me on the sofa. I will swear he had his head en
my chest when we were on the sofa.
Re-examined by Mr. Cooper—l was much frightened.
I made all the resistance in my power.
By the Bench—The door of the sitting-room is three
or four yards from the kitchen. I noticed when I went
into Mr. Headley's room that the kitchen-door was shut.
I had shut when I left it to close the shutters. I said
nothing to the prisoner in any way before he spoke to
me, and I did not answer him. I was doing up the last
shutter when he first addressed me. There is a staircase
and a wall between the sitting-room and the kitchen.
The gas was fall alight in Mr. Headley's room. I had
shut the shutters. (The question as to the gas was put
at the instigation of the prisoner.)
Caroline Miller deposed—My daughter (the last wit-
ness) was fifteen last Sunday. About haft-past nine
o'clock last Thursday evening we were at supper. My
daughter left the kitchen to shut the shutters. A lodger
' rang his bell while she -was absent, and I wanted to an-
swer it. I wanted my daughter to take an infant I had
on my lap, and as she did not answer I rang a bell on
the staircase violently. About, a minute afterwards she
came out of Mr. Headley's room, and I said to her,
" Where have you been ?" She said she had been to
shut Mr. Headley's shutters, and a gentleman came in and
detained her in the room. I went into the room, and found
the:prisoner with his cap and gown on. I demanded what ho
was doing there with my daughter, and he passed me in-
stantly without replying, and ran into the street. I
followed him into the street, and demanded his name
and college. He made no answer, and I called Mr.
Miller. I saw a policeman who was standing by, and
told him to take the prisoner in charge. When the
prisoner saw Mr. Miller and the policeman coming he
took to running. I returned, and again questioned my
daughter as to what had passed. It was fortunate for
the defendant I did not know when I first met him.
My daughter was sitting on the end of the stairs
trembling, and nearly fainting, when I returned. [The
witness detailed the account which her daughter gave
her of the transaction, which agreed with that of the last
witness, except that she said her daughter told her that
the prisoner said she was " a little angel."] My
daughter's combs were broken into her head; the small
side combs were broken into a dozen pieces. I heard a
noise when my daughter was in Mr. Headley's room, but
I thought it was my children, and sent my servant up-
stairs to quiet them. The defendant's dress was not
disordered when I saw him. There were marks of muddy
feet on the sofa.
A Mr. Watson,' of the Temple, here interrupted the
proceedings by making some remarks, and was told by
the magistrates that if he repeated his conduct he would
be removed.
James Miller corroborated his wife's evidence as to
being called by her, the pursuit of the prisoner, and
other particulars, and said, that while his daughter was
absent from the kitchen he heard a shrieking, and said
to his wife, " Go and see what Is the matter with those
children, and see where Betsy is." Asked prisoner,
" What business had you in my house?" and he said
" Nothing," and ran off. Witness followed, but lost him
in Downing-street, as be could not run so fast as the
prisoner by reason of having lately broken his ribs. The
prisoner made his escape then. Will positively swear
he is the man.
Mr. Lestourgeon, surgeon, stated that he attended the
prosecutrix professionally on Friday, and found her in
a state of such excitement that, finding her such a child,
he was desirous of not increasing it, and prescribed me-
dicine for her. From the appearance of her eyes it was
evident she had been weeping considerably, her eyes
being quite suffused and bloodshot. Examined her
person at a second visit between eight and nine o'clock
in the evening, and then found that great violence had
been committed, from which she is still suffering.
Police-constable Badcock, being called by the magis-
trates and sworn, stated that he was walking in St. An-
drew-street, and saw Mr. Miller a few yards from his
house; he was walking, but did not address
.witness.
Saw Mrs. Miller outside her door, and she said, Oh,
policeman follow Mr. Miller." .Asked what was amiss,
,
thhtheaptieaceoffFollowed Mr. Miller, but the in
and she said, will tell you whenas ygooune,coamnde
Miller
said,
gen-
tleman had been in his house and. .
said, in answer to a question freamn
his hand; '
witness,wta e taken a
the university man. Has
been that. Did not run after.
this as
the shelf, and he found him with it in will
against the prisoner from
Mr.
been reported by Miller for his conduct in matter.
First beard the real charge
to
Miller when he returned. Went ask Miller why he
was reported, and told Mrs. Miller what Miller said, and
asked how it was that Miller made one charge in the
street and another at the police-station, She said that
miller might have made the remark about the timepiece
because he did not want to expose his child. She then
said perhaps Miller did not know what he was doing.
Will swear that. This witness gave his evidence in a
very confused way, but it appeared that he had reported
at the station the same night that Miller made the
charge of stealing the timepiece, and said he had never
spoken to the prisoner in his life.
Miller, being recalled, stated that when the last wit-
ness first asked him what was the matter, he replied that
he could hardly say
what was the matter; he expected
some one had been attempting to rob the house, as Mr.
Headley kept his watch and things carelessly about, but
he would tell them when he got back. That was after
witness had returned from running after the university
man.
Mr. Garrett submitted that there was no evidence to
prove the identity of the prisoner, except that of the pro-
secutrix, to whom he had doubtless been pointed oat,
and, even if ho was the party, the evidence only proved
that there had been a little gentle dalliance.
The Magistrates retired for about five minutes, and on
himself i. d f
in 2001.
2 trialooL
their return the prisoner, after the usual caution, was
asked what he had to say; he repliedi that he should re-
serve his defence, and i uiYbca9ilm,r te
at the assizes; but waswaadsmthaetend to
and two sureties of 1001. each,.
12. h
w le having been found
after some difficulty, he was liberated, and left Cambridge
the same evening. The assizes commence on Wednesday
next.

LIVERPOOL COUNTY COURT.—SO great bas been
the pressure of business at this :court during the past week,
that on two successive occasions the clerks were employed
until between five and six o'clock in the morning making
out summonses ; and two of them still later. It is not yet
known whether Mr. Ramshay will preside at the next sit-
ting, and report speaks of Mr. E. James continuing to act u
d eputy-J udge. The appointment is in the gift of the Earl
of CtElisle. Upwards of 250 suits have been commenced
recently in one day, and applications for new summonses,
we are informed, continue to be made for the ensuing
sitting.