The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-22 00:00:00

CRIMINAL COdRT.r--(TRIS DAY.)

The October sessions commenced this morning before
the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, the Sheriffs and other civic
authoriti es.

The Recorder, in delivering his charge to the grand jury,
remarked upon the number of persons awaiting their trial.
The time that had elapsed since their last meeting, he said,
had been longer than usually was the case, and to that cir•
cumstance he attributed the increase. The cases, it was to
be regretted, were also of a very serious character. There
were three charges of wilful murder, one against a young
woman named Elizabeth Padfield, for killing her child at
Hometton.; another against William Webb, the chief
officer of a vessel called the Brierly Hill, for killing a sea-
man on board that vessel; and the case of John Mullins,
for the murder of Mrs. Emaley, at Stepney. He did not
think it would be necessary to detain them with any
lengthened remarks on the first of the cases mentioned,
because they would have the whole of the evidence sub-
mitted to them, and on that they would act. With respect
to the charge against Webb there was considerable doubt, as it
appeared clear that at the time of the occurrence the crew
of the vessel, if not in a state of actual mutiny, were, at all
events, in one of great insubordination, and refused to com-
ply with the orders given by the prisoner and the captain ;
and the law under such circumstances gave very great
powers to the officers in command of a ship, and in case of
actual mutiny they would be justified in resorting to the
use of doaaly weapons, if such an act was absolutely neces-
sary for the preservation of the vessel. The jury would
have to say to what the offence amounted.
T
dames Mullins, who stood charged with the wilfulhe caseof
murder
of Mary Emaley, was likly to occupy their attention for
some time, both from the mystery with which the crime
was surrounded, and the numbera of witnesses to be exa-
mnThe person
had
been in
charged was sa working bricklayer
or plasterer,
lasterer, who habit of being employed
onlyaft
by the deceased, and it was er the prisoner had
accused another person of thecrim e thatthe prisoner
was
suspicion fell
upon himself. The evidence
against
return
chiefly circumstantial, but the jury would leave
whole of it into their consideration, and determine
um e to take
whether the
a true bill
there was sufficient to enable them t
against the prisoner. He need not allude to the other
contained in the cafender, as they were of the ordinary
cases
contained
description, mint cases as usual being Very,num
,numerous,
a circumstance which was greatly to be regretted. 1
the discharge of their duties. any unexpected
should arise, the Court would most readily afford thorny
every assistance.
The grand jury then retired to their room.
The case of Mullins, for the Stepney murder, is one that
will attract a great deal of interest. Since he has been in
Newgate he has exhibited a quiet and reserved demeanour,
and has not made any allusion to the crime with which he
is charged, and, of course, nothing whatever is said to him
upon the subject. He has been visited once or twice by
his wife and daughter, but no other relative has been to see
him. Mr. J. Best, the counsel who defended Youngman for
the Walworth murder, has been instructed to defend the
prisoner. The witnesses for the prosecution will in all pro-
bability go before the grand jury on Tuesday, and when
the bill is found an application will be made to the Judges
to fix a day for the trial, which will certainly not take place
before Thursday or Friday. It is understood, however,
that the prisoner's counsel will make an application to post-
pone the trial to the November rsssi n, on the ground that
sufficient time has not been afforded nu to make himself
master of all the facts. These applications are 6,,..5r511v
granted, so that in all probability the prisoner will not be
tried at the ensuingei3ession. The Judges who are to pre-
side are the Lord Chief Baron, Baron Martin, and Mr. Jus-
tice Hill; and the Aldermen upon the rota to act as second
"Innaissioners are Aldermen Wilson, Sir J. Musgrove)
Ealoruous, Sir 11, Itlngerhige) 412C1 Allen.