The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-08 00:00:00

Tees

DARING BURGLARY.

Thomas Neuman, a labourer, aged 25, a. ticket-of-
leave man, who had been found guilty of burglary and
sentenced to ten years' transportation a few years ago,
was charged with a man named Henry, Cox, ,a labosirer,
aged 20; with breaking into and entering a dwelling
hguse and stealing a watch and 'other articles, the pre-
party of •Edward. Turner, at Wolvercoti on the 30th of
January last.
The prisoners pleaded guilty, and Newman was sen-
tenced to 20 years' transportation and COx to 12 months'
hard labour.

SHOOTING BY A GAMEKEEPER.
• Joseph: Datts, nod 49, a gamekeeper, was charged
with .unlawfully woanding -Henry Robins, with intent
to do him grievous bodily harm, at Elsfield, on the 27th
October last.
Mr. Hill for the prosecution, Mr. Cripps for the
defence.
It appeared that on the day in question Robins, and
two other boys, were trespassing on some land belonging
to the prisoner's master, gathering aloes, when the pri-
soner warned them 'off. They immediately ran away,
upon which Robins was struck by some shots from the
prisoner's gun. Another boy, was also struck by some
shots, but not to the same extent as Robins.
It was urged on behalf of the prisoner that his gun
went off accidentally as he was getting over a thorn,
hedge.
Tbe jury found the prisoner guilty of firing the gun to
frighten the boys, but not with any malicious intent.
The Judge said he concurred in the verdict, but that
as it was a rash act on the part of the prisoaer, he felt
it to be his duty to sentence him to six months' impri-
sonment with hard labour.

MIDLAND ClRCUlT.—LnicneTnn, MA.ncs 6.
(Before Lord Chief Justice Campbell.)
THE SNAILESTONE MURDER.
John Fevka, aged 45, was indicted for the wilful
murder of his nephew, John Acres Fowkes, at Snareston,
at midnight, on the 25th of November last.
Mr. Mellor, Q.C., Mr. Cockle, and Mr. ivlerewether,
conducted the prosecution ; 'Mr. O'Brien and Mr. Bell
the defence.
William Fowkes, brother of prisoner, deposed that his
brother came to him at rake on the night in question,
called him ow, said that their nephew, the deceased,
had obtained 7001. of their father's money, and he (pri-
soner) "would bed-1 if he would not stop him that
night." Deceased came home with police constable
Cooper about haltpalt 11, and they, with the old man,
sat down to some beer. The father being asthmatical,
went to the window, and opened it to get some fresh air..
The house stands on their farm, away from the village.
The old man had scarcely sat down when witness heard
a crash at the window, and, turning round, saw a face
which, though not positive, he believed, then tad still
believed to be his brother's. Helmeted " There's But-
cher" (the nick-name of his brother), and, while speak-
ing a gun was discharged, and the deceased fell bleeding
on the floor. Witness and the policeman went to the
back-door, which was faetened by a pelts being placed
aerwis and tied to the handle. The front door was
blocked up. Some minutes elapsed before they got out.
Police-constable Cooper corroborated this evidence,
but did not see the adan.at the .window. .
Elizabeth "iowkes, mother of deceased, who .was her
illegitiniite son, deposed she slept on, the ground•floor.
Hearing a gun discharged, she rushed to the window,
and saw a man go by stooping under the window in the
direction of a ploughed field. His coat was a dark one,
similar to prisoner's.
Police Superintendent Platte spoke to arriving at the
house shortly after four. He went to the house of pri-
soner, an odd house, a mile off, and found prisoner up.
Prisoner alleged he was going to thatch, and got up be-
cause his child had a bad finger. He denied any know-
Sedge of the murder, and said he was fond of deceased.
Found a gun, which was moist and black inside the bar-
rel, as if very recently discharged. Prisoner said his son
broke the gun a few days ago. The gun appeared to be
broken, but witness found it could be put in order by
means of pinchers and screw in less than a minute.
Found prisoner's boots, which corresponded with foot-
marks found along the ploughed field leading from the
house of deceased to prisoner's house. The same foot.
marks were found near the lumber room, where the pole
which fastened the door stood on the previous after-
' noon. Witness also found gates open between the two
houses.

AIL EdinoLd surgeon, deposed deceased died in four
days from the gunshot wound. There were bits of brick
and grit, as well as shot, in the wound.
Two gunsmiths deposeA that the last time the gun
was fired it must have been charged with stone, brick,
or some hard substance, as the barrel was grazed.
Several respectable witnesses were called from the
neighbourhood, who spoke to having heard the prisoner
previously use threats about deceased, such as " I'll be
d—d if I don't shoot the pair of them ;" "I'll finish
those devils before many days are over ;" " I'll serve
the devil 0u,," &c.
Mr. O'Brien made a long and able defence on behalf of
the prisoner, after which the judge read over the whole
of the evidence, and the jury, after a few minutes' con-
sultation, returned a verdict of guilty.
The Judge then passed sentence of death upon pri-
soner.

The trial 11-1,...d 10 hours.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.—WINCIIESTER. MARCH 7.
(Before Mr. Sergeant Channell.).
CHARGE OF MURDER.
inn.lnseN, aged 39, a ship's steward, lately returned
from the Crimea, was indicted for the wilfol murder of
Amelia Ansel, bie wifa, at Pot•tsea, ou the 22d Feb.
Mr. Coleridge and Mr. W. M. Cooke for the prosecu-
tion; and Mr. Saunders and Mr. roclden fm. the defence.
The prisoner has been living at No. 15, Kettering-ter•
race, for the last 7 weeks, wish his wife, and although
scrne slight differences appeared to have existed between
i them, no positive quarrel was proved to have occarred.
On the night in question the deceased was at home with
one of her neighbours, and, being in a state of intox;-
cation was assisted into bed, when the nei,,l-‘
Shortly after, this neighbour saw 4'
house, and, knowing V—
passed. Sl- '

o—eour left.
prisoner go into his
tate of his wife, listened to what
neard eome words between them, and then
the deceased cried out 'madly, " Help, help." The wit-
ness knocked at the front door, and then heard another
cry of "Oh, don't, don't," in a loud voice, and " Mur-
der, enurder," and "Make my peace, make my peace,"
and then there was the report of a pistol. In conse-
quence of the witness knocking again the prisoner came
down stairs, and let her in ; and she said, " What Fare
you done !" He replied, "Ph, my God ! Mrs. Farrell,
what have I done to my poor wife 3" Witness went up-
stairs, followed by the prisoner, and there was the de-
ceased lying bleeding and senseless. There was a pistol
and a bayonet on the table. Prisoner said it was done by
accident. She had done it herself. When he entered the
roam, he fell upon his wife and said, " My dear Amelia,
speak to me." He appeared to be almost frantic. 'lke
prisoner had brought home a very valuable trophy from
Kertch, and bad bought a pistol to protect his pro-
perty. Au attempt had been made to get into his house,
and this caused the deceased to be timid. The prisoner
had talked of taking a public-house. Another witness
proved that the deceased had had her head bound up
for some days, and had told her that her husband bad
beat her with a stick. On one occasion she was com-
plaining in her presence that she was afraid of the pis-
tol, when the prisoner said, "The contents are for you,
if you do not behave yourself."
Mr. Dixon, surgeon, proved that the ball had gone
through the head in a downward direction, and was
lodged in the right side between the ear and cheekbone.
He thought it possible that such a wound might have
been caused by an accident, but she could not have done
it by her own hand. The pistol, a six-barrelled revolver,
was produced. Five of the chambers were still loaded.
Only one had been fired. Prisoner, when taken into
custody, was in a state of girt excitement, and said it
was done in play, and by accident ; that he had the pis-
tol in his hand when gettinginto bed (where he usually
keptb it by his
side;,
wife touched the cock and
it
u went state
of the pistol at the time was the
jt
offf.
in.h r that his y
before the court, one witness
subject
couTheo si
inquiry
stating that if it was loaded, and the cap on the nipple
with the cock down, if the cock was suddenly struck
upon the cap it might cause it to explode.
Mr. Saunders having addressed the jury, urging that
there was no proper evidence of malignity, called Lieut.
O'Reilly, of the V,etribution, Mr. Balliston, of the Al-
bion, and other otficers of the navy, who gave the pri-
soner an excellent character for kindness, especially in
cases of illness ; and that he bad been thanked by the
Duke of Cambridge for his attention to him during an
indisposition.

The Judge having summed up, suggested that the
cries heard by the witnesses have arisen from the
timidity of the wife and the excitement of drink, and
she might have tried to remove the listol herself, which
caused it to he discharged.
The jury, after a short consultation, acquitted the
prisoner of the murder.
He was then indicted on the coroner's inquisition for