The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-27 00:00:00

CENTRAL CR

IMINAL COI:MT.—This Day.

OLD COURT.

(Before Mr. Justice Smith.)
THE MURDER IN TIIE KENT-ROAD.

Louis Bordier was indicted with the wilful mur-
der of Mary Ann Snow.
Mr. Poland and Mr. Collins prosecuted on the
part of the Treasury, and Mr Sleigh defended the
prisoner.
The facts of the case have so recently appeared
in print that a repetition of them in a brkf form is
all that is necesiary on the present occasion. The
prisoner was by trade a currier, residing at 3, Mill-
stead-terrace, Church-street, Old Kent-road, the
housebeingoccupied by the deceasel's aunt, Caroline
Snow. lie had lived on the most affectionate terms

rith the deceased and his children for 13 years, and
ad, up to the morning of the fatal occurrence,
lorne the character of an induArious and respect-

)1e man.

The witnesses examined before the magistrate and

the coroner were re-examined by Mr. Poland.
The most important witness, however, was the
surgeon, Dr. George Simpson, who was called in
immediately after the prisoner had inflicted the
wound on the throat of the unfortunate woman,
and therefore we give his evidence at length. He
said he was called to 3, Millstead-terrace, about a
quarter to six on the morning of the 10th of Sep-
tember. He found the deceased still alive, but
insensible. The wound on the throat was an exten-
sive one, and in a short time after the unfortunate
woman died. On his seeing the prisoner he said,
" I'm the man," and after that he (prisoner) went
up to the bed and kissed the deceased. He said he
had written a letter to his brother telling him what
to do with the childien after he had carried out his
plan. He sail, " I'll tell you all about it," and
and then went on to describe the whole that took
place up to the time of the arrival of wit-
ness. He said he had made up his mind to
kill his wife, children, and himself, and early
in the morning he arose for the purpose of
carrying his plan into operation. His wife then
awoke, and as it was early she told him it was too
soon to get up, and told him to get into bed again.
He did so, but shortly after that he awoke again, and
his wife again woke at that time when he was stand-
ing before her. He kissed her, and putting his
hand around her neck, having shook her hand,
and then drew the knife across her throat. Ile
asked him how he committed the act, and he said
he then drew his hand across the bed in a slant-
ing direction, and that the blood then came. He
(witness) asked him if he did n ot know there was
blood in the human body, and he s" Oh,
yes." He (witness) then said, " Did you not ex-
pect it from your wife ?" when prisoner replied, "No,
I cannot say that I did." Prisoner further stated that
his wife looked towards the door, as if she intended
to go there, but his plan was that they should all
die, and he went over to the place to show witness
how he stood before the door. He went on to say
that he intended to cut his own throat, but the
blood prevented him. Witness said, " What, the
sight of it ?" and he said, " No, it stood up," and
then put his hand up and made a movement with
it as if it had come in contact with a pillar of blood.
He went on to say, " Of course I cannot do it now, so
now some one must come and cut my throat, but I
ought to have done it another way." Before the
conversation ceased the prisoner alluded again to
the deceased's throat, and said " it was very hard to
do." On witness asking him what made him think
of doing such a thing, he replied " It was necessary
for to do it." Witness said, " Then you looked upon
it as a duty," and he answered " Certainly, it
was right, wasn't it ?" lie (witness) said "No ; but
how did you think it was necessary for you to do
it ?" and he replied, " I shall not tell you until th e
proper time." A letter was then handed to witness
by the constable, by which time the prisoner had sat
down and was smoking, but on seeing the letter
given to him he got up and said, " I wrote that letter
on Sunday night." He repeated the contents of the
letter (the one telling his brother what to do with the
children), and went on to say, " I only wrote the
letter on Sunday night, but I had made up my mind
to kill myself a fortnight before that, but I could
not part with my wife, so I determined she should
die with me, as also my children." Witness asked
about his health, when he said he bad been
bid and had been operated upon. The witness
asked how he felt his head at that time, when
he replied very quickly, " Oh, you know I am not
insane." Witness felt his pulse, and asked him if
he had any singing noise in his ears, to which he
said he thought he had, but was not quite sure
about it.
In cross-examination by Mr. Sleigh, witness said
the disease under which the prisoner laboured was
fistula, which was of a depressing nature to the
system. The result of an operation would increase
that depression.
Mr. Sleigh--You have carefully studied the whole
of the facts connected with this case ? What is
your opinion of the state of the prisoner's mind
when he committed the act ?
Witness-1 believe he was insane at the time I
was speaking to him, and I should say he was in-
sane at the time be committed the act.
Mr. Poland—You say you have carefully con-
sidered all the matters connected with the case ;
have you read the letters, and do you think he was
insane at the time he wrote them ?
Witness—l should say he did not know he was
doing wrong ; the letters are the offspring of the
delusion.
Mr. Poland—What delusion ?
Witness—That it was necessary he should die.

The Learned Judge—What was the particular
delusion under which the prisoner laboured ?
Witness—That it was necessary ho should die.
There is a recognised form of delusion of that de-
scription.
Mr. Sleigh—You. believe ho was quite insane at
the time you were speaking to him ?
Witness—Yes. His reason was in abeyance, and
there was a complete absence of control over the
perverted train of thought.
Mr. Poland—Name one of delusions under the
which you think he laboured ?
Witness—his belief in the delusion of the blood
standing up as a barrier.
Mr. Poland—Have you not in the course of your
professional labours met with many persons who
dislike the sight of blood ?
Witness—Yes; I almost faintel myself the first
time I saw it.
Mr. Sleigh—Your deliberate opinion is that at
the time the prisoner committed the act he was

insane?
Witness—Certainly; that is my deliberate opi-

nion.
Mr. Poland then proposed to call evidence to
show the state of mind of the prisoner since the

murder.
Mr. Sleigh said he thought that was the state of
mind of the prisoner after the murder was com-
mitted. The important matter was to ascertain his
mental condition when the murder was committed.
The learned judge said he would receive the pro-
posed evidence.
Mr. Watherworth, the surgeon at liorsemonger-
lane Gaol, said that during the time the prisoner
was confined there ho did not show any symptoms
of insanity. lie had not, however, had any parti-
cular conversation with him to test the state of his

mind.
Mr. Keene, the governor of the same gaol, said
he had seen the prisoner daily, from the day of the
murder up to the 17th of September, during which
time he had never shown the slightest symptom of
insanity.
Mr. Gibson, surgeon of Newgate Gaol, said he
had seen the p:isouer daily since 17th of Sept.
down to the present time. He had conversed with
him to test his intellect, but he had never seen any
symptoms of insanity.
Mr. Jonas, Governor of Newgate, gave similar
evidence.
➢ir. Poland then called Celestine Bordier, the
little daughter of the prisoner, who stated that she
was in bed with the baby on the morning her
mother was killed. Her father came into the room
and stood laokiug at her for some time, telling
her to hold up her face and remain still. She did
so, but after lie had looked at them for some dale