The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-22 00:00:00

LANCASTER ASSIZAS.

lICROWN COURT.
(Before Mr. Baron Martin.)
LANCASTNR, SATUADA
This morning, Thomas Kershaw, 19, factory
worker, and Catherine Kershaw, 53, his mother,
were placed in she dock, indicted for having, at
Over Darwen, near Blackburn, on the 13th of Jan•
last, feloniously, &c., killed Robert Kershaw.
Thomas Kershaw was also indicted with having
committed the said murder, and Catherine Kershaw
with having feloniously, arc., received, harboured,
and maintained Thomas Kershaw, knowing him t°
have committed the crime.
In addition, Thomas Kershaw was indicted for
having, in Preston Gaol, attacked James Collings,
with intent to du bodily harm.
To the first count in the indictment both prison'
era pleaded not guilty. To the second, charging
Thomas Kershaw with the attempt upon James
Collings, he (the prisoner Thos. Kershaw) pleaded
guilty, although it was agreed previously not to
take his plea.
It will be remembered that deceased was, upon,.
the night of the 13th Jan., found in his cellar, with
about 16 wounds in his head,. and with various
other injuries inflicted upon his body, Which was
covered by several cwts. of coal.
The chief witness called was Thos. Kershaw, the
brother of the first and son of the second prisoueri
He said that on going home on the afternoon
the 13th January, the prisoner said he found t.
dead body of his father upon the hearth-stone, is
the kitchen, and said that his "mother had ami°ne
it," and that he had taken the'body into the ee'r
and covered it with coals. The female prisolin
who, by the coroner's jury was discharged, but
who was ultimately apprehended on a warr3:,,
issued by the magistrate, from the first denied 'LI
knowledge of the murder, saying that she left th
prisoner Thomas and the deceased, when the..
began to quarrel. But the evidence of witilts;
both in court and before the coroner, showed .-of
she must at least h"ave washed up from the floor la
the kitchen the blood that flowed- from the °
man's head. Witness next stated thocircumetarices
which led to the discovery of the old man's hodli;cl
Several other members of the family &tau
slight circumstances showing that for five Or snd
years the prisoner Thomas had not been of sound
mend.
The last important witness called was 110bert
Fletcher Kershaw, the el .est son of the deceaansr
to whom the prisoner Thomas first stated that
had taken the body into the cellar. This witness
Was the first person to give information to tue
police. Amongst other things this witness said .I.e
substance that during the last 12 monthe the Pr:,
soner Thomas had been constantly readingsn_tus.,
Bible, and elieved from reading the Books of X,r_
kiel and the Revelations of St. John, that tio
ruin of Gog there predicted was now taking place;
and that the Gogites were
people who devoted
their whole time and all their minds to study the
injury of their neighbours, but that he W,.a9s)
stilled to be the great deliverer. He (the Prie°np
-S1
also believed that the deceased was the prineT
man among the Gogites, and that he was COnSPiWIZ
to have an improper intimacy with his eldeetclang'n
ter, with the intention to charge that offerann ul)l,°him (Thomas), who therefore believed it 1514
duty to destroy that influence. He (the prisons.,
also believed constantly that the Emperors Of 11115 d
sia and France intended to invade this country
He also talked of going to America to see
and other patriot_ ,s and of afterwards going to thi
President of the United States, who believed'
Kossutne
would give him
_an army with which he believed he
was dest.ned to prevent an invasion of Evg'7..
and having done that; that he was with it to Poo
sue the Gogites until he had thoroughly. rid
earth of them.
After the examination of this witness, Mr. 0 p
end, Q. O. (who was with Mr. R. A. Cross, hale,
for the prosecution, Mr. Ovens defending the ait
and Mr. Wigham the female prisoner) said he 'lo
proposed to call a medical witness, who' had e
the prisoner Thomas in Preston Gaol. „sole
Baron Martin said he did not see whati_m"bes
could be wanted. If the last witness was to boost
lieved, and he had given his evidence in" a, Thor
proper manner, there was no doubt the raw
to
Thomas was insane ; the
th only question was, —he
e female prisoner, and up to that moms ter
Judge) had not a word of evidence as MO"'
upon his notes.
oaring
Some further evidence was then given b er,
wholly upon the conduct of the female
on
and subsequently the Judge said he was of spin
i
there was no evidence against the woman.
Mr. Overend.—She wiped up the blood..
The Judge.---Probably; and did other things
~
but that is only destroying evidence, and, .ae°°_.`
ing to my own inclination, I do not see anyone •"'„
tell me to the contrary, that to destroy the eviden.ie°'
is only equivalent to proving a person anoefisch'
after the fact.
After this remark some discussion took places ant
on the part of the prosecution, it was, ad-mloteer.
there was no evidence against the female priso..,
The Judge. then, addressing the jury, said
they agreed with him, and thought it unnecessiolo
to go any further with the case as to the fel0;,
prisonor, against whom there was no evidence, tillieV.
wonlil acquit her. As to the male prisoner, t''t;
only question wag; "Did they (the jury) belie%
him to be insane.?" and, from the evidence befla
them, he- (the Judge) did not see how they e°°
come to any other decision. ; diet
Shortly afterwards, the jury returned a Irer
of not guilty, as regarded the female prisoner, Isuct
t
of not guilty, upon the ground t.f insanity Worked
the male prisoner, who will therefore be iinPrisA
during her Majesty's pleasure. The feu
soner was ultimately discharged.

BIRTH%
BARRY—On the 19th inst., the wife of R. rf• 5'136111'
Esq., late Captain 12th Royal Lancers, of s WIZ; or.
at
BRowx—On the 17th inst., Hampstead,the wile °
Brown, of a son. pife
LOUND—On the; 19th inst., at 60, Chancery-lane, she
of Mr. John Lound, of a daughter—stillborn. the
SIVANN—On the 18th Jut , at the Grove, Blackhea'
wife of R. R. Swann, Esq., of a son.

MARRIAGES.

dig'

HUDSON- COLE—On the 16th inst., at St. Luke'lit,iii
'
tenharn George Ben ough Hudson, Esq., 0 010.
WarwiC g
kshire, to Sarah relict of the lsoe
Cole, Esq., of Wellisford. House, Somerset. cow
LAMBERT—LYNCH—On the 15th inst., at the Britihbertt
sulate, Boulogne•sur-mer, Charles Fearnley L
er onnf f.
Esq., of London, to Cecilia, youngest daught
Lynch, Esq., late of Galway, Ireland.

DEATHS. Job°
CLARK— On the 20th inst., at 71, Finchley-road, of 3.
wood, Contain Clark, Royal Artillery, second 0,10,
P. Clark, -Esq., of Fingask, Inverness:ahire, age"
cig
DEAN—Ou the 19th inst., in London, Mr. Fre,,ri
Dean, late of Edingworth, East Brent, Sorneree.
MARSHALL—On the 11th inst., at the Rector, the par
John Marshall, rector of Wark, in the dioceyse of
batn.

LONDON: Printed and Published by MURIA) Yl9lj
740.
of No, 112, Strand, Printer, at The San Ofic4
112, Strand, in the Precinct of tho Savor, in th 4 co,11
of Middlesex, Monday, February 22, 18631