The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 7, 1858.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, MONDAY MORNING.
VISIT OF AMERICAN TROOPS TO IRELAND.

In a letter received on Saturday last from New
York by a person in Clonmel, the following " start-
ling passage," says a local paper, occurs. The in-
telligence will be a severe blow to the hopes of the
rump of the Irish Nationalists :—" I am sorry to
tell you I will not be able to carry out your sug-
gestion to visit the old country with the 60th Irish
Americans, as, owing to the liberality' of the
British Government, so many men carrying arms
would not be allowed to land in Ireland." For
once in his life Mr. John Mitchell was right. In
the columns of his own journal he long since in-
formed those gentlemen• in green and gold that
neither the American nor the British Government
would sanction their projected invasion of the
mother country.

gap without going into the field in which the'shed
was. There was a gap in the hedge of the field ad-
joining which led into the road, so that a person
might get from the road and through one gap to the
other without going into the field in which the shed
was. I examined the clothes of the deceased; the
coat and undercoat were both unbuttoned, the
second button from the top of the waistcoat was off,
but in other respects nothing observable. I had the
body conveyed to the union, where I examined de-
ceased's pockets. I found £3 12s. 6d. in money,
there was no copper money; I also found a silver
watch with gold chain attached, eyeglass, papers,
knife, bunch of keys and other articles. I could trace
no signs of a struggle near where the body lay. The
body, was found lying in such a state as of a man
running or walking and having received a blow from
behind. The face was bruised very much. The
papers I found on the deceased I handed over to
Mr. Loscombe by order of the coroner.
By Mr. Poland—The legs of the body were to-
wards the shed ; the field was a stubblefield ; I
could trace no steps to the body, only those from
the body to the shed. The walls of the shed are
chalk, and a small portion had fallen down near
the gap. The body could be seen from the road.
There is a lane called Mead-hegcs at the bottom of
the field which leads to Clatford. lam not aware
gapand so it is in the field in the hedge there • the
Ihvehdegt
hedge a
rs tahleorlev
oi
ns
ea,
adjoin-
ing. There would be no difficulty in a person get-
tine, over either of them.
labez Henry Elliott—l am a surgeon, residing
at Andover. On the morning of the 23d of Novem-
ber, being sent fox', I went to Mr. Footner's field,
in the Salisbury-road. I there saw a body which
I was afterwards assured was that of Mr. Par-

sons. He was lying on his face, with the head
towards Mead-hedges. The right arm was ex-
tended and the left lying by the side. The body
was stiff and frozen over, and must have been dead
some hours. He had on an overcoat, which was
covered with frost, and the stick now produced was
lying near the body. From the position in which
the body lay and the blows on the head it appeared
that the blows were inflicted from behind, which
had caused him to fall down, and several blows
were inflicted afterwards. The body was then
taken to the Union Workhouse, where I made an
examination. The right arm was extended forward
and partly bent, the hand clenched, and the left
by his side and slightly bent. Marks of blood on
the waistcoat. The overcoat and undercoat were
both open. There was some hair on the trowsers
in the front, and some dirt marks on the knees.
The shirt was spotted with blood, as were also
his stock and collar. The left side of the face
was flattened, the nose was flattened, the car-
tillages were detached from the bone, and
broken and turned to the right side. The eyelids
were closed and the pupils dilated ; the face was
covered with blood and stubble. There was a
mark- as of a blow on the forehead over the left eye,
but the skin was not broken. There was an exten-
sive contusion on the left forearm extending al-
most from the wrist to the elbow ; there was a •
slight graze on the left knee. On the head there
was a semi-circular scalp wound on the right side,
extending in the direction from the ear to the top
of the head ; there was an oblique scalp wound on
the top of the head in the direction of the right
eye to the left ear ; behind this was another scalp
wound, ragged in appearance, across the head, and
about three inches in length, a very extensive
wound at the back of the head, and a portion of
the scalp almost detached. There were several
portions almost detached, one of which was nearly
three inches long, beneath which the skull was
fractured in several places—the extent of this
wound was four and a-half inches across, and
three inches from aboire downwards. Lower down
was another wound, beneath which the skull was
also fractured. The membranes of the brain could
be felt through the fractured skull. These in-
juries, in my opinion caused the death of the de-
ceased. At the post mortem examination, on re-
moving the scalp, there was an extravasation of
blood on the left side of the forehead, which would
proceed from violence during life. On removing
the bones of the skull the longitudinal sinus was
ruptured. On removing the membranes of the
brain there was an effusion of blood over the entire
surface, more especially on the right side. The
right hemisphere of the cerebellum was ruptured,
and there was also a considerable effusion of blood
on the base of the brain. The heart and lungs were
healthy. The under lip was drawn up under the
teeth of the upper jaw. The mouth was closed.
This might have been produced by a fall on the
ground. Death, in my opinion, was produced by
injuries arising from blows inflictad by such a wea-
pon as-the oue produced, and would cause death. A
considerable quantity of blood flowed from wounds
on the head. There was some hair on the coat.
Looking at the wounds and blood on the ground I
should not expect to find any other quantity of blood
from such wounds. The wounds could not have
been inflicted by the deceased himself, and must
have been, with one exception, inflicted from be-
hind the deceased or after he was on the ground.
There were five wounds behind, and several blows
must have been struck to produce the large wound.
By Mr. Poland—Great force must have been
used to produce these appearances at the back of
the head. Repeated blows on the back of the head
on a bloody surface might in all probability have
caused blood to spirt out, but I did not observe
anything of the sort in the morning. The bruises
on the left arm were caused by one blow, from ap-
pearances. The second finger nail on the right hand
was broken. The deceased was a muscular man,
but I cannot say whether he was more so than the
prisoner. I know the wife of the the prisoner; she
is enciente. I have been engaged to attend her at
the end of this month.
Re-examined—As far as my observation went,
there was no blood scattered but that on the ground
and on the clothes of the deceased. It would be
difficult to detect small spots of blood on the ground
after a time had elapsed.
Henry Day, a lad of diminutive size, was then
examined. He said—l live with my mother in
Chantp-street. I know Mr. Footner's field, in Sa-
lisbury-road. I went there the morning after the
body was found. I picked up some halfpence near
the shed, at about half-a-yard from it ; there were
six penny pieces and two halfpence. I pointed them
out to Police-constable Abbot, who picked them up.
Cross-examined by Mr .Poland—They were on
the side of the shed near the hedge.
George Abbot—l am a police constable, and was
in the field where the body was found at about 10
o'clock in the morning. I saw the witness Day there,
and he pointed out some copper money lying on
the ground. There were six pennies and two half-
pence. They were between the shed and the body,
at about two yards from the shed. If a scuffle had
taken place they were in such a position as to have
fallen from a pzrson going from the shed to the spot
where the body was found.
Cross-examined by Mr. Poland—The halfpence
were found at that portion of the shed furthest
from the hedge, and were scattered about.
George Pearse—l live at Waterloo Foundry, in
Upper Clatford parish. On the night of Monday,
November 22, I was at the house of Chas. Lewis,
Waterloo-terrace, Upper Clatford. Geo. Butcher
and others were there. We all left within a few
minutes of each other. It was just 20 minutes to
10. I looked at the clock when I got outside the
house, Butcher being close behind me. I heard a
noise as if some one was attacked. It was a hol-
loaing, but I could not-distinguish any words, I
called Butcher's attention to it. I heard the
noise three or four times, and then it appeared as
if a man was groaning loud. I heard a noise as if
some one was beating a carpet at a distance off.
It was four or five blows one after another from
the direction of Merd-hedges ; the wind was north-
east, and would blow the sound from that point. I
should think the noise did not last more than three
minutes from first to last, and then we went home.
Cross-examined by Mr. Poland—l was then in
the high road. I know the field where Mr.
Parsons was found. I should think it was threc-
quarters from that spot. Butcher and myself did
not go to find out what it was, but went home.
Lewis's is a private house. I n etver had any com-
munication with the police on thiS matter. I spoke
of it the next morning to my shopmates.
George Butcher—l work at Waterloo Foundry

I was a-t
the house of Charles Lewis on the night
of the 22d of November with the last witness, At
20 to 10 we left together. When we got outside
the house I heard a man halloo, as loud as he could,
and said to Peatse " Did he cry Murder'?" I said
so because I fancied it sounded like murder. I
could not compare it to any other word. I could
not distinctly heard the word, I heard it three or
four times. We were stopping listening. It ap-
peared to last about .a minute. Pearse remained a
short time after me, and I went home. I knew the
sound came from the direction of Andover.

Cross-examined by Mr. Poland—l know the field
where the murder was committed. It is about
three quarters of a mile from where we heard the
sounds.

Mary Hawkins—l am wife of Thos. Hawkins,
of Abbottsain. I was washing at Mrs. Tasker's at
Waterloo Foundry on the 22d of Nov. last. I left
there at half-past nine o'clock. Little Ann was on
my way home, and I then turned into the Salis-
bury-road. Then I heard sonic one halloa, and I
stopped and listened. I heard some one dis-
tinctly say, " Oh, don't ! don't murder her !" I
hurried on faster, but I still heard the noise until
I got to Poplar Cottage. I heard the words but
once, but I still ' heard a noise. I looked at the
clock before I left Mrs. Tasker's' and it was half-
past 9. I cannot say the distance from Mrs. Tasker's
to the spot I heard the noise, or how long it vrould
take me to walk it, It was a beautiful
.moonlight

night ; not much wind. The noises seemed to come

from Cherrywell-bottom. Before I heard the next
morning what occurred I mentioned to Ruth Brown
what I had heard, and we had some talk together:
It was about 6 o'clock in the morning.
Cross-examined by Mr. Poland—The voice I
heard was a weak voice and sounded more like a
woman's than a man's. It is a long distance from
Mr. Footner's field to Cherrywell-bottom, but it is
in the same direction from my house towards An-
dover.
Ruth Brown, wife of John Brown, of Upper
Clatford, said—l was washing at Mrs. Tasker's on
the night of Nov. 22. I left with Mrs. Hawkins at
half-past 9 o'clock. We parte dat the gate, and
just as I got to Mr. Smith's, at the Plough, I heard
some one cry out, " Don't, pray !" and then, " Mur-
der !" Before I got to Mrs. Adams's I heard groans
two or three times. I heard the cry of " Murder ! '
three times. The sounds came from the Salisbury-
roadway, towards Andover. It was a light moon-
shiny night, and the wind blew from Andover. I
told my husband of it the same night, and went
next morning to Mrs. Tasker's, where I met Mrs.
Hawkins. We had some conversation about what
we heard the night before. Some hours afterwards
we heard that a murder had been committed.
• Cross-examined by Mr. Poland—l know the field
where the murder was committed, but I do not
know the distance from where I heard the sounds.
John Reeves—l am sergeant of the Andover
police. On Tuesday, Nov. 23, having seal the
bludgeon produced, I went to a field of Mr. Wolfe's,
adjoining the millway-drove. There are ash trees
growing in the hedges there. I searched to find a
stem to match that stick, and found one from which
a stick had recently been cut. I pointed out that
stem to Mr. Radway- I compared that stick with
the stem and they matched. I cut off the piece
produced from the. stem, and it-matches it. The
stick appeared to have been cut round and broken
off. There 'is a crack on the stem; and a similar
one •on the stick. On the same day I found
some ash cuttings in the corner of the field
nearest the Salisbury-road ; they appeared to be
the trimmings of an ashen stick. On the following
Thursday I searched the hedges again, and in the
corner near where the cuttings were found I disco-
vered the top of an ash stem placed upright in the
hedge, as if it were growing ; it was about four or
five fret high, and apparently a growing tree. I
compared it with the stick, and it corresponded
exactly. On Friday last I walked from the spot
where the body was found to Mr. Hawkin's build-
ing in the Weyhill-road. I could walk the distance
in from five to seven minutes. There is no difficulty
in getting from the Salisbury-road to the' Weyhill-
road. at Hawkins's-buildings.
Cross-examined by Mr. Poland—l am aware that
the prisoner has some cottages in Millway-drove
and that the land near Hawkins's-buildings is his
land. There is a gap at the bottom of Tasker's
field, as if persons were in the habit of passing that
way into the Weyhill-road, which would be the
shortest way. On the Tuesday morning after this
occurrence there were many persons went up the
Salisbury-road. There are two cottages on the road
this side- of Mr. Footner's field, and two on the
other side of the field, near Millway-drove.
Thomas Mesh—lam woodman to the Marquis of
Winchester, and have been a woodman for 40 years.
lam well acquainted with the growth of wood. I
can tell the number of years a tree has been grow-
ing by the rings. The stick produced is of eight
years' growth. On comparing the pieces produced
I am of opinion that they all formed part of one
stem.
John Wm. Young—l an innkeeper at Andover.
On the evening of Monday, Nov. 22, I was in An-
dover. In the evening, shortly before 9 o'clock, I
left Andover and went to the Railway Tavern. I
drove a horse and four wheel. I left Andover a
quarter before 9 o'clock. When I arrived at. the
Railway Tavern I saw the prisoner. He came out
of the tavern, and I spoke to him and asked
him if he was ready to go down with him. He
said he should be back again directly, and then
turned down the Millway-drove through the turn-
stile. I stopped there about a quarter of an hour,
when I left. He did not return to me again, nor
did I see him again until 11 o'clock.
[The examination was not concluded when our
report was sent off.]

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—LIVERPOOL, DEC. 6.
The business of the winter assizes for the
southern division of the county opened to-day be-
fore Mr. Baron Bram Well, who presided in the
Nisi Prius Court, and Mr. Justice Hill, who pre-
sided in the Crown Court. This is the first winter
assize at which civil business has been taken, and
the number of causes entered for trial is consider-
able, litigants from all parts of the country taking
advantage of this assize to settle the questions in
dispute by the verdict of a jury. The calendar is
unusually heavy, and contains the names of 115
prisoners, of whom 8 are charged with• wilful
murder, 9 with manslaughter, 8 with stabbing, 18
with burglary, 11 with rape, 20 with robbery, 4
with bigamy, and the remainder with other
offences.
In charging the grand jury, of which Sir Thos.
George•Hesketh, Bart., was foreman, Mr. Justice
Hill said that the calendar of prisoners awaiting
their trial, and touching whose offences it became
their duty to inquire, was so heavy that he would
not occupy their time more than a very few
minutes to direct their attention to one or two of
the more important cases. He deeply regretted to
see the large number of cases of wilful murder,
and alluded to one or two particular charges,
pointing out that in one, where a woman had cut
her child's throat, they would probably have no
doubt that she had committed the crime, the only
question which could arise being whether she was
in a responsible state of mind. He recommended
the jury to find a true bill, as, if the common jury
found she was insane, she would be detained in
custody during her Majesty's pleasure, and thus
the public would be protected against her for the
future. In another case two medical practitioners,
in trying to procure abortion in the case of a single
woraan,xho was pregnant, had caused her death
by the means used. It was, said his lordship, a
settled woposition, of law, and had been so for a
great roaThy years, that where a medical man gave
medicine or used instruments for the purpose of
procuring abortion, he was doing an unlawful
act, attended with risk and danger to the per-
son concerned, and, if by these means he caused
death, it was murder in the eye of the law ; this
rule, therefore; would apply to the case of the pre-
sent assize. .As a general- instruction his lordship
mentioned that where the facts proved were of such
a nature that if unexplained or unanswered there
was a reasonable presumption of guilt, it was the
duty of the jury to find a true bill. But if, on the
contrary, there was not such reasonable presump-
tion, they would not be doing their duty in finding
a true bill, because by putting such a prisoner pre-
maturely on his trial, should circumstances after-
wards arise to show that he was guilty, they would
prevent a future trial, and defeat the ends of jus-
tice. In conclusion, his lordship alluded to a class
of cases of an
,immoral character, and remarked
that the unnecessary exposure of such cases in
courts of justice was a great scandal to society.
The jury, would, in regard to these, if possible,
observe a more stict rule than in other cases, and
only find true bills where they were fully con-
vinced that the crime charged against the prisoner
had been committed. He then dismissed the jury
to their duties.
A MELEE AMONG HARVEST WORKERS AT HUYTON.
Four young Irishmen, named M'Donald, Don-
oughoe, Horan, and Pierce, were found guilty of
unlawfully wounding five other harvest workers,
named Bradley (man and wife), Travis, Bulfield,
.and William Bradley, at Huyton, near Liverpool,
on the 16th of August last. The parties had been
working in a field when rain came on, and they
adjourned to a small beer-house, where they had a
good deal of .drink. During the time they were in
the beer-house a quarrel arose amongst some of the
men, the others joined their companions in the dis-
pute, and ultimately they went into the street,
where a general melee took place, in which sickles,
scythes, and other dangerous weapons were used,
and in which several persons, including the above
five, were seriously injured by being cut with sharp
instruments.
Sentence on the prisoners was deferred.
CIVIL SlDE.—(Before Mr. Baron Bramwell.)
PARKES ET UXOR V. GREEN ET UXOR.
The plaintiff is a painter, residing in Slater-
street, Manchester; the defendant is a journeyman
tailor, living in the same street, and the object of
the action was to recover damages for slander.
. According to the statement of Mrs. Parkes, she
was in the street, near her own house, on the even-
ing of Monday, the 9th of August last, when the
female defendant called after her, " There goes that
Mrs.
murdering —, who murdered her child."ed " Are
Parkes thereupon turned round, and
you speaking to me ?" To which then k
defendant re-
plied, " Yes, I'm speaking to you. ha.ve mur-
dered your child," and added that she could prove
her words. The plaintiffs had lost a
..child about a
month before, which had been in a delicate state of
health from Christmas, 1854; and, in consequence
of the charge made by the defendants, they had, as
was alleged, been pointed at by the neighbours and
made very unhappy. On the other hand, the de-
fendants stated that. Mrs. Parkes had vowed some
day or other to be revenged on Mrs..
Green, because
she had given evidence against her in a case of
assault, in which a Mrs. Beasley had been the
complainant ; that on the pal. of August Mrs.