The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-15 00:00:00

16, 1 S -"

JULY

ASiE-;`IZE INI'ELLIGEAre.E.

'WESTERN CIRCIEJIT.—WINCHESTER, July 14.
CROWN COURT.--(Before Mr. Justice Channell.)
John Dominey and James Fagan, two respecta-
ble-looking men, carrying on the business of grccers
at Southampton, and also employed by the Ord-
nance-office, were indicted fur a conspiracy to ex-
tort money from William Scott, by threatening
and accusing his son, Charles Scott, of a crime
punishable by transportation. Different counts
varied the indictment, charging them with a mis-
demeanour for compromising and compounding
felony, and for forbearing to prosecute.
Mr. Cole prosecuted ; and Mr. Cooke and Mr.
Yonge defended the prisoners.
The facts, as given in evidence, were these :
The boy, Charles Scott, about twelve years of
age, in the beginning of the year entered the de-
fendants' service as errand boy ; after he bad been
there a few weeks, the defendants charged him
with stealing money. He bad been sent out
with some butter on the Bth of May, and was
paid for it, and put the money in his jacket
pocke. When he got back to the shop he took off
his jacket and put it aside, and forgot to take out
the money he had received to give it to the de-
fendants. He was asked for it, and ho said it was
in his jacket pocket, and there it was found. They
then accused him of stealing the money, and of
stealing a sovereign and two shillings, which the
boy strenuously denied:. He was shut upstairs in
a room and threatened, if he did not confess to
stealing the money, ho should be sent over the
water, and never see his father any more.
Frightened, the boy said he had. Dominey then
went to the father, who works as a gardener for.
General Dyce, and told him. that his boy had stolen
money to the amount of 9/. 'lBs. 7d., and that
lie, the father, had it. The father went with him
to Fagan's, and Fagan went upstairs, and told the
boy that if ho did not confess to his father that he
had stolen the money he should have the handcuffs
put on and be sent to the police station ; the boy
was then brought out on the landing, and asked by
one •of the defendants, "Did you not take the
money and give it to your father ?" and the boy
said, " Yes." Fagan said to the father, who was
at the bottom of the stairs, " You hear what he
has said, you had better pay the money." Scott
said he had not got it ; but Fagan went to his
house, and Scott got a ten pound note and gave it
to Fagan, who gave hint a receipt for it—" Re-
ceived from Mr. Scott the sum of 9/. 18s. 7d., being
the amount of money taken from our till by his
son, Charles Scott, and also for money received by
him anti not accounted for, according to his own
confession. —JAMES FAGAN."

The boy deposed that he had never taken any
money, and that the confession that he had made
was extorted from him by threats of the defen-
dants ; and the father also swore that he never had
a penny from his son.

Mr. Cooke made a very lengthened address on
behalf of the defendants ; and Colonel Cameron,
Major Lacey, and other gentlemen of high stand-
ing, gave them an excellent character.

The prisoners were acquitted, the jury exwess-
ing their belief that neither Scott nor his son ever
had the money.

NORTHERN OIROTJIT.—YoRK, JULY 14.

CROWN COURT.
(Before Baron Martin.)
THE HALIFAX MURDER.

William Blackburn Dawson was placed at the
bar, charged with the wilful murder of James Ed-
ward Jacobs, on the sth of May last, ,at Halifax.
Mr. Shaw and Mr. Maule were for the prosecu-
tion ; Mr. Price d-fended the prisoner.
Mr. Shaw said James Edward Jacobs, the de-
ceased, was a workman in the employ of Mr.
Walker, printer and publisher of the Halifax
Guardian. Prisoner was an apprentice in the
same office. He was always a well-behaved young
man,, steady and industrious. His habits were
considered by the workmen as very reserved, and
if there was any one with whom he was more inti-
mate than another it was the deceased.
For the defence, Mr. Tucker, of Halifax, surgeon,
deposed that he had known the prisoner from his
youth. He laboured under certain delusions,
which he (witness) had sought to dispel. He had
feared that either insanity or suicide would be the
result.

After this evidence, the counsel for the prosecu-
tion did not press the case further, and the prisoner
was found Not Guilty, on the ground of insanity,
and ordered to be detained in safe custody.

in courts and hisslordship could judge for hin3sclf
in the matte''.

The Lord Mayor directed Webb to be called,
which being done, he appeared in the witness•box,
and said he had been told by the prisoner to give
the haddocks to Riley, and that was all he knew
about it.

Lord Meyor—Did not you think it was wrong
for him to give the fish away ?
Witness—No ; I didn't think anything at all
ab put it.

Lord Mayor—Well, I think you ought to have
thought about it, for it is a very impudent robbery.
The prisoner was sent to hard labour for one
month.

MARYLEBONE.—WiIIiam Varley, a young
man described as a merchant, residing at No. 73,
Camden-road-villas, was charged with the follow-
ing indecent and extraordinary conduct :
Mr. Keene attended for the prisoner.
Mrs. Jane Mayers, 25, Grange-road, Camden-
town, deposed that on Thursday last the prisoner
came to her furnished front parlour, which was to
be let. After some conversation he went away,
arid, on his return the same day, he brought with
him a bag containing a quantity of ladies' apparel.
He agreed to take the apartments, and when told
that it was usual to give a reference or pay a week
in advance, he said, " I've brought my things, and
that's a deposit. lam leaving my home for the
present on account of the place being fresh painted,
and I can't bear the smell of it." Complainant
asked bim if he intended to sleep at her house that
night, to which he replied, "No ; I am going to
sleep with a friend." He put his things in a drawer,
and then left. On the next day he came back, and
she saw him sitting in an arm chair by the window,
dressed in female clothes. He quitted in his
ordinary male attire. He was also at the house cn
Saturday, and also on the previous day (Tuesday),
when he came in at 10 in the morning, and having
put on a lady's dress, with a wreath of roses reund
his head, he behaved in a manner too disgusting
and offensive to particularly describe. She watched
him upon many occasions, between 10 and 5, and
saw him standing near the window, and observed
that he was behaving most indecently. He left,
and returned at 10 at night, when he pulled off his
trousers and put on a pair of lady's drawers and a
white crinoline petticoat.
By Mr. Keene—l should not have taken notice
merely of his putting on female clothes, if he had
not been in such a disgusting situation when I saw
him. I thought he might have been in the
theatrical line. It was through a crevice in the
back parlour I watched him. I have not spoken
at all to the prisoner in reference to his behaviour.
Thomas Winkworth, a lodger, stated that on the
previous night, when he returned home, he was
told by complainant what had occurred, and while
she was talking to him prisoner came in. Witness
advised• her to go to the station, which she did,
and brought back with her, after some time, a con-
stable ; but previous thereto he (witness) went out,
and saw the prisoner act as described before the
window. He had on drawers and a crinoline, and
wore a wreath of roses, and several people in the
street were looking at him. When complainant
and the officer returned, which was between 10 and
11 o'clock, the prisoner had on his own proper
apparel.

'i3y Mr. Keene—The blind was up to two feet
from the bottom of the window. There was a
crochet curtain below it, but the work was so open
that I could see plainly what I have described.
There was a lighted candle on the table, between
which and the window the prisoner stood.
Mr. Broughton—Amongst those who must have
seen him were there any females ?
Witness—Yes, sir ; but they turned away as
soon as they could.

Complaijant, in reply to Mr. Keene said the
long blind was down to within a short distance of
the crochet curtains.

Mrs. Mary Wilson (another lodger) said tint at
about ten on the previous morning she was told
that the prisoner was attired in female apparel.
At twelve o'clock she went out and saw several
boys and girls look in at the window, and from
what one of the girls, abut nine years old, told
her, she (witness) went out, and on going past the
window she saw prisoner act as described. The
crochet curtain was partly aside, but when pri-
soner noticed her he pulled it to.
By Mr. Keene—l cannot say whether it was any-
thing like a theatrical dress or not. It seemed to
me to be such as dancers wear. I had seen his in-
decent conduct altogether ten or twelve times. I
nude the opening or crevice, whatever it may be
called, myself.
Edwards, 100 S, said that he went to the house
about half-past 11, and took the prisoner into cus-
tody just as ho was coming out. He was told what
he was charged with, and he stated that he was
going to perform at a theatre. After the prisoner
was locked up witness went back to the premises,
when the complainant showed him a quintity of
female apparel.

Sergeant Westlake, 2 S, handed to the magistrate
a long list of the articles fouud.in the apartment ;
they consisted of drawers, chemises, silk and mus-
lin dresses, slippers, silk stockings, Jsc.
Mr. Keene, in answer to the charge, said that
his Client and other young_ men were getting up a
private theatrical performance, to take plaee in th.
neighbourhood, ue (prisoner)
quite in his own room, he had .no idea
that any one was looking at him, or that they
could really see him. His blind was down
nearly to the curtain itself, and he imagined
that he was perfectly private in his own
place. He (Mr. Keene), with much emphasis,
denied that his client had wilfully exposed
himself, and expressed his astonishment that two
married women, with any pretence to respectability,
should have the effrontery to come forward and
unblushingly avow that they had kept watch as they
did for so long a period, and witnessed suspicious
conduct, as alleged by them, without taking early
steps to put a stop to it.
Mr. Broughton said it was a most extraordinary
case, and he considered that an unjustifiable attack
had been made upon the two females. He was of
opinion that the case came within the meaning of
the Vagrant Act for such offences ; and added that
-the- witnesses would leave the court without any
disgrace attaching to their character.
The prisoner was remanded on hail to the amount
of 100/. for his re-appearance on Wednesday next.

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION.

-0

HOUSE OF LORDS.--JuLy 12.
OATHS BILL.

Moved, to agree to Reason 4; objected to ; and an amend-
ment moved, to leave out from " Because" to the end cf
the reason, and insert " without imputing any disloyalty
or disaffection to her Majesty's•subjects of the Jewish per-
suasion, the Lords consider that the denial and rejection
of that Saviour in whose.
,name each House of Parliament
daily offers up its collective prayers for the Divine blessing
on its councils, constitutes a moral unfitness to take part
in the legislation of a professedly Christian community"—
(The Earl of Derby) ; objected to ; and, on Question,
Whether to agree to the said reason as amended I Con.
tents, 50; Non-contents, 42.