The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-10 00:00:00

The Murder at Brighton.

••••

Yesterday John William Leigh was taken before the
magistrates at the Town-hall, Brighton, for further exami-
nation, on the charge of having on the night of Thursday,
the let inst., shot Harriet Harton, his sister-in-law. The
unfortunate lady, who was 45 years of age, was the land-
lady of the Jolly Fisherman Inn, which is situate in Market
street, Brighton. On the above-namednight she was seated
in her bar talking to two gentlemen who were standing
outside the bar door; there were also three other gentlemen
sitting in the bar parlour, when the accused man entered
the house. Directly Mrs. Harton saw him she jumped up,
and ran into the parlour, as though she feared he was going
to injure her. But she had hardly got half across the room
when the prisoner pointed a Colt's revolver and deliberately
fired at her. The ball passed through, the deceased, and
grazed the temple of a gentleman seated in the room. He,
however, ran to the assistance of the poor woman, who leant
upon his shoulder for support. A moment afterwards the
prisOner went within two feet of her, and deliberately fired
at her. a second time. Mrs. Harton then exclaimed, " Ho's
killed me, he's killed me," and then staggered half-way down
soine steps outside the room, when she fell, and lay groan-
ing till the arrival of medical assistance. The man accused of
this crime is 28 years of age ; about 5 feet Ginches in height,
strongly built, with small round features. He wears a
slight light moustache, and his hair cut closely to the head.
He went to live at Brighton about three years ago, and at
that time went by the name of " Captain Leigh," having,
according to his own statement, been in command of a
vessel of his own. Previous to this, however, he served
in her Majesty's navy during the war in China, but sub-
sequently deserted and became one of the crew of the Ala-
bama. He is a man of superior education. His dress, either
a velvet monkey jacket or a sealskin coat, gave him the ap-
pearance of a showy man ; indeed, it is said that when he
first went to Brighton, he led a very fast life, but his re-
sources failed him, and then he took the Odd Yellows'
Arms, in Queen's-road. But, not succeeding in this busi-
ness, he sold the last of his property, consisting of £7OO in
the Three per Cent. Consols, and went about a year ago to
Brentford (Middlesex), and there treated for another public
house, but the magistrates, upon hearing his character, de-
clined to transfer the licence of that house to him. This,
it is said, so exasperated him that he declared he would
destroy the house, and, so far as breaking tha windows,
tearing down the gas-fittings, and breaking up the stairs
went, he carried out his threat. He was, it is said, after-
war& sentenced to three months' imprisonment for the
damage be did. Two months ago his wife, the sister of
the deceased woman, went to live at Brighton, and refused
the prisoner's frequent importunities to reside with him.
This it would appear took him to Brighton recently, as he
wrote to his wife requesting her to meet him at the Bedford
Tap on Tuesday night, the 30th ult. She, however, did not
comply with his request. But it was subsequently ascer-
tained that the prisoner had been there, and that he had
in his possession three pistols. His wife's not meeting him
seems to have increased his anger, and on the Thursday
morning he made one or two unsuccessful attempts to get
into the house of which his sister-in-law was landlady,
but succeeded in doing so on the night when he committed
the crime with which he is charged.
The demeanour of theprisoner after being placed in the
dock was that of such extreme indifference to the position
in which he stood that murmurs rather of sympathy than
of condemnation fell from the lips of many persons who
crowded the court.

The depositions taken last week were read over and
signed by the different witnesses, after which it was inti-
mated that there was no further evidence to be adduced.

The prisoner, after being cautioned in the usual way,
said he had nothing to say beyond that " all the witnesses
had spoken the truth except Mr. Payne." He was then for-
mally committed to take his trial for the wilful murder of
Harriet Harton. A second charge of " shooting at Super-
intendent Barnden, with intent to do him grievous bodily
harm," was then formally preferred against the prisoner,
upon which he was also sent to take his trial. He was then
removed from the dock.

The presiding magistrate afterwards highly eulogised
the courageous conduct of Superintendent Barnden, who
had, he said, by bravely risking his own life in securing
the prisoner, doubtless saved the lives of several other
persons.

The American House of Congress.

The Washington correspondence of the London
Times gives a curious description of the etiquette of
the United States House of Representatives. In
the great hall there aro always restless gentlemen
wandering up and down with their hands in their
pockets, immediately in front of the Speaker—for
there is no restriction upon them in this respect—or
they stroll to each other's chairs, plant their feet on
the desks (these are generally Western members),
and make free use of the spittoon which is placed by
the side of every seat. The galleries meanwhile are
crowded with strangers, who do not fear to applaud
when anything is said which takes their fancy. It
is true that the Speaker instantly calls " Order" and
drops his hammer, but the applause is renewedwhen -
ever another hit is made. Lately, for instance, Mr.
Rogers, one of the New Jersey members, was mak-
ing a somewhat noisy and excited speech, when he
happened to allude to Mexico, and called upon the
south as well as the North to " drive the Imperial
despot out of Montezuma's halls." The people in the
galleries at once clapped their hands as if they had
been in a theatre. The result of this licence is that
more than one member habitually speaks to the gal-
leries rather than to the House. Of late two- thirds
of the strangers present have been negroes or dis-
charged soldiers, now without occupation in Wash- .
ington, and- therefore able to indulge in legislative
studies. The general aspect of the House is always
one of disorder. When the Speaker has left the
chair it bears some resemblance to a large bar-room,
minus the " drinks." Members light cigars and
seat themselves at their desks for a comfortable talk.
They have " got through" with their speeches, and
now prepare for a "splendid time." Such is their
way of describing this happy period of the day.
Perhaps in the evening the hall is occupied by a
teetotal meeting or an assembly of Primitive Metho-
dists, who make the galleries reverberate with their
thunders against the desperate wickedness of the
human race, especially on the other side the At-
lantic.