The Sun.
London, England, 1835-02-06 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT.
Georgiana Clark was indicted for the wilful murder of
Henry Jenkins, on the 24th of January last.
No Counsel appeared for the prosecutor; Mr. CLARKSON
defended the prisoner.
Stanley, a beadle of St. Pancras, stated that on Monday
evening, the 26th of January, as he was passing Argyle Place,
he saw a number of persons collected ; on going into the house
opposite which the crowd was collected, on the first floor he
saw a number of persons in the room, with a man lying dead
on the bed. The prisoner was sitting at the side of the bed.
Witness asked prisoner how the deceased came by the cut
on the side ? To which she said, by cutting a piece of wood
to put on the fire. Asked her if she was a married woman, to
which she replied that she was, and that the deceased was her
husband. Asked her where the knife was ; on which a person
named Phoebe Davidson came up stairs, and fetched it from
the cupboard. Witness asked Davidson if it was the knife ;
to which she replied it was—she could swear to it ; and on
showing it to her, the prisoner then acknowledged that it was
it. Asked the prisoner again if she was married, and she
then s :id she was not. Asked her if she had had any quarrel
with the deceased ; to which the prisoner replied she had,
concerning Phoebe Davidson, on Saturday. Witness not feel-
ing satisfied, snit for the serjeant of police, when witness and
the serjeant went together to a surgeon named Jones, who
had attended him, from which that gentleman stated they took
the prisoner into custody. Witness then took possession of
the deceased's clothes; on examining which he discovered a
large cut through the gi eat coat, two waistcoats and a shirt,
similar in size to the wound on the breast of the deceased
The cuts in the wearing apparel appeared to have been made
by a knife similar to that produced by witness.
Cross-examined by Mr. CLARKSON —The prisoner and all
present appeared much distressed at the death of the deceased.
Sergeant Campbell, E 14, went with the last witness to the
house where the body of the deceased lay. Prisoner
admitted that she cohabited with the d.tetased, who,
while cutting some wood to put on the fire to fry
some sausages on Saturday, I..tt the knife slip, which entered
his side. The nri.•.,One; said there was no other person in the
roorn,but when the accident happened, and that she did
not 7.:iarm any ether persons in the house previous to fetching
the doctor. Prisoner, on being asked, said the deceased and
herself were quite good friends at the time of the accident.
Upon being further pressed, she said, I will tell the truth :
we had had a few words; he lifted his hand to strike me ;
I turned my back towards him, and the same moment I saw
that he lifted his hands, he exclaimed, " Oh, I am cut."
Witness asked her how she could reconcile this to her for-
mer statement, as it was impossible for the deceased to cut
the wood and strike her at the same moment. To this the
prisoner made no reply. Witness then told her he felt it his
duty to take her into custody. The prisoner appeared
very much distressed and agitated. She threw her-
self on the corpse, and it was with great difficulty
witness could get her away. Phcebe Davidson was present
during the whole of the conversation. The prisoner remained
all night with witness, in the course of which she said—" 0
Jenkins, Jenkins ! I little thought it would ever come to this.
You have often threatened you would stab me, but I little
thought it would come to this." Witness said, you dont mean
to say he stabbed himself, to which the prisoner replied—" I
cant say—his back was turned to me." Witness said, I
thought you lived 'happily together, to which the prisoner
replied " he has often beat me and left me weltering in
my blood, as my landlady next door well knows."
Cross-examined by Mr. CLARKSON—The prisoner stated
she had cohabited with the deceased four years. Prisoner
told witness that the deceased and herself had been to market
together, and had been drinking with another female of the
name of Wilkins.

Mr. William Jones, a surgeon, residing in Judd-street—Saw
the deceased on Saturday, January 24, at No. 1, Argyle-
place. The prisoner, who came for witness, appeared
very much distressed. Found the deceased in the front room
up stairs, who told witness he had cut himself in cutting
wood. On examining him he found a deep wound between
the seventh and eighth ribs, apparently made with a sharp in-
strument. Wiiness did not think seriously of the wound,
which having bound up, the witness, for the purpose of cheer-
ing up the spirits of the deceased, told him to consider him-
self more frightened than hurt. The next morning witness
was suprised to find the deceased at his house about eight
o'clock. His pulse was then more full, he complained of
great pain in the stomach. Witness ordered him to be bled
to fainting, and to be sent to bed. The deceased was bled
in the shop of the witness. Saw the deceased twice that day.
He died at six o'clock ; the cause of his death was peritoneal
inflammation, caused by the incision, and not internal bleeding.
Cross-examined by Mr. CLARKSON.—Did not hear that the
deceased had been drinking on Sunday. There was nothing
in the appearance of the wound on Saturday that led him to
think death would ensue. The prisoner came to the House of
witness several times on Sunday, appeared extremely dis-
tressed, and behaved with the greatest kindness and affection
to the deceased.

By Mr. Justice VAUGHAN.—Had no doubt that the wound
was the cause of death.

By Mr. CLARKSON—About twenty ounces of blood were taken
from the deceased. Did not hear that the deceased had been
drinking till the Coroner's Inquest.
Phcebe Davidson lodged in the same house with the de-
ceased and the prisoner. Went up stairs shortly after eleven
o'clock on Saturday, at the request of the prisoner, who said
Jenkins was hurt. On going up stairs found the deceased in
bed, who told witness he was cutting wood and the knife
slipped ; but he was more frightened than hurt. Witness asked
which knife it was done with, when the deceased pointed to
one on the table. There was no blood upon it. The knife
produced was the one. Witness continued in the room
till near three o'clock. The deceased then appeared
better. Saw the deceased again in about two hours, but
he said nothing then. On Sunday afternoon saw him
again. He then asked if Georgiana had told the people be-
low. Witness replied that she had. The deceased then said,
" Then she has done for herself." The prisoner was not pre-
sent at that time. The prisoner was exceedingly attached to
the deceased. Early on Sunday morning the deceased had
three-pennyworth of brandy, and also a glass of brandy and
water. Saw the deceased 'return home after he had been to
the surgeon's. He appeared better then in point of strength.
The deceased went to his master's, who resided in Tunbridge-
street, New-road, before he called at the surgeon's. He had
not been dead a quarter of an hour when the police came.
Cross-examined by Mr. CLAaxsoN--The deceased, before
his death, expressed towards the prisoner the strongest affec-
tion, and repeatedly requested her to come to the bed on which
he was lying, that he might embrace her.
Mary Wilkins, also a lodger in the house in which the de-
ceased and the prisoner resided, stated that on Saturday the
24th of January, she heard a heavy fall in the room occupied
by the deceased, which was followed by loud talking. The
prisoner came down stairs, and requested the witness not to
make a noise in rocking the baby, as she had stabbed Mr.
Jenkins with a knife. Witness said, " Dear me, what have
you done ?" To which the witness replied, " Lend me the
nutmeg-grater." The prisoner said she had fetched the doc-
tor, and had the wound dressed.

Cross-examined by Mr. CLARKSON—Was sure that the pri-
soner said she had stabbed Jenkins with a knife. Did not say,
before the Coroner or Magistrate, that she had " stuck " Jen-
kinswith a knife.

Elizabeth Wilkins, the daughter of the last witness, went
out with the prisoner on Saturday evening at 8 o'clock. Met
the deceased, and all returned home together shortly before
11 o'clock. The prisoner and deceased appeared to be upon
the best of terms, and both went up stairs very friendly to-
gether. In about half an hour heard loud talkinc, as if per-
sons were quarrelling in the room of the deceased.' After-
wards heard something heavy fall upon the floor ; thought at
the time it was a chair or table. Soon after that heard the
prisoner run down stairs and go out. Shortly afterwards she
returned with Mr. Jones. Saw the deceased in bed, who
said he was very bad. On Sunday afternoon had a conversa-
tion with the prisoner. Asked her how she came to do it ?
She said she was in a great passion, and would serve
any man so who called her a bad name. She said she and
the deceased had had a great many words about Davidson
not coming up to supper ; that the deceased had put her apron
on the fire, and was going to tear her new bonnet, and had
his hand up to strike her, when she said she would hit him if
he hit her again. The deceased afterwards beat her.

Mr. Justie VAUGHAN here intimated that, as far as the case
had gone, nothing more could be made of the charge than
manslaughter.
The Learned JUDGE then summed up the case, and—..
The JURY, under his Lordship's directions, acquitted the
prisoner of th 3 capital charge of murder, but found her Guilty
of Manslaughter.