The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-20 00:00:00

MANSLAUGHTER AT MAIDSTONE.

George Jalley, 41, a hawker, was indicted for
feloniously killing and slaying a woman, named
Sarah Smith, at Maidstone, ou the 28th of October.
Mr. F. Barrow and Mr. Channell appeared for
the prosecution ; and Mr. Biron for the prisoner.
Mr. Barrow, having briefly stated the case, called
John Andrews, who said that he kept the Tra-
vellers' Rest,
in Upper Stone-street, Maidstone,
and knew both the deceased and the prisoner, who
lived together as man and wife. On the afternoon
of Sunday, the 28th October, they came to his house,
and remained from about one o'clock until four
o'clock. They had some drink, but were not drunk
when they left.
Cross- examined by Mr. Biron—A man, named
Shepherd, came with Jalley, but he did not drink
with prisoner and deceased.
Mrs. Saunders said that prisoner and deceased
lodged in her house. On the afternoon of the 28th

instant she heard deceased scream twice or thrice,
and then cry " Murder !" She went into the room,
and saw deceased on the floor with her back against
the wall. Prisoner stood iu front of her, and was
cursing and swearing at her, and said she had been
drinking with a man named Shepherd. Deceased
had on a shawl, which came up around her neck.
Witness saw prisoner kick deceased on the head or
neck ; she could not say which. Deceased groaned
and fell over, bleeding at the nose. There were

two kicks. On receiving the first she groaned for
about a minute, and then was still. She fell over
on her left side, and prisoner again kicked her twice
on the right side. Witness said " George, you have
killed her." He replied, " And a good job too ; I
will jump on her." He was about to do so, but
witness interfered and prevented him.

By Mr. Biron—Prisoner wore heavy, iron-tipped
boots. Deceased appeared to die directly she fell
over. It was then he kicked her twice violently
on the right side, but it did not seem to have much
effect.

Thomas Pankhurst, a neighbour, went in, and
seeing the woman lie, said, " You've killed her,
George." He replied, "A -- gooi job, too ; if
I havn't I will. She's been with Shepherd, and
Shepherd may have her now." He then was about
to kick deceased again, when witness prevented him.
The doctor and the police then came, and prisoner
was removed.

Mr. Hood Ryan, surgeon, said he was called in
between 4 and 5, but the woman was then dead.
Mr. Hoar, one of the leading surgeons of Maid-
stone, said--I saw the body 37 hours after death,
and assisted by Mr. Argles made a post nzortenz exa-
mination. I found no marks or traces of violence
of any kind either externally or internally. There
was a large quantity of blood extravasated over the
whole surface of the brain. It extended to the base
of the brain, and also to the cavities within the
brain and to the spinal cord.
Mr. Barrow--That is, in a word, what is called
apoplexy.

Witness—The appearances were those of apo-
plexy, and fully accounted for death. I found no
other appearances that would account for death.

Mr. Barrow—ln your judgment is it possible or
not that any violence could have produced such ap-
pearance without leaving a mark?
The Judge—That is, if the appearances you found
on ,the head had been produced externally, there
must have been marks of violence.

Witness—Yes, my lord.
Mr. Barrow—• Would it not be possible for a
blow or a kick on the neck to produce those symp-
toms ?

Witness—But there was no appearance of any
such blow.

Suppose a blow given on the neck to produce
those symptoms, the neck being protected by a
shawl doubled over it, should you expect to find
marks of external violence ?—lt is impossible to say.
Supposing there was a tendency to apoplexy,
might not death have been accelerated by a degree
of violence so slight as not to leave external marks ?
—Certainly.

In yo r opinion might such a blow on the neck
or kick be given if it was protected by a shawl which
with the brain in such a state as this woman's would
have produced death without giving an external
mark?--It might.
Cross-examined by Mr. Birou—With so much
predisposition to apoplexy a hasty run, or violent
altercation, or even less, would produce death. De-
ceased appeared to be on the verge of apoplexy for
some time. If I had heard nothing of the circum-
stances I should have said from the post-mortem
examination that the deceased died from apoplexy
by natural causes. Having heard the evidence I
do not think death was accelerated by them.
The Judge—That is, judging from your exami-
nation of the body ?
Witness—Yes.
Mr. Barrow (re-examining)—Then, in your opi-
nion, the woman would have died just as soon and
as certainly without the kicks ?