The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-24 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.-LIVERPOOL, AUG. 23.
A GIRL FOURTEEN YEARS OLD CHARGED WITH
WILFUL MURDER.

Mary Ann Gibbon, a girl apparently about 14
years of age, was arraigned on the charge of wil-
fully murdering John Thompson, a little boy of four
years and nine months old, the son of Mr. Thomp-
son, her master. The prosecutor was a police officer
in Liverpool, and the prisoner came into his service
on the 18th of July last, only three days before the
alleged murder.
Messrs. Aspin all and Raffles prosecuted; and
Mr. Pope defended the prisoner.
The girl entered Mr. Thompson's service without
a character from her previous place. On the morn-
ing of the 21st of July, Mrs. Thompson told the girl
that she would have to leave, as she did not suit ;
this was done calmly and without irritation being
apparent on either side. On the, evening of that day
the prisoner was directed to take the baby and the
deceased boy out for a short time. The girl obeyed
her mistress, and in a little while returned with
the baby, but did not bring the little boy back. The
mother then sent the prisoner to look for the child ;
she returned, saying she could not find him. A
little boy, Charles Hall, then came into Mrs.
Thompson's shop, in Conway-street, Everton, and
told her that he had seen her child John with " a
yellow woman," in a street not far from Conway-
street. On hearinc, this Mrs. Thompson sent the
girl to tell her husband, who was on duty at the
Rose-hill police-station. She did not go to the
station, but remained out until three o'clock the
next morning. She was seen by several witnesses
going in the direction of the Leeds and Liverpool
Canal, and walking on the bank until she got be
yond Sandhiils-bridge. While the prisoner was
walking by the canal a youth of the name of Fox
fell in with her, and as they proceeded she called
his attention to something that was in the water,
and a flatman being in the neighbourhood was called
to assist in getting it out of the canal, and finding it
to be a child they (the flatman and Fox) took it to
the nearest police-station, the prisoner walking by
their side all the way. On arriving at the station the
prisoner identified the child. When she got to Mr.
Thompson's, she, to explain why she had been so
long away, told her mistress that she had been at
Sandhills Railway station, having mistaken that
for the Rose-hill station. Another little girl saw
a woman carrying the child in her arms, and the
prisoner going up to her and sating, " That's the
child lam looking for." This little girl saw the
prisoner return to Mr. Thompson's, and afterwards
leave the house, and again join the same woman,
who was carrying the child. They then went both
in the direction of the canal. The same witness saw
the woman and the prisoner together in several
places between Conway-street and Vauxhall-road.
Under cross-examination by Mr. Pope this wit-
ness acknowledged that she had given a wrong
name and address to the police officer ; that she had
been examined for the first time only the day before
the trial ; and that her object in professing to know
anything about the affair was that she might get
into court to hear about " Johnny Thompson."
After the body had been found a coroner's inquest
was held, and an open verdict returned. On the
13th inst. the prisoner was apprehended, and the
officer who captured her detailed to the court the
statement she made to him at the police-office. This
statement was to the effect that an elderly woman,
whose name was Latham, had taken the child, an-1
had given the prisoner certain directions how she
was to proceed, and by what routes they were
respectively to reach the canal bank. When they
were on the road by the canal the woman dropped
the child into the water, when they both ran away
in different directions.

Mr. Pope, at the close of the evidence for the
prosecution, delivered a most energetic and elo-
quent address on behalf of the prisoner. The
learned gentleman, after stating that there had
been no evidence adduced that the child was mur-
dered by any one, assumed that he might have been
taken there by some person, who left him near the
canal, into which he might, in the darkness of the
night, have fallen. The whole of the evidence was
then reviewed to show its defects and inefficiency
for the purpose of the prosecution.

The learned Judge in charging the jury said, the
case before them was exceedingly mysterious. It
was necessary to examine whether there was any
motive discoverable capable of accounting for the
act alleged. His lordship then went through the
evidence, pointing out those portions of it bearing
upon the case in any material way.
The jury, after an absence from the box, returned
into court with a verdict of not guilty.
CIVIL SIDE.
(Before Mr. Justice Hill.)
ACTION FOR SEDUCTION.

Robert Leech, a grocer and corn-dealer, at
Ashton-under-Lune, brought an action against
Joshua Lingard, a thriving butcher and innkeeper
of the same place, for seducing his daughter. Lin-
gard is a town councillor for the borough of Ash-
ton, and a man advanced in years. In 1855 he
began to pay his addresses to the plaintiff's eldest
daughter, then about 22 years of age, and an inti-
macy soon sprang up between them. The plaintiff
disapproved of it, and cautioned his daughter
against its continuance. Despite of this warning
she continued clandestinely to meet the defendant,
and the result was the birth of a child on the 29th
of March last. Her sufferings were very great,
and she died on the 9th of April, her infant fol-
lowing her in a few weeks afterwards. During
their intimacy a great number of letters passed be-
tween them, and several of the defendant's were
put in and read. They were all couched in the
most affectionate language, and in them the defen-
dant repeatedly promised to fulfil his offers of mar-
riage. He asked her to name the day for the pur-
chase of the ring, and declared that if ever man
loved woman he loved her, and that he never made
one pledge but that he intended to make it good.
A verdict was given for the plaintiff—X3oo
damages.

POLICE INTELLIFENCE.-Aug. 23.

LAMBETH.—THE SOI-DISANT HON. CAPT.
WILLIAM DENBY SLOPER HARRISON, alias MAR-
SHALL, CHARGED WITH LIGAMY.-It will be recol-
lected that on this day week, a lady applied to the
Hon. G. C. Norton for his advice respecting the
conduct of her husband, to whom she had not been
then quite two months married, and whose name
she had so far forgotten that she could not spell it,
and had actually been obliged to go home and pro-
vide herself with the marriage certificate to refresh
her memory, who she said vas conducting himself
in a most extraordinary manner towards her, and
quite different to his professions before marriage.
It will be also recollected that the lady stated
that she had met her husband at the St. James's
Hall, at one of Barnum's entertainments ;
that he represented himself as the son
of a nobleman, and a captain in the
army ; made fierce love to her ; said he
should kill her or himself unless she consented to
have him, and offered with his hand a carriage and
£2,000. The lady went further on to state that
believing his representations, she gave her consent,
and, they were married at the most fashionable of
all places for aristocratic marriages, St. George's,
Hanover-square, on the 28th June, and that though
nearly two months had passed over there was no
sign of the new carriage, nor the slightest appear-
ance of the £2,000, or any of the nice little pre-
sents so lavishly hinted at before the commence-
ment of the " honeymoon." On the contrary, the
soi-disant Hon. Captain William Denby Sloper
Harrison commenced a course most distasteful to
his wife, of going out fashionably dressed in clothes
purchased at her expense, stopping out days and
nights together, and coming home in garments
much inferior in texture and appearance to those
he wore when leaving home, and, in addition to all,
making use of threats of a disagreeable character.
Mr. Norton put such questions to the lady, that,
if answered in the affirmative, would enable him to
grant a summons against the new-made husband,
but the lady declared that she was not in any fear
of him, and her complaint in the end tapered to
the simple question as to whether she was com-
pelled to supply her husband with clothes, while
he was in the habit of disposing of them.
Mr. Norton told her that having married him ho
was entitled to all her property, unless such por-
tions as were settled on herself by trustees, and ad-
vised her to call in the aid of her friends, and mako
them the medium of adjusting .the matrimonial dif-
ferences between herself and her husband.

The lady applicant, however. did not approve of
this mode of adjustment, and said she should start
to Brighton, and leave her husband, though he
should thi:Lk proper to dispose of her household
goods, amounting at least to £4OO, and thus ended
the matter.
Fortunately, for the ends of justice, the particu-
lars of that application obtained a wide publicity,
and that pu'•licity will be the means of checking,
and no doubt terminating, the career of a heartless,
swindling impostor.
After the usual night charges were disposed of,
a person of slim figure, shabby-genteel appearance,
rather light complexion, meagre visage.,with a thin,
half-fledged moustache on the lip, while the other
parts of the face were both hairless and beardless,
eyes light and devoid of the slightest spark of ani-

mation, and altogether of a most spooney-like ap-
pearance, was placed at the bar before the Hon. G.
C. Norton, on a charge of intermarrying with Mrs.
Jane Hayes, a widow lady, his former wife, Sophia,
being then and still alive.

Chief Clerk (to the prisoner)—What is your
name ?

Prisoner (in a slow, shrill voice)—Wm. Marshall,
Sir.

Chief Clerk—Have you no other name than Wm.
Marshall. Is your name not Harrison ?
Prisoner—No, Sir. My name is Wm. Denby
Sloper Marshall.
Chief Clerk—Marshall, and not Harrison ?

Prisoner—Yes—yes, Sir.
Both
,wives, persons of lady-like appearance and
manners, were present; and the prisoner on enter-
ing the dock cast a hasty glance at each, and dur-
ing the investigation he frequently endeavoured to
put on a benignant smile while looking towards
them, but both studiously avoided looking towards
him, and seemed thoroughly ashamed of having
been betrayed into a marriage with a person whose
appearance and conduct seemed so thoroughly con-
temptible.
The first witness examined was Charles Revell,
one of the summoning officers belonging to the
court, who said, in consequence of information I re-
ceived, I last evening accompanied two ladies, now
present, to the house, No. 15, Princes-place, Ken-
nington-cross, and asked for the prisoner. I was
told lie was out at the time, but was expected in in
a few minutes ; the ladies went inside and saw his
second wife, Mrs. Harrison. I went into the house
also, and in a short time the prisoner knocked and
was admitted by the servant, and on seeing wit-
ness he seemed very much surprised. I told him
not to be alarmed at me, for that I was about to
introduce him to his first wife.
Mr. Norton—Had the first wife seen him at this
time ?

Revel—Yes, sir, she saw bim approach the front
door, and at once recognised him as the person she
had been married to, and, therefore, I knew I was
right in what I had said.
Mr. Norton—Well, go on.
Revell—Well, sir, on seeing his first wife he
seemed perfectly paralysed, and, dropping down on
the couch by her side, he was not able to utter a
word. I then told him, that Mrs. Hayes, his second
wife, charged him with getting married to her
while he had another wife living, and asked him
if this was true, and he replied, " Yes, and I'm very
sorry for it," and that he must be a great black-
gua:d fcr acting so, and I then told him that I
should feel it to be my duty to take him to the
station-house, and charge him with the offence. I
then took him into custody, and removed him to
the station-house in Kennington-lane, and on the
way he said he should not have got into a second
marriage but he was drawn into it.
Mr. Norton—Drawn into it—by whom ?
Revell—He did not say by whom, your worship.
At the station-house I searched him, and found on
him a part of a screw of tobacco, a short clay tap-
room pipe, three halfpence in copper, and a part of
a newspaper containing a report of the application
of his wife at this court. I should say that before
I took him from the house, Mrs. Hayes, the second
wife, took from him a gold watch which she said
belonged to her former husband. I produce the
certificates of the prison?r's marriages which I re-
ceived from both the wives, who are now present.
The certificates were here handed to the magis-
trate, and from them it appeared that the prisoner,
who then gave the name of William Denby Sloper
Massball, described himself as late captain in the
army, bachelor, and son to Francis Marshall, ship-
owner, had been married, at Paddington Church, to
Sophia Frost Dawson, widow, on the 3d of July,
1858; and that on the 28th June, in the present
year, he was married, at St. George's, Hanover-
square, to Jane Hayes, widow, in the name of Wm.
Denby Sloper Harrison, described. as a bachelor, and
captain in the army, son of Francis Harrison, Lord
Denbigh.

A lady, who sat between both wives, here rose,
and with much animation said—" Sir, my sister,
beside me, had the misfortune, as your worship
may see by the certificate in your hand, to marry
the prisoner, without, unfortunately, consulting her
friends on the subject ; and soon afterwards spend-
ing a great deal of her money, he deserted her in a
most heartless and scandalous manner. He repre-
sented himself as a captain in the army who had
seen great service, and possessed six medals received
for distinguished services rendered to his country—
(laughter)—and as possessed of considerable pro-
perty, but had unfortunately lost much of it in spe-
culation."

Mr. Norton—Do you know, madam, whether
your sister ever saw these Crimean medals.
Lady—No, sir, she told me she had not; for that
they were in pawn at Attenborough's, in Piccadilly.
(Laughter, upon which the prisoner drawled out,
" Oh, how cruel.") He took my sister to Jersey,
living on her money all the while, and on their re-
turn he prevailed on her to go to Hull, and then to
some friends in Lincolnshire, saying he should go
there and bring her home ; but from the time of
her leaving town until the evening before she had
not seen nor heard from him. She (witness) having
had a presentiment she should see something about
him in either the law or police reports, kept her eye
constantly on the newspapers, both morning, even-
ing, and weekly, and last week the report of the
application of Mrs. Hay-es caught her attention,
and on reading it she felt at once satisfied the hus-
band of Mrs. Hayes was also the husband of her
sister. At that time she was in Norfolk, and having
communicated with her sister in town, had made
up her mind to investigate the matter. With that
object in view she came to town, and having made
application to the inspector at the station-house, he
kindly sent Revell, the officer, with her and her
sister, and the result of their visit to the prisoner
his worship was aware of.

Mr. Norton—Where did the prisoner live with
your sister ? _

Lady—At Greenwich, and he promised to follow
her into Yorkshire. He always made excuses, or
my sister did for him, when asked to see any mem-
ber of the family, and, for my part, I never saw him
before last evening.
Mr. Norton--I hope he has not made away with
your sister's propery ?
Lady—No, Sir, but he spent as much as he could
get of it.
Mr. Norton—l am very glad this lady, Mrs.
Hayes, the second wife, did not carry out her de-
claration to go to Brighton, and leave him to dis-
pose of her goods, amounting to £3OO or £4OO.
Mrs. Hayes—l feel much obliged, Sir, and I4m
very glad too.
Mr. Norton to the prisoner—Do you deny that
you are the person described in the certificate as
the William Denby Sloper Marshall, who was mar-
ried to Mrs. Sophia Dawson ?
Prisoner (in a whining tone)—No, Sir, but I am
sorry, for I know it was very wicked of me ; very
wicked indeed.

Mr. Norton—And do you acknowledge also
that you are the person who was married to Mrs.
Jane Hayes, and to whom this other certificate
refers ?

Prisoner—l do, Sir; I know it was wicked.
Inspector Emmerson, of the P division, said he
had become acquainted, some time ago, with the
history of the prisoner, and wished to say that his
real name was Sloper, and not Marshall or Harri-
son, and he was the illegitimate child of a female
who subsequently married a man named Marshall.
The prisoner was a dealer in bottles, and was engaged
in bottling beer and ale for different people.
Prisoner—l beg your pardon ; I was a wine mer-
chant, and supplied Windsor Castle, Buckingham
Palace, and the Pavilion with wines and ales.
Mr. Norton—And does the fact of your father or
stepfather supplying Buckingham Palace or Wiiad-
sor Castle justify you in assuming the term honour-
able a (Laughter.)
Prisoner—Perhaps not.
Mr. Emmerson—What I state, your worship, is
quite correct, and it is singular enough that on ono
occasion the prisoner went with his stepfather to
bottle some ale at the house of a nobleman, and be-
came so intimate with one of the young ladies that
an elopement was arranged, and would in all pro-
bability have succeeded had not one of the letters
of the young lady fallen into the hands of the pri-
soner's grandfather, who forwarded it to the noble-
man, her father.

Prisoner—Oh, how can you say all this ? you
ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Mr. Norton—You are a nice person to moralise.
not truerisoner (whining)—Well, your worship, it is
Mr. Norton—ls it true that the prisoner has a
third wife ?
Revell—l cannot say at present, sir; but it is
strongly suspected. If your worship remands the
prisoner, I shall be able to find out by the next exa-
m in ation •
The lady who had before addressed the magis-
trate, said that prisoner's mother had called on Mrs.
Hayes, and in conversation with that lady admit-
ted her son, the prisoner, was married 8 years ago.
The prisoner was then remanded.

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