The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-11 00:00:00

Central Criminal Court--This Day.

OLD COURT.
The June Sessions of the Central Criminal Court com-
menced this morning.

The calendar contains 111 cases for trial, and amongst
the offences charged there are 7 for murder, manslaughter
4, burglary 16, forgery 4, wounding with intent to murder
8, the rest being of the orderly description.
The Recorder, in addressing the Grand Jury, said he
regretted that the offences which would be brought before
them in the discharge of their duty would be'of a more than
usually serious nature, as there were no less than
seven charges of murder and four of manslaughter.
Amongst the first mentioned there was the case of William
Smith, who stood charged with the wilful murder of
Sarah Milsom, a person who, prior to her decease, occu-
pied the position of housekeeper to the Messrs. Bevington,
wholesale leather dealers, No. 2, Cannon-street, West.
The circumstances of the case are somewhat peculiar, and
in order to arrive at a result they would have to be taken
into consideration, mad judged of as to whether sufficient
to bring home the capital charge to the prisoner. The
unfortunate woman, it would be found, met with her death
very shortly after 9 o'clock in the evening, when a ring
was heard at the areet door bell, and the deceased went
to answer it; and remaining away from her apartment a
longer time than was usual, her fellow-servant went to
ascertain the cause of her absence, and then discovered the
unfortunate woman lying dead at the foot of the stairs. Tho
learned judge then went through the circumstances of the
case which led to the apprehensban of the prisoner, who
was a person residing at Eton, and from a letter that was
discovered amongst the papers of the deceased, it was sup-
posed that he was the person who had the interview with
the woman on the night of the murder. There were other
circumstances which increased the suspicion against the
prisoner, as one of the witnesses deposed to the
fact that he had said to a person in Eton,
on the evening of the murder, and in time
to enable him to carry out his intention, that ho had forty
miles to go before 11 o'clock. It also was shown in evi-
dence that the prisoner was seen proceeding from Eton
after this, so that it was probable that he was carrying out
his assertion about travelling the forty miles. The next
important piece of evidence was that of a person who lived
next door to the Messrs. Bevington's warehouse, who,
being in the street, had her attention called to Bevington's
premises by the slamming' of their street-door at 10
minutes after 10 o'clock on the night of the
murder, and to seeing a person walk off at a very
rapid pace. Subsequently the witness picked out the pri-
soner from amongst a great many others, and positively
identified him as the man she had seen in Cannon-street
on the night of the murder. If the grand jury entertained
any doubt on the evidence it would be better for them to
throw out the bill ; the more particularly as the prisoner
could be brought up again if additional evidence should-at
any future time be discovered against him, which could not
be the case supposing he stood his trial and was acquitted,
as no man, by the law of England, could be placed
twice 'in peril for the same offence. The next
indictment adverted to was the case of Stephens, charged
with the murder of his wife at Edmonton. The prisoner
in this instance admitted the charge, stating it was caused
through jealousy, so there would be no difficulty in the
case. There were two females, named Pratt and Bennett,
charged with child murder, and here the question
in each case would be whether the children
had been born alive, and whether the death had been
caused by violence. The cases of manslaughter arose from
the carelessness of those driving vehicles through the
metropolis ; and with respect to the other charges they
were of such a nature that no difficulty could be met with
in their disposal.

The grand jury then returned to their room, and the
trials in a short time commenced, the first case being
devoid of interest.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.---This Day.

WESTMINSTER.

A SOLDIER'S VISITS TO A CIVILIAN'S HOME.—A very
respectable man, living at Chelsea, asked the magistrate if
he would be good enough to tell him what he had better
do with his wife, who was receiving the visits of a soldier
of the Grenadier Guards.

Applicant produced two letters of an amatory character,
which he requested the magistrate would read.
Mr. Selfe having done so, inquired where he got them

from.
Applicant replied that he took them from the postman
on Saturday, who just came to the door at the moment ho
was going out.
Mr. Selfe—How long have you been married ?
Applicant—Eleven years.
Mr. Solfe—Have you any family ?
Applicant—We had not until after this soldier had been
in the habit for some time of coming backward and for-
ward to my house.
Mr. Solfe—Have you over said anything to your wife
about this ?
Applicant—Yes, several times ; but she denied it, and
said I was'nt to think any more of it—it was all nonsense.
Mr. Selfe—Have you said anything to the soldier ?
Applicant—l strongly suspected him. I spoke to him
about it, but he said the same as my wife, that it was all
nonsense. I was, however, not satisfied, and that made
me look at the letters. What can Ido with my wife ?
Mr. Selfe—lt is a delicate thing to advise in such mat-
ters ; but you will be perfectly justified in turning her out
of doors after these letters.
Applicant—l had better get rid of her as soon as I can