The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-17 00:00:00

ASSIZE I.NTELLIGEN;,E.'

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—Youtc, Dec. 15.
(Before. Mr. Justice Wightman.)
Charles Nonnington, aged 18, was indicted for
the wilful murder of Richard Broughton, at the
borough of Leeds, on the 6th of August last.
Mr. Blanshard, Mr. Middleton, and Mr. Austin
appeared for the, prosecution ; and Mr. Campbell
Footer and Mr. Bruce" defended the prisoner.
Mr. Blanshard, in opening the case for- the
Crown, stated that' on 'Saturday, the 6th of August,
Mr. Richard B t'onghton,- who lived near Roundhay,
left his home about 20 minutes before five o'clock
in'the afternoon to go to' Leeds. He went along a
footpath through. several fields. He wore a watch
with a key attached. by a riband. He returned home
about 6 o'cl .ak very badly wounded. and with his
clothes dirty. He was washed and tended by his
wife, and Mr. •Hey, the surgeon, was called in and
attended him professionally. The alext day Mr.
Broughton died. A post mortem examination was
made by Mr. Hey, and injuries were found which
had, no doubt, caused his death. It appeared that
he had been attacked on the road, on. a footpath
leading from Roundhay to Leeds, at a place which
he subsequently pointed out. He was knocked down,
stunned, and robbed of his watch and riband, and
received the very severe injuries of which he died.
His blood was. sprinkled on the hedge, and was
found on the road in a pool. Portions of his hair were
afterwards found lying about, and a few yards off
a bludgeon was picked up, bloody, and with hair
adhering to it. On recovering the poor man walked
for some distance on his way to Leeds, but, finding
how seriously he was hurt, he returned home to
die. The prisoner was in Marsh-lane, at Leeds, at
about eight o'clock on the morning of the 6th. Ho
was then in company with another person. He left
a shirt at Mrs. Whiteley's, and his companion left
a bundle. The other man has not been identified, ,
but he came back for his bundle the same morning.
Normanton returned for his shirt about six o'clock
in the evening. He washed, put on his clean shirt
over his dirty one, and went away. In the mean-
time he had been seen near the spot where the
murder took place by several witnesses:. But the
identification principally relied on was of another
character. When Mr. Broughton returned home
his watch was gone. After the prisoner returned
to Leeds he. went to a person named Topham, a
pawnbroker, and 'offered him a watch with a key
attached by a riband, corresponding in description
to Mr. Broughton':. He did not, hoWever, sell it
there: Shortly afterwards some one who could
not be sworn to pawned Mr. Broughton's watch at
another pawnbroker's,. close by. That night the
prisoner was shown to be possessed of a pawn
ticket for a watch. Subsequently he found
his way to Whitworth, near Castleford. At this
place marks of blood were found upon him. And
shortly after that time ho sold a pawnticket for
Broughton's watch to Smales, a collier, from whom
it was traced back, which led to the apprehension
of the prisoner. •
Mr. Sharper, of Leeds, proved the accuracy of the
Various plans produced to assist the Court and jury
to understand the frequent references to the locus
in quo.
Mr. English, chief constable of Leeds, produced a
stout sick, a paWn ticket, and a watchamlkey, &c.
Mr. C. l'ob,er requested this witness to produce
the various bills that had been at times published,
offering rewards for the apprehension of the pri-
sone; and they were prodneed accordingly. •
Mrs. Mary Broughton, widow of deceased, exan
mined—My hr.shand left our houSe at Roundhay-fur!
Leeds, Which ij three miles off, at. 20 minutes to 5.'
kle•had his watch. Tie wore it in his trousers watch-
pbiodeek,eat
n,
d fastenedwith
rot
Turiiiimnnde
cby n
and
akey o visible t-
therou riband.
This is my husband's watch. i
hour. Ile Was covered with bloeodca.
ifarinoem backh'ls head,
ea and
and his clothes were dirty, as if he I been the
ground. 'His watch was gone, but he. had his
broker.,
money.
; The long riband round his neck had been
and part of it was left, Mr. Hey. came anhouroricen' and
a half afterwards, and my husband died between
1
and 2 o'clock the next day, Sunday.
Cross-examined by Mr. Foster—My husband was,
a healthy, active; strong man for his age.
Mr. Hey, surgeon, of Roundhay, near Leeds, exa-
mined-1 found deceased nearly insensible, inca-
pable of giving rational answers. He had four or
five wounds on the head, and had lost much blood.
I saw him again next morning, and on Monday
night I made a pest mortem examination.
The skull