The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-07 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.—Feb. 6.

OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Baron Bramw(ll.)
Martha Rebecca Jukes, 30, a poor destitute-looking
creature, was indicted for the capital offence of adminis-
tering potson:to her child, William Jukes, with intent to
murder him,
It appeared that the pritioner formerly lived at Step-
ney with her husband, and a short time back Bile went
to Yarmouth for the purpose of buryi,g her father, and
upo❑ her return she found that her husband, during her
absence, had destroyed himself, and she was 1-11, with
her civil in a most destitute and miserable condi-
tion. She fur some time vainly endeavoured to sup-
port herself and child by needlework, but Ending that
she was unable to do so, it appeared that she purchased
some latrlanuot at a ch Anist'..t, and in a St of desperation
she took a quantity of it herbel , and administered the
remainder to her child, and both their lives were in con-
sequence nearly sacrificed. The prisoner, after commit-
ting the act, said that her object was that she and her
child should go to Heaven together.
The jury, after a short deliberation, said that they
were of opinion that the prisoner committed the act
while labouring under temporary insanity, produced by
the circumstances in which she had been placed.
Mr. Baron Bramwell said that this amounted to a
verdict of acquittal o❑ the ground of insanity, and be
ordered the prisoner to be detained during her Majestj 'Et
pleasure.

William
G'ayl ni surrendered for the purpose of receiv-
ng the judgment of the Court.
The prisoner, it will be remembered, was convicted
two or three sessions back of administering a poison*,
ingrediett to his wife for the purpose Of procuriog
carriage, but a point ,ofIA w was reserved for the con
deration Orthe Court or Criminal Appeal as to the prd--
priety of the verdict, there being some peculiar circum-
stances in the case. The conviction has since been con-
firmed, and the prisoner, who was admitted to bail, was
therefore ca led up for judgment.
Mr. B iron Bramwell said he was directed by the
learned judge who tried the prisoner to state that, under
the peculiar circumstances of the case, he coesidered
the purposes of justice would be answered in this par-
ticular case by a sentence of one month's imprisonment
with hard labour, and he now, therefore, passed that
sentence upon him.
Henry Holding, 19, was charged with committing an
assault of an atrocious character upon Win. Smith.
Mr, Caarteen prosecuted.
The prosecutor was a lad 15 years old, who stated that
he was by birth an American, and that at the time the
offence was committed he was on his way to Liverpool to
seek a .hip, and he said that he met the prisoner and
walked with Lim as far as Barnet, and in a field in the
neighbourhood of that town he represented that the mat-
ter occurred which was the subject of inquiry. His
statement was confirmed apparently in some particulars,
and the jury, after a little deliberation, returned a ver-
dictof guilty.

Mr. Baron Bramwell thereupon ordered sentence of
death to be recorded, but he evidently felt that there was
cous,derable doubt as to whether the prosecutor was tell-
ing the truth, and be directed the officer to go with him
to one or two places where he represented he bad been
on the night previous to the occurrence, and make in-
quiries, and they left the court fur that purpose.
Shortly afterwards the constable returned, and stated
that as be was going along with the boy Smith in a cab
to make the necessary inquiries ho told him it was of no
use to proceed any further, as he had not told the truth
in the matters that were to be inquired into, and he
therefore brought him back, to await the instructions of
the Court.

Some discu,Pion then took place as to what course
should be taken under these circumstances, and even-
tually Mr. Baron Bramwell directed the prisoner to be
brought back, and lie asked the jury to reconsider their
verdict, and they almost immediately returned a verdict
of not guil y.
The learned Judge then ordered the boy Smith into
custody, with a view, if the facts shoal admit of that
course being adopted, that a prosecution for perjury
should be preferred against him.

NEW COURT.
(Before the Recorder.)
Robert Irina, 54 agent, was indicted for feloniously
receiving 1041 b. of silk, valued at 1281., the property of
Henry Wiliam Eaton, knowing it to have been stolen.
The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.