The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-14 00:00:00

bottles and other things, which had been rather
damp, and this, perhaps might have been the cause.
This is the second American ship on fire that has
made for the Devonshire harbours during the last
fortnight, the previous one being the Lidy Frank
lin, of New York, merchant ship, which put into
Plymouth Sound.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—NORTIIAMPTON, Dec. 13.

(Before Mr. Baron Martin.)

His lordship went to church this morning at 9
o'clock, and afterwards took his seat in the Crown
Court at 10 o'clock.

On the application of counsel, the trials of three
men for rape, and one woman for forgery, were
postponed until the spring assizes.
Janet M'ltea, 61, charwoman, was indicted for
the manslaughter of Wm. Thos. Weaver, in the
parish of St. Giles, Northampton, in October last.
She was also charged upon the coroner's inquisition
with the same offence.

The prisoner pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Cockle appeared for the prosecution ; the
prisoner was undefended by counsel.
The deceased was a child only three years and a
quarter old, and was with its mother an inmate of
the Northampton Union Workhouse. The prisoner
had also been an inmate of the workhouse for 14
years, and she had to superintend the management
of about 70 children, who were separated from
their parents. On the night of Saturday, the 12th
of October last, the prisoner surreptitiously con-
veyed into the workhouse an ash stick, about 2ft.
long, and about half an inch thick, which she hid
under her bed. During the night the child gave
some offence to the prisoner, who, on the following
morning, after he had been dressed, took him down
into the dining room, and there severely flogged
him with the stick, and afterwards thrust him into
an adjoining room with such violence that his head
came into violent contact with the brick floor. Ac-
cording to the medical evidence these injuries were
the cause of death, which took place 13 days after-
wards.

The jury found the prisoner guilty.
Sentence was postponed.

WESTERN CIRCUIT—WINCHESTER, DEC. 13
(Before Mr. Justice Williams.)
THE ALDERSHOT MURDER.
Thomas Jackson, aged 19, a private in the 78th
Highlanders, was charged with the wilful murder
of John Dickson, sergeant of the same regiment at
Aldershot, on the 23d November last. The pri-
soner, who is a good-looking young man, was
dressed in a fustian suit of clothes. He pleaded not
guilty.
Mr. H. T. Cole and Mr. Russell prosecuted. The
prisoner was undefended. The Learned Judge had
kindly offered him the assistance of counsel, but he
declined.
Mr. Cole, in stating the case to the jury, said this
was one of a very peculiar character, and was one of
that class that had become of late too common, and
was known by the name of "military murders." It
would be found that the prisoner enlisted in 185%,
when he was a little over 15 years of age. Shortly
after that he deserted, and afterwards enlisted in
the 39th ; and there was reason to believe he went
to India. In April, 1860, he was arrested as a deser-
ter, and suffered punishment. After that he was
punished for destroying his new kit, and more re-
cently he had smashed his rifle, for which he suf-
fered imprisonment under a sentence of court-mar-
tial. The learned counsel then detailed the circum-
stances of the murder, in the course of which he ob-
served that it was to be regretted that in a time of
peace soldiers should be supplied with so much am-
munition. He then called the following evidence :
Duncan Anderson, private in the 78th Regiment,
deposed that the prisoner was in his regiment and
in hie company, and so was deceased, in S'ovember
last, when they were quartered at Aldershot. He
first knew the prisoner in April last, at Edinburgh.
On Saturday evening, Nov. 23, I was in room No.
11, permanent barracks. Prisoner, deceased, Cor-
poral Campbell, myself,:and others were there. Cor-
poral Campbell was calling the roll about five mi-
nutes past eight o'clock, and deceased was checking
it. The prisoner answered to his name when called.
I was standing about five yards from the prisoner,
who was standing at the head of his own cot. Cor-
poral Monroe's cot is next to the prisoner's. Each
man hangs his pouch at the head of his cot. He has
20 rounds of ammunition (ball cartridge) in it. Alen
on recruit drill do not have ammunition supplied to
them. The prisoner was doing recruit drill at this
time, but Monroe was not, and consequently he had
his quantity of ammunition in his pouch. The pri-
soner was standing between the two beds. There
is a separate rifle rack for each man at the head of
his cot. I saw the prisoner take the rifle from his
own lack, turn round, and place it by his side in
the attitude of "ready." Ho moved it backwards
and forwards, and then fired it, hitting Sergeant
Dickson and Corporal Campbell. The deceased was
standing two yards from the prisoner. After he
had discharged the rifle he replaced it in the
rack. The deceased had his back to the prisoner.
After the discharge of the rifle, deceased said, " Who
did that ?" Prisoner replied, "It was me, old
boy." Deceased turned round and fell over, saying
something, but I could not hear distinctly what he
said. Corporal Campbell was standing a little in
front, to the left of the deceased. He said he was
shot, and left the room. The prisoner was seized
and taken to the guard-room, and I handed the
prisoner's rifle to the sergeant-major. I examined
the prisoner's pouch, hut there was no ammunition
in it. I also examined Monroe's pouch, and I there
found one packet of ammunition of 10 rounds loose,
and one round missing. The other packet of 10
was all right. I handed the ammunition over to
Sergeant Provitt. The prisoner appeared to be
sober at the time when he discharged the rifle.
About a fortnight before the occurrence he said—
" I will be hanged for that man yet," meaning Ser-
geant Dickson. He said this on several previous
occasions when in the barracks.
Wm. Marshall, private in the 78th, gave similar
evidence, and added that, when in the guard-room
prisoner said to him, " Marshall, only for you, and
a few more who live in the same barrack-room, and
who were always in when the regiment was on pa-
rade in the forenoon, it was my intention to have
taken 10 rounds of ammunition, load all the rifles
I could get, and discharge them at the regiment
while on parade."
Several other witnesses were examined, who con-
firmed the previous evidence as to the facts of the
murder, and the expressions subsequently used by
the prisoner as to his intentions towards the
deceased, one being, ' I know my destiny ;
know what I've got to suffer. The --
gave me six months' hard labour once, and now I
have given him twelve." The medical evidence
showed that death had resulted from a gunshot
wound.
This was the case for the prosecution.
The prisoner declined to examine any of the wit-
nesses, and when asked by the learned judge if
had anything to urge to 04 jury, replied in a fit
and audible voice," I have hothing to say, my lord."
The learned:Judge, in summing up, said the jury
had a very painful, but, at the same time, a very
simple duty to perform. The facts of the case left
not the slightest doubt of the comtittal of the crime
of murder by the prisoner.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty,
His lordship, in passing sentence on the prisoner,
said—You have been convicted upon the clearest
possible evidence of the crime of murder, and I can-
not forbear baying that I never knew or heard of a
crime that had been committed in a more malignant
state of mind than you were in when you took the
life of this unhappy man. Ido not regard it as
pert of my duty to dwell on the heinousness and
enormity,of your guilt; and I only mention it in
order that you may be fully sensible that there is
not the slightest hope of mercy for you on this side
the grave. His lordship then sentenced the pri-
soner to be hanged in the usual form.
The prisoner, on hearing the sentence, evinced
not the slightest emotion, but, on the contrary, left
the dock with a quick step and jaunty air.
THE EXECUTION.—In anticipation of the pri
soner's condemnation the inhabitants of Winchester
have got up a memorial, which has been numerously
signed, for presentation to the Home Secretary,
praying that the convict may be hanged at the
Camp, instead of at the county prison, where the
executions take place for murders committed within
the county. It is considered that the carrying the
sentence into execution near the scene of the per-
petration of the murder, and in the presence of the
troops, might have a salutary effect, and tend to
prevent its too frequent repetition.

NORTIIERN CIRCUIT.—LIVERPOOL, DEC. 13.
(Before Mr. Baron Channell.)
CHARGE OF MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS.—CAPT.
WILSON'S CASE.
Capt. W. Wilson, late commander of the British
ships Express and Severn, trading to Africa, was
arraigned upon two indictments—one charging him
with the murder of Wm. Henderson, on the 23d of
January last, on board the Express ; and the other
with the manslaughter r,f Chas. Jones, on board the
ißritish ship Severn, on the 4th April of the present
Sear.

- Mr. Brett, QC., and Mr. L. Temple conducted
the prosecution, and Mr. Aspinall the defence.
This case had lain over from the previous assize
in consequence of the jury by whom it was tried not
being able to agree to a verdict. It is only neces-
sary, therefore, to give an outline of the facts.
The Express sailed from Liverpool on the 22d of
September last year, and the deceased (who was
about 3U ycgr4 of age) had joined some short taut)