The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-26 00:00:00

SCOTT V. SCOTT.

Mr. W. Brandt conducted the petitioner's:
for judicial
uedais,crei.lai
le
This was a petition by John Scott
separation on the ground of his wife's cruelty.
parties were marred in 1840; they cohabted in
Finsbury, and they had twe children. The peti-
tioner was the foreman to a cigar maker. The re-
spondent beclme addicted to drinking, and when
under the influence of liquor committed various acts
of violence against her husband and the children,
such as striking them with the poker and threat-
ening them with knives. In August last her hus-
band withdrew from cohabitation ; but the evidence
did, not establish that there . was any act of gross
violence immediately before the separation, although
the wife's habits of intemperance continued.
The Court took time to consider its decision.

BUSINESS OF THE COURT.
7 On the 17th inst. there were 110 cases ready for
hearing before the full Court, and 171 in progress ;
15 cases were ready for hearing before the judge

Ordinary, and 108 in progress—making alto-
gether 404.
In the Probate Court there were 6 cases ready
for hearing, and 109 in progress.
The Court will not sit again until next term.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENOE.

SOUTH WALES CIRCUIT—CARDIFF, Dec. 24.
Upon this and the preceding day no less than
three indictments for murder were tried before Mr.
Baron Channell.
Henry O'Connell, 23, mariner, one of the class
known in Welsh seaports as " Irish Yankees," was
indicted for the wilful murder of Antonio Tesme-
cher, a Bremen seaman, at Cardiff, on the 21st of
November.
Mr. T. Allen and Mr. Williams conducted the
prosecution. The prisoner was defended by Mr.
Giffard and Mr. Rees.
The facts appeared to be as follows :—The pri-
soner and a mess-mate, named Rickards, lodged in
a low and vicious locality in Frances-street, at the
back of Bute-road, and were in the habit of fre-
quenting a brothel in Frederica-street. On the night
named Rickards sought admission into the house,
and on being denied kicked the panels of the door
in. The prisoner then came out, and the two men
began scuffling, though whether in joke or not is
not exactly apparent. One of a number of prosti-
tutes attracted to the spot, upon laughing at the
men, was threatened by the prisoner, and the
quarrel was then taken up by several bullies, by
one of whom Rickards was knocked down sense-
less. The deceased was stated to be a mere specta-
tor, standing by with his hands in his pockets,
though others said he was fighting. He was, how-
ever, rushed upon by the prisoner with a knife, and
received a stab in the left side, which penetrated
to the heart, and also a wound in the left shoulder.
They fell together, the deceased crying, " The
knife ! the knife !" A bystander attempted to drag
the prisoner away, but was near being stabbed
in so doing. Ultimately the prisoner and the
deceased rose together. The latter staggered a few
yards and fell dead.
The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter, and
the prisoner was sentenced to 15 years penal servi-
tude.
Elizabeth Davies, 34 years of age, a married wo-
man, was charged with murdering her own child
at Neath on the 21st of August.
For the prosecution Messrs. Giffard and Hughes
appeared. Prisoner was not defended by counsel.
The prisoner was a most drunken character. On
the night of the 24th of August she was seen by a
policeman quite drunk with a baby in her arms.
Attempting to enter a publichouse she fell upon the
pavement, and the constable conveyed her home.
A boy took the child home also. Next day the
body of the child was brought to the station-house,
having been found in a privy. A certificate by the
surgeon of Swansea House of Correction declaring
that the prisoner was paralyzed in the tongue, and
unable to speak in consequence, was placed before
the Court.
The Judge said he should proceed with the trial,
and represent the case to the Home Secretary.
Mr. French, surgeon, said that the appearance
of the corpse indicated that the child had been suf-
focated by feculent matter.
The Jury returned a verdict of manslaughter
against the prisoner, who was sentenced to 12
months' imprisonment.
This closed the business.