The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-03 00:00:00

The prosecutor, Mr. J. It. Grant; is a solicitor prac-
tising in Bristol, and having a private residence at Bris-
lington, near that city. On the night of the 10th Feb-
ruary he was walking, home, and had turned down a
bye-lane leading to hie house, when he was attacked by
two men, who knocked hini down, and robbed him-of
his watch, chain, 4s. 6,1. in money; and other articles.
Almost immediately after, Mr. Grant's servant came up,.
and they pursued and overtook the men near the river
Avon. Mr. Grant knocked down one of the men, au&
his servant engaged the other, but was getting the worst
of the encounter, having been stabbed, and being threat-
ened to be thrown into the river. Mr. Grant then went
to the assistance of his servant, but was himself cut in
the chin, and hari two of his teeth knocked out. Bath
men then made their e.icape. The day after the rob-
bery, a cap, which was :dentiaed as belonrrtg to the
prisoner, was found near the spot where the first struggle
took place, and some other minor circumstances connect-
ing the prisoner with the case were also proved. Botu
the prosecutor and his servant, teough they declined
positively to swear to the prisoner, expressed their strong.
belief that George was one of the men who were engaged
in the robbery. The prisoner defended himself with
much shrewdness, and cross examined the various wit-
nes•es with mingled impudence and ingenuity.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and his lord,hip
passed sentence of 20 years' transportation.

NORTH WALES CIRCUIT.—CHESTER, Aram 2.
(Before Mr. Baron Watson.)
THE BIRKENHEAD MURDER.

Thomas Smith, 21, labourer, was charged with mur-
dering Wm. Vaughan, police-officer: Birkenhead, ou
the 233 of December, 1856. .
About Lalf-past one i❑ the morning the prisoner and a
man nam,al Breen knocked at a public-house in Birken-
head,.ol4 wanted to get some beer. The landlady ielus6tl
to let ttiein have any, whereupon the prisoner kicked in
a panel of the door. The lauulady sent for a policeman,
aed the deceased, Vaughan, came up and said, " You
had better go home, you have Lad drink enough."
They wont a little way, when Vaughan was joined by
another policeman named Whitehead. They asked the
prisoner and his companion their names, but they refu,ed
to give them. Whitehead then said " Then let's take
them to tridewell," and laid hold of Breen while de-
ceased laid hold of the prisoner. The prisoner appeared
to offer some resistance, and on Vaughan's attempting
to force him, he drew a knife and stabbed him several
times in the breast. Vaughan cried out, " I am
stabbed," and fell. He was taken to the station-house,
where he died in less than halt an hour. The prisoner
ran off, but was knocited down and apprehended by a
third policeman. The prisoner stated before the inogi-
strates that the deceased struck him on the back and
shoulders and twisted his hand in his neckcloth, and that
he had no other way of defending himself and no inten-
tion of killing the policeman..
His iordship, in summing up, said that there was no
doubt that the death of Vaughan had been caused by
the prisoner. Now, was the prisoner guilty of murder
or manslaughter. If the deceased was armed with law-
ful authority when he was arresting the prisoner then the
crime was murder. The authority with which he was
armed empowered him to arrest all " disorderly per-
sona" and " disturbers of the peace." In his lordship's
view all breach of the peace had ceased when the de-,
ceased pare() up to the public house.
After deliberating about a quarter of an hour, the
jury found,the prisoner Guilty of manslaughter.
His lordship said he would sentence him the following
morning. _ _

The verdict was received with some slight cheers in
court, which were quickly subdued. The prisoner, Who
has been weeping throughout the time of his trial, ap-
peared greatly relieved by the verdict.