The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-06 00:00:00

SUMMER ASSIZES.

NORTHERN ClRCUlT.—Newcastle, Aug. 3.
(Before the LORD CHIEF BARON.)
Mark Sherwood, a grey-haired man above the middle
age, and whose face bore traces of habitual indulgence
in spirituous liquors, was indicted for the wilful murder
of his wife, Ann Sherwood, on the 14th of March last,
by cutting her throat.
Mr. Ingham and Mr. Unthank conducted the prosecu-
tion ; the prisoner was defended by Mr. Wilkins.
Mr. INcrram stated the case, and proceeded to call
the witnesses.
Ann Sutherland--I lived at Oakwell-gate, in Gates-
head, at the time of this occurrence. The deceased was
my mother's sister. On the 14th March she and the
prisoner lived in Bradford- street. I was at the house
about seven o'clock in the evening'of the 13th. When I
knocked my aunt came to the door. I went into the
kitchen in the front room. I found no one in the room
but my aunt. I asked if she had heard any word about
her husband. She said yes, she had heard he was in
the town. She said he was in the closet, and she told
him to come out. He came out and shook hands with
me. He said something about forgiving, but Ido not
know to whom he applied the word. She upbraided him
about selling a waistcoat and a pair of shoes. I told her
not to mind, he would get his waistcoat back again. He
said he would. She said it would be like all the rest of
his gettings. He said he had got 3s. for it, and had
made a bargain to get it back again for the same money.
He said if she would give him Os. he would go out and
not come back again that night. She said if she gave it
he would only drink it, and come in to her again. She
said, " You know what you made me swear upon the
Bible to-day, what you was going to do to me." I
asked her what it was. She said she could not tell me
what it was. She said she could not tell me or any one
what it was, but she was glad I had come to see her
living. She then drew her hand once or twice across
her throat. He then asked her7to let him stop till six in
the morning, and then he would go to Gateshead and
look for work, and not trouble her any more. I asked
her to let him stop. He came round the table, took me
by both the hands, and going on his knees, said, God
would bless me if I was a mediater of peace that night.
He said he had a blister on his foot, and asked me to feel
it. but I said, " Oh, yes," as I wished her to let him stop.
I then went out, and bid them good night. I came the
next morning a little after eight. I rapped at the door
several times, and called out. The prisoner ran up the
steps to the door and said, " Who are you ?" I asked
for my aunt, and he said she had gone
out to Gobbys, a
woman called Richardson. He said she had got the key
with her. I told him to tell my aunt I had been there,
and would come back again. He said, " Yes, yes," quick,
in his usual way. He went down the stairs steadily, for
I listened at the door. I went to Mrs. Richardson, and
my aunt was not there. I went back to my aunt's about
eleven. I went to the door and it was fast. I rapped,
and received no answer. I went to Mrs. Ormiston's and
asked for my aunt. I borrowed a key from Mary Or-
miston, and opened the door. I went down the stairs.
I saw my aunt lying on the floor with her hand stretched
out, and I ran off directly to Mrs. Ormiston's and fell at
their door.

Cross-examined—lnigeNitet
never heard him upbraid her with
n making whisky. The before they had some words,
' and she took up her clothes and slapped a part of her
person. I told her I did
n
kind, and I would not stop not like to see conduct of that
to witness it. My aunt was
He didp
quick tempered.not say anything about my
stopping all night.
xr`When
aunt
I
door was locked.went in the evening the
locked it again. I saw no
whisky. She said she had given him the last threepence
to get him a glass. My aunthad no other residence at
this tim
ti e. I had no qitarrelwith the prisoner but once,
a long me go.
Agnes Little—l live
ofin Blandford-street, about twenty
the
tt
yards from the housedeceased. I saw the last
witness about eleven o'clock t Mr. Ormiston's back door.
I ran down the stairs intothe prisoner's house. I saw
the deceased lying on her right side, with her throat
lying
cut. The prisoner wason his face with his great
coat on. His hat had fallen off. I knew the deceased
only to speak to Mary Ormiston. Gave an account of
the room similar to that giventhe last witness. The
deceased used to come for milk
by
lkto the house of witness's
mother, usually between seven and eight. She did not
come that morning.
John Ormiston, brother to the last witness, stated that
the prisoner and deceased rented the room they occupied
from his father; they hadthere two years and a
half. I heard the alarm on beenthe morning of the 14th.
I ran down stairs, and the first thing I saw was the de-
ceased. Her throat was cut the left side, and her
head lying over to the other es?de. There was a great
deal of blood where she lay. I saw no blood anywhere
else. About eight days after I
piece of soap all bloody. Thefound in a drawer a
prisoner,n when I went in,
was lying on his face near the There was fire
in the grate. I sent for a policeman. Carr and
Mr. Taylor came. I remained there till about three
o'clock in the evening. There was only
in each of the apartments, that in the front room one
wloionldiienwg
into the street. The receipts for rent were given in
the name of King. She was known by several names,
usually Nannie.
William Carr, surgeon—On tly. 14th of last March I
went with the last witness to see the body of the de-
ceased. She was lying on the floor on her back. There
was a wound in the throat five inches in length ; it was
superficial on the right side, but deeper on the left.-
It was a transverse wound. This was joinedobt?;
another
carotid
wound from below the chin downwards. t
arteries and jugular veins. were divided. There
was also a very free opening into the windpipe.
The wound had been inflicted from left to
7,e:het:et
r Thea s
T riht.
Death would be instantaneous. Ido not think heew
de-
ceased could have inflicted the wound hers
wound must have been inflicted as she lay.
no blood on any other part of her person. re were A
two tranverse wounds over the left jaw hone. suf. per-
ficial wound below the left eye. On the thumb the
right hand were two very deep wounds, and on t?i
in-
side of the fingers of the same hand were three
super-
ficial ones. The middle finger was not cut. at.
There n the
back of the left wrist was also a trifling
utcut
on ap-
pearedto have been a violent struggle. There was
a
on the gown in front, four inches and a half ini length.n
It divided the gown, the lining, and a doubleoe
chief. There were three cuts on the stays, n
ea each
side of the busk, and one on the busk itself, dividing the
case in which the busk is lodged. The prisoner, when I
saw him, was lying on the floor, about ayar
yard from the
insensible, deceased, on his belly. He was quite and
appeared to have vomited. I turned him on his back,
and on examining him I concluded he had taken a large
quantity of drink. I sent to the infirmary for a stomach-
pump.fta r theavery t
Mr. Taylor came with it. We emptiedA
mach of its contents, whisky and water.
considerable time he recovered. He was not out of so
-
dan-
ger till about three o'clock in the afternoon. Eo
time at first he sunk, and was almost pulseles. hrlit someiaisllilye
was in very great jeopardy. He would have certainly
died without medical assistance. I saw two razori blades
taken out of the fire. There was a basin in
were
roomcontaining blood a,rt soapy watev; His haiids e""' and seemed to have been recently washed.
I examineThered were
his person on the Saturday, two days after.
a few insignificant scratches on the palm of each
and on the back of the ring-finger of the left hand. I
made a post mortem examination of deceased on the even-
ing
of Thursday. The stomach was empty, and firmly
contracted. She must have been six or eight hours with-