The Sun.
London, England, 1828-04-05 00:00:00

HOME CIRCUIT—KINGSTON, AraiL 4.

The trial of Thomas Irons, for the murder of Susan
Froggat, on the !nth of February, at Herne-hill, in
this county, excited an unusual sensation, and long
before the Judge arrived the court was crowded.
The prisoner, on being placed in the dock, exhi-
bited great agitation, and continued during the whole
of the trial with his handkerchief to his faCe. He
was accommodated with a chair.

The indictment charged the prisoner with having
wilfully murdered Susan Frosgat on the 29th of
February.

Mr. TIMMER, who conducted the prosecution,
stated the charge, and called the following witnesses :
Harriet Fisk—l am cook in the service of Mr.
Langton; the prisoner was footman in my mas-
ter's service. 1 also knew the deceased, Susan
Froggat. On the morning of the 29th of February,
my master left home, as also did the prisoner, who
returned about five o'clock in the afternoon. He
left horse about half-past ten or eleven in the fore-
noon. I saw him return from the direction of Cam-
berwell, awl he rang the house-bell, and was let in
by Susan Froggat. The prisoner and deceased went
into the kitchen, the former appeared to have been
drinking a little. The deceased was sitting, and the
prisoner was standing up, in the kitchen. They were
conversing together rather angrily. I heard her say
he should not make such a noise about the house,—
that he ought to know better. To which he re-
plied, " I shall not mind what you say, for you shall
not be mistress over me." He added, that all she
wanted was to get him out of his place; and if she
wanted that, he should take her up to her master
when he came home. The deceased said he might
do that if he pleased, for she was ready to go. The
prisoner said, if . she got him out of his place, he
would blow her brains out. The deceased did not
reply to that. The prisoner then left the kitchen,
saying, before he went out, that if she had any thing
to say, to speak then. The deceased replied, " I
have nothing else to say." The prisoner then said,
" Good bye," and left the kitchen. He returned in
a few minutes to the kitchen, but said nothing. After
having washed his hands, he left the kitchen, and I
heard bun enter the pantry. In a few minutes after,
he returned the second time; he (lid not speak, but
walked across the kitchen, and sat down in a chair.
He sat there a quarter of an hour before Jones came
in, and during that time did not speak. When Jones
came, he called me into the dairy ; and in about two
minutes after I had left, I heard the report of fire-
arms; upon which I went into the back kitchen, and
looked through a window into the front kitchen, end
saw the deceased lying on the floor. I then ran to
the stable to call the coachman, and from thence went
into the shrubbery. After a little time I went into
the back kitchen. There were a great number of
people there at the time, and I saw the prisoner
amongst them. I asked the prisoner how he came
to do such a thing, and he made no answer. Pre-
vious to this day, the deceased and prisoner lived on
such terms as servants usually do.
Nathaniel Jones—l am under-gardener to Mr.
Langton. Remember the night of the 29th of Fe-
bruary, taking some milk into the dairy near six
o'clock. I called the cook to assist me ; she came,
and p.ejterwards, in about two minutes, heard the
report of fire-arms. I immeqiately went into the
front kitchen, which is about five yards from the
dairy. On going into the kitchen, I saw the pri-
soner and the deceased; she was lying on the floor,
and the blood was running down the side of her
head; she was alive, but she could not speak. On
the right side of her neck there was a deep wound,
from which the blood was flowing : arid the bone el
her right cheek was shattered to pieces. Ttfilre

were marks in the wall made by shot, about two
feet from where she was lying. The prisoner said,
" put the fire out," and I then perceived that the
deceased's gown and collar were burning. I then
went across the kitchen, and took her up, when she
gave two or three heavy sighs, and expired. The
prisoner said that he had done the deed, adding,
" and lam your prisoner." I told him I did not
want any thing to do with him, end I attended to the
deceased. I then asked the prisoner if he had done
it ? and he replied that he had, saying that he had
put two charges of shot in the pistol and one charge
of powder. The prisoner then pointed out the pistol
on the dresser, and showing his hand said, " and
this is the hand that has done the deed." During
the time 1 was in the kitchen the prisoner said, "
have been waiting full a quarter of an hour for an
opportunity to shoot her." The prisoner appeared
to have had something to drink, but not a great deal.
Joseph Church, a constable, was sent for to Mr.
Langton's a little after six on the night in question.
Saw the deceased lying in the front kitchen. The
prisoner said, " I have shot the woman, and I shall
die for it." Claridge, another constable and I took
the prisoner into custody.
Claridge examined—As soon as he entered
the kitchen the prisoner held 'out his hand and said,
" Claridge, come and take me, for I have murdered
that poor young woman, and I won't make any re-
sistance, for here's the hand that fired the pistol off."
Witness then took him into custody.
J. B. Langton, Esq., examined—The pistol pro-
duced is mine. I kept it in my sleeping-room, ge-
nerally unloaded. I have powder and shot in my
house, but always kept it under lock and key.
By Mr. BRODERICK—The prisoner always con-
ducted himself extremely well while with me.
This being the evidence for the prosecution,
The JUDGE asked the prisoner whether he wished
to say any thing : he replied in the negative.
Mary Ann Jenkins—Washed for the prisoner.
I heard the deceased say, on the steps of the kitchen,
" If he does not hold his tongue, I shall soon get
some one to make him." The prisoner was there,
and he seemed to be much agitated. I said " Hush,
what's the matter ?" and the prisoner said " That's
what I want to know." He stamped his feet on the
floor, and hammered his fists together, he also beat
his fists on the dresser. After this the prisoner
said that the deceased had used offensive expressions
to him, and accused her of striking him. The de-
ceased said that he had gone out and got drunk,
and come borne and kicked up a row. When the
prisoner said that the deceased had used the offen.
sive expressions to him, she did not deny it. I was
ordered out of the kitchen by the young woman.
From what I saw, the prisoner did not appear like
a man in his senses.

The Jury found the prisoner " Guilty," and he
was sentenced to be halved on Monday.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—YORK, APRIL 3.
lIORSINIIITON V. ➢EAUMONT AND WIFE.
Mr. PATTERSON opened the pleadings. The de-
claration stated that the defendant's wife spoke cer-
tain defamatory words reflecting on the character of
the plaintiff, (who was a laad agent and surveyor,)
and imputing to him the commission of frauds in
money transactions.
Several witnesses were called, who were chiefly
persons iu the defendants' service, who established
the plaintiff's case, speaking to the various slander-
ous words uttered by Mrs. Beaumont.
Mr. J. WILLIAMS (with whom was Mr. F. PoL-
LOCK and Mr. ALDERSON), addressed the Jury for
the defendants iu a very animated and able speech,
which we regret not having time to report at length.
Mr. Justice BAYLEY summed up; and the Jury,
after consulting for a short time, found a verdict for
the plaintiff—Damages, 1,7001.