Star.
London, England, 1828-04-05 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME Arm 4:

The trial of Thomas Irons. for the murder of Susan
Froggatt, on the 29th of Februarg. at H rne-hill, in
this county, excited an nnts.ual sensation, and long be-
fore the Judge arrived the Court was crowded.
The prisoner, on being placed in the dock, exhibited
great agitation, aad continued during the whole of the
trial with his handkerchief to his face. He was accom-
modated with a chair.
The indictment charged the prisoner with having wil-
fully murdered Susan Froggatt on the 29th February.
Mr. THICSIGER, who conducted the prosecution, stated
the charge, and called the following witnesses :
Harriet Fidt—l am cook in the service of Mr. Lang-
ton the prisoner was footman in my master's service.
I also knew the deceased, Susan Frnggatt. On the
morning of the 29th of February, my master left home,
as aho did the prisoner, who return-al about five o'clock
in the afternoon. He left home about half past ten or
eleven in the forenoon. I saw him return from the di

rection of Camberwell, and he rang the house bell, and
was let in by Susan Froggatt. The prisoner and de-
ceased went into the kitchen ; the former appeared to
have heen 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 ough: to know better. To which he replied.
" 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 gn. The prisoner said, if she got him
out. of his place he vor uld blow her brains out. The
deceased dip 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,
" 1 have nothing else to say." The prisoner then said',
" Good hye," and lest the kitchen. He returned in a
few minutes to the kitchen, but said nothing. /kite/
having washed his hands, he left the kitchen, and I
heard him enter the pantry. In a few minutes after,
he returned the seconJ time ; he did not speak, but
walked across the kitchen, and sat down in a chair. He
sat there a quarter of an hoar before Jones came in,
and during that time did not speak. When Jones came,
he called me into the dairy ; arid' 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, and saw the deceased
lying on the floor. I then ran to the stable to call the
.coactinan, and from thence went into the shrubbery.
After a little time I went into the back kitchen. There
staatmst, great number of people there at the time, and I
saw ,the prisoner amongst them. I asked the prisoner
hoW he caine to do such a thing ? and be made no an-
swer; Previous to this day, the deceased and prisoner
lived on such terms as servants usually do.
By. Mr. BaonniMt—When I saw the prisoner coming
home, •I was up stairs with the deceased, who went
down before me. When I went down, I saw the de-
ceased and prisoner together. The kitchen is under
ground.' The conversation between the m passed very
soon. The distance between the kitchen and pantry
"as very short. Never saw any thing in his hand. He
did not speak to me during the time.
Nathaniel Jones examined—l am under gardener to
Mr. Langton. Remembers the night of the 29th of Fe-
rum y taking some milk into the dairy. near six o'clock.
I called the cook to. assist me; she came; and I after
wards, in about two minutes, heard the report of fire-
arms. I immediately went into the front kitchen, which
is about five Yards
.from the Jai, y. On going into the
kitchen, I saw the ptisoner and the deceased; she was
lying on the floor, and the blood wan running down'
the side of her head ; she was alive, but she could not
speak. On the right side or her neck there was a deep
wound, from which the blood was towing ; and the
bone of her right cheek n as shattered to pieces. There
were marks in the wall made by shot, about two feet
from 'where she war lying. The prisoner said, " Put
the fire out," and I then perct ivcd that the deceased's
gown and collar were burning. I then went across the
kitchen, and took her up, when she gave three or four
heaiy sighs, and expired. The -prisoner said that h e
had done the deed. adding," and I am your prisoner."
, I told him I did not want any thing to do with him,
and I attended to the deceased. I then asked the pri-
ioner if he had done it? and he replied that he had,
saying that he bad 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."
His forefinger was- bleeding at the time. I then took
up the pistol, the lock of which was warm, and seemed
as if it had beearecently d scharged. During the time
I was in the kitchen the prisoner said, " I have been
waiting Poll a quarter of an hour for an opportunity to
shoot her." I afterwards saw the prisoner in the back
kitchen, but had no con versation with him. The prisoner
appeared to have had something to drink, but not a
great deal.
Joseph Church, a constable, proved that he was sent
for to Mr. Langton's a little after six on the night in
question. He went into the back kitchen, and saw the
prisoner and two or three other persons. Saw the de-
ceased lying in the front kitchen. The prisoner said,
I have shot the woman, and I shall die for it." Cla•
ridge, another constable, and I took the prisoner into
custody.
By Mr. BRODR/CC—The prisoner seemed in great
'agitation.
a—, Claridge examined,—As soon as he entered the
kitchen the prisoner held out his hand and said, " Cla-
ridge, come and take me, for I have murdered that
poor young woman, and I won't make any resistance,
for hete's the hand that fired the pistol off;" and, ex-
hibiting his finger, said, N and here's where it knocked
the skin off and cut me." Witness added, that he then
took him into custody. I afterwards saw the deceased,
—she was dead. The witness here produced the pistol
ancocked.
J. B. Langton, Esq. examined—The prisoner was in
my service nearly two years ; the deceased was also in
my service seven years and a half. About eleven o'clock
on the morning in question I left home, not having
sleets the prisoner leave. I heard of the circumstance
on my way home. The pistol produced is mine. I
kept it in my sleeping-room, generally unloaded. I
pave powder and shut in my house, but always kept it
ander lock and key.
By Mr. BRODRIOC—The prisoner always conducted
himselt extremely well while with me.
By Mr. THRSIORR.--I found a shot belt and powder
flask the following morning in the footman's pantry ;
they are not my property.
By Mr. BRODRICK....-1 understand the prisoner went
out occasionally to shoot birds.
Toe witness Harriet Fisk was recalled.— She said that
the prisoner, and all of them, had been good friends
while at dinner, on the day in question.
Fiederick Barker examined—l am coachman to Mr.

Langton. OA the night of the 29th of February. ai I
was going to town, I saw the prisoner a quarter brio, e
four coming from Leidon in the direction olUersorasa,
Hill. He. held up a kind of strip In bis right h.ss4s
it seemed to be a shct belt.
Mr. Robert Young examined--I am a surgeon, re-
siding at Camberwell. On the wrening, about half pad
six, I was sent for to Mr.Longton's house, and on gdOng
into the kitchen saw the body of the deceased. She
was then dead. Oa examining the body, I found two
wounds, one on the left angle of the jaw, and the other
on the left cheek immediately under the eye ; they weer
evidently inflicted by fire arms, and her deatb, I have
no doubt, was occasioned by them.
This being the whole of the evidence for the pro-
secution,
The JUDOS asked the prisoner whether he wished to
say any things he replied in the negatives
Mary Ann Jenkins—Washed for the prisoner; on the
day in question I heard the deceased say, on the steps
of the kitchen, ,4 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 agitate& I said.
Hush. what's the matter ?" and- the prisoner said.
Teat's what I want to know." He stamped his feet
on the floor, and hainmered his fists together ; he also
beat his fists on the dresser. After this the prisoner said,
that the deceased bad used offensive expressions to him,
and accused her of striking him. The deceased said
that be had gone out and got drunk, and come home
and kicked up a row. When the prisoner said that the
deceased had used the offcnsive expressions to him, she
did not deny it. I was ordered out of the kitchen by
.he young woman. From what I saw; the prisoner
did not appear like a man in his senses.
By Mr. Mama—Harriet Fisk was there part of
the time that I remained. When I went away I left
her there. The psis ner appeared to-be in liquor. He
was exceedingly violent.

The JUDGE-here proceeded to sum up the whole of
the evidence, and at the conclusion addressed theJurv,
observing that not the slightest evidence had been given
to prove that the prisoner was insane at the time of the
commission (I "the offence.

The Jury found the prisoner Guilty, and he was
sentenced to be hanged on Monday.
OXFORD CIRCUIT.—GLOUCF.STER, Aram 3.
' CROWN SlDZ.—Before Mr. Baron VAUGHAN.
Janes Arnold and Thomas Wails were indicted for
having assaulted John Pinnock on the King's highway,
and taking from him two sixpences and some halfpence.
Mr. JUSTICE, in stating the case to the Jury, said
that there was in this case one peculiarity which it w..s
his duty to point out to them. Two other men had
been apprehended and committed to gaol, charged with
this offence, on the oath of the prosecutor's son; a ho
was with him at the time the robbery was committed,
and it was not till after they had been some time in
confinement, that they were, by the discrimination' of
a magistrate, discovered to be innocent, and the present
prisoners apprehended. If the charge rested told)" on
the testimony of the prosecutor or his son, Le shoal.'
say that such evidence was not suf cient. after the
mistake which had already taken place; but the Charge
against the prisoners would be substantfated by other
means, which he would not allude to kismet., 'as, until
proved to be unobjectionable, it could not b recelied- • *
in evidence.
John Pinnock, a labouring man, said Chit 'on thi- •
night of the 27th of Octriber-last, he passed th'soiigh
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Cirencester about twelve o'clock ; he was accompanied *)••
by his son, who was riding with Piths on a dority: They
were on the road to Crcklade. Slimily after. lard • .
men, whom he had seen standing at the comer of •i"
lane, came up to lt;m,:and asked hint for some mom*. '
to buy some beer. He replied he had got very little as
spare, or he wouldfgive them some ; one of them tttiin • '"
' took hold of the head the don kv, and Occulter struck .
him on the thigh with a stick. The witness's son laid, ' ^ '
" For Gon's sake, father, give them money and let them •
go." The witness did not know how mach Money/lie
had in his pocket at the time, and one of theme's put
his hand in and took some. He would not venture to•
sear to the prisoners at the bar being the men, as Ire teas
did not think they were the men.
John Cambridge said, he was cousin of the prisoner ••• •-
Arnold. He remembered the day of the robbery. He
saw Arnold a few days after, when he said to witress—
" John, 1 did such a thing list Saturday night that .1
will never do again; but it was want drove me to it." •
The witness inquired what it was, to which the prisoner
answered, 4, I was With another man, and we took two
half-crowns and some halfpence from A man with 'a

•,

(funky, on
.the Cricklade read." The witness laid. to
him, "Jem, if 'you don't alter your ways, yob wi'l
come to a bad end." On the Thursday after that he
saw the prisoner Arnold again. He had heard that two
men were in custody for the robbery, and said to Ar-
nold, "Jem, there is two ponr men going to suffer lor
what thee did ;" to which Arnold replied, " Hold your
tongue—it was not they that did it ;" and shortly after
this, the prisoner enlisted in the Plymouth divisi n of
Royal Marines (in whose uniform he appeased at the
bat). The witness, in consequence of this, went to M.
Cripps, the Magistrate, and Inlurnr.d him of the facts,
when he,sent for the prisoners.
Joseph Cripps, Esq. magistrate of the county, stated
that from the information tie received from the last
witness, he was induced to undertake th- investigation
of the business, and sent for the prisoner Arnold, who,
without any threat or promise, made a confession of the
circumstances of the case, stating that he had born
miserable in his mind, because two other men had been
taken up for the offence.
' The confession was then read.
Elisha Castle, a constable of Cheltenham, said he ap-
prehended the prisoner Watts on another charge; he
gave the name of. Belcher-. the witness having heard
be was implicated in the robbery of Pinnock, asked
Watts how much he had taken from the man he hid
robbed in the Cricklade road ? He said they had only
taken two sixpences frr m him and some halfpence. He
said he was glad it had come out, as he had never been
easy in his mind.
The prisoners, on being called on for their deft nce,
said that they had certainly stopped the.prosecutor, but
they only asked him for the money, telling him they
were in great distress, and he gave it them. They had
neither used any. threats nor violence.
They then called a witness, who gave them both good
characters for honesty.
Mr. Baron VAUGHAN having summed up Oil evi-
dence, the Jury found the prisoners Nat Guilty..
Mr. Baron VAUGHAN told them they had boil.; had a
very narrow escape had they been convicted, he should
have suffered the law to take its course, and he hoped
this would be a warning to them.
WESTERN CIRCUIT.—TAUNTON, Aram 3.
George Howarth, the notorious burgt,r, was this
morning, placid at the bar, charged under the 43d
Geo. 111. with being, on the 6,h of August. At Feome,
in this county,. in a garden, for an unlawful purpose,
and then and there, in order to prevent his lawful ap-
prehension, having maliciously cut and stabbed, with
intent to murder, John Oxley ; there were other counts

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