The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-04-07 00:00:00

SOUTH LANCA.SHIRE SPRING ASSIZES.

CROWN COURT.—FRIDAY.
RAPE.
George M' Kinnon was charged with having, in this town,
in February last, feloniously ravished .Mary Bone, junior.
Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Perry conducted the prosecution,
and Mr. Wilkins the defence.
Mr. WILKINS desired that all the witnesses should be
sent out of court.

Mr. ARMSTRONG stated the case. The learned counsel
detailed the circumstances minutely, but with great firmness

and consideration towards the prisOner, intimating the points
of evidence which he had to bring forward, and cautioning
the jury• to give the case their most serious attention, and to
give the prisoner the benefit of any doubts which they might
reasonably entertain. _ _

Mary Bone, a well-favoured young girl, stated that she
was turned 13 years of age. (The witness looked rather older
than the age she mentioned.) Having mentioned the cir-
cumstance attending her engagement by the prisoner, to take
care of his house, he living apart from his wife, who it ap-
peared was a drunken female, she proceeded to state that he
occupied a house in Great Howard-street, jointly with a per-
son named Memmon. She was to have eighteen pence per
week. He had a parlour and a garret, and' he and the chil-
dren slept in the latter. In the garret there was a bed and a
mattress. It was from the commencement arranged that
when the prisoner, who was a custom-house officer, did not
sleep at home, witness was to sleep with the children, r.nd
when he slept at his own house she was to go home. On the
Saturday night following her engagement, a woman named
Edwards was at the house, and Mr. and Mrs. Memmon were

out. Mrs. Edwards went away after tea. The prisoner told
her he should sleep at home that night till twelve o'clock, and
that she was to take the matress down the parlour as he

would sleep there till he went out. He sent her out for some
milk. When she returned he bad some tea made. He took

two cups of it. While she was at the cupboard he poured
out a cup of tea and put some milk into it. He presented a
full cup to her, and told her to drink it up. She drank about
half of it, and could not drink any more, it tasted so had—
just like poison. It looked very black. He said, " drink it
up, it is just the same as mine." She tried to take some
more, but she did not like it, and spirted the last mouthful
into a bucket. She had had tea, before, that afternoon. lie

told her about half an hour after to go to bed
- - - -

She had

washed her night cap, and told him that she wished to dry it.
He said, " Oh, never mind it—l will bring it up." She went
to bed, and according to his directions, called to him to bring
up the nightcap. He did so. He then said, " I think I will
bring up my mattress, and lay it beside the bed and sleep
there." She replied, " No, Mr. M'Kinnon, I shall not like
that." He told her to hold her head, and he would put on
the night-cap. He did put it on. He afterwards brought up
the mattress and quilt which she had previously taken down.
He said, " I shall be a good bit_before I come to bed." She
fell asleep. Witness neat described in what manner she was
awakened, and weeping, and "With. some little hesitation, she
told how the crime was perpetrated.. He said, " Dod't cry,
and I will buy you a new frock on Monday." She told him
that she did not care for him or his new frock. She told him
she would go home and tell her mother. He begged of her
not to go, but she persisted. He went down stairs, and she
got up. She called to-him to ask where the candle was. He
took it up stairs lighted, took his matress and quilt, and went
down again. She could not find her bed-gown, and when
she was dressed all but that article, she went down for it.
She asked him for the candle. He told her she should have

it to find her bedgown, but she should not go ho►tie.

asked him for herhimnet. She had left it behind the doors
but it was not there. He said he did not know where it was.

She pressed him to tell her where it was. He said, " Look
under , the table." He then told her that she should not go
home. She persisted, however. He asked her if she. knew
what o'clock it was—it was just striking twelve. He begged
of her not to tell her mother what had happened. She said
she would. He said, " Tell your mother that I was going to
sleep at home, and that you could not sleep here." She went
away to her mother.. The latter was living servant with Mrs.
Bates, who resides in Vauxhall-road. Mrs. Bates went with
her into the parlour, and she told her all that had occurred.
Mr. WILKINS cross-examined the witness at some length.

He pressed her to say what sort of house Mrs. Bates kept,
and whether young women did not lodge there. He asked
her it' she did not know a gentleman named Palmer, which
she confessed she did, and then he put it to her, she having
acknowledged that she knew Mr. Palmer, if her mother had
not kept a brothel?
The witness wept bitterly when this question was put to
her, and earnestly replied in the negative.
The prisoner during the cross-examination was quite cool,
and employed himself in writing, apparently taking notes of
the evidence.
Mary Bone, sen., stated that the last witness was her daugh-
ter ; she was thirteen years of age last December. Her hus-
band was captain of a ship which sailed from this port. He
has been away eleven years. He went away before his last
child was born. The ship returned, but her husband had left
it in Quebec. She had never heard of him since. She after-

wards gained her livelihood by taking in lodgers. She went
to live with Mr. Bates, who is an engineer, eight months ago.
Her daughter lived there with her as nurse. She wanted a
place for her. Her daughter went to live with the prisoner
on the nth February. She told her daughter to come home
whenever Mr. M`Kinnon slept at home. On the Saturday
night following, about half-past eleven o'clock, she heard a
knock at the door. She found her daughter crying bitterly.
She said, " Oh, mother, mother! that man, that man!"
Witness said,. " What is the matter ? has he been striking
you?'.' She replied, " lie has done worse, mother." Mr%
Bates came and led her into the kitchen. Mr. Bates went
up stairs to bed, and the daughter told Mrs. Bates every
thing. .Witness exarnined.her, and here described her con-
dition. The evidence was confirmatory of the statements of
the girl herself. A. surgeon was sent for, and the particulars
were laid before the police next morning.
Mrs. Bates was called.--.--I(Mr. Wir,Kiss explained that the
insinuations which he had made against Mrs. Bates arose out
of a mistake in his instructions. He did not mean to insi-
nuate any thing against Mrs. Bates.)T—Mrs. Bates stated that
the conduct of the girl, Mary Bone, was exceedingly good
and proper during the time she lived with her.
Mr. Craig, surgeon; stated the appearances presented on
the examination of the girl. They were corroborative of her
testimony, to the extent of showing that her person had been
recently violated.
John Cameron, another surgeon, gave similar testimony.
Mary Edwards, a char-woman, confirmed the first part of
the testimony of the principal
.witness, with the eXception
that she stated that she did not see any tea.
Mr,Wif.tuNs addressed' the jury at considerable length
for the defence.
His LORDSHIP iturres ed upon the jury the trite observa-
tion, that this crime Was one of the easiest to make, and one
of the most difficult to rebut. his Lordship commented uponthe evidence with great care, weighing it in its bearings for
and a,.:Ainst the prisoner with extreme caution.
.
The jury retired at half-past one o'clock. They returned,
after an absence of two hours and a half, and acquitted the
priSoner.