The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-08-25 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

THE ASSIZES.

CROWN COU RT.-YESTERDAY

The court opened at nine o'clock, and an unusual num-
her of people were in attendance to hear the trial of the
two boys accused of the murder in Tuer-st reet, Manchester,
On the Judge '(Mt. Justice Wightman) taking his seat,
Marian Dannett, Hannah Gee, Thomas Bond, Ann Bent,
Edward Bond, and Thomas Croft, who had pleaded guilty
of bigamy, were called up for sentence. The learned
Judge remarked upon the frequency of these cases, which
sheared that the marriage tie was almost disregarded.
The sentence upon Thomas Bond and Edward Bond was
6 months' imprisonment, Hannah Gee and Ann Bent 4
months, and the other prisoner 2 months. With respect
to Thomas Croft, whose case was brought before the
Court by Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, the sentence was im-
prisonment for 12 calendar months
A

number of mint cases were next disposed of, and the
prisoners sentenced. The jury list was then called over,
and the absentees fined five pounds.

the murder. Gave information to the police on the
Saturday night. His wife was not examined before the
magistrates, as she was out of town from the day after
the murder.

Thomas Lamb, policeman, deposed to his having been
called by the preceding witness, and knocking at the sta-
ble door. Was on duty on that beat, and dispersed the
people who were making a disturbance in a court in
Burns.street. There were about forty or fifty of them.
Had been twice up Jenkinson-street that night, but had
not c^ntinued any time. Was off his beat a part of the
night at a fire.

Elizabeth Bridge lives in Jenkinson-street, opposite
Seddon's coal-yard. Saw the blacking-boy come out of
the yard after she had closed her father's shop, a little
after eleven o'clock. He came over, and she lent him a
candle to look at Seddon's dandy hen. When he got
the candle, he went away in the direction of the coal-
yard. After some while Dean brought back the candle,
saving it was that which the boy had borrowed.
Matthew Mills, shopkeeper, Jenkinson.street. went, on
the evening of the murder, to the Spread Eagle Inn, for
ale. On returning, about a quarter to twelve, saw two
boys come out of Seddon's stable, whom he identified as
the prisoners. About ten minutes afterwards they came
into witness's house, and Seddon asked his wife if they
had any cakes ; but they had none. Subsequently they
were furnished with some bread and cheese, and some
small beer. Seddon gave some of the cheese to Dean,
but he said he was sick and could not eat, and put it on
the table again. After leaving the shop they came back,
and Seddon asked for the bread and cheese. The prisoner
Dean appeared very sick, and hung down his head. It
struck twelve o'clock when they were in the shop.
_ _

Margaret Allan, the younger, was next called, and de-
posed to being at the window of her father's house, after
twelve o'clock, on the night of the murder, and seeing the
prisoners enter Seddon's hut.
Margaret Allan, the elder, recollects her daughter (the
preceding witness) looking out of the window, and making
some remark to her. She herself looked out, and saw
Seddon coming out with something on his shoulder. He
crossed the street, and went towards Tuer-street.
Thought it was 'coal he carried. A little boy pulled the
door to after him.

Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Witicusts : Was not
examined before the magistrates in Manchester, or the
coroner. Only gave information to the police a fortnight
ago. Saw Seddon come out with the sack on his shoul-
der, and the little boy followed him about half a minute
afterwards. When first asked about the subject, said
that she had never stated Seddon to be the party she had
seen. Had never said to any of her neighbours, that she
was glad she had neither seen nor heard anything stout
the matter. Had been an hour the first time, and an hour
and a half the second time, with Mr. Taylor, at the
Town-hall, in Chorlion. Told him nothing the first
time ; did not wisb to have any hand in it at all. Told
him for the first time on Sunday week.
Re-examined : Had mentioned what she had seen to
some cf her neighbours.

Elizabeth Jackson, wife of Thomas Jackson, already
examined.—On the night of the murder heard a noise of
a cow, and woke her husband, and sent him out. Got
up herself afterwards, and stood beside the window, and
heard the clock strike one. Afterwards looked out in
the direction of the coal-yard, and saw two persons enter.
They came out at the side-door, and afterwards went in
again. They next came out, carrying something with
them, and laid it down on the flags in Jenkinson-street,
and then dragged it in again. Afterwards she saw one of
them come out, carrying something, cross the street, and
walk down the channel on the opposite side, in the direc-
tion of Tuer-street. It was something dark-coloured
which he carried. A boy subsequently followed Seddon
in the same direction, with something like a basket in his
left hand and a stick in the other. When he was turning
the corner of the street he hit it with something which
gave a sound like a can. Her husband came in shortly
afterwards, and she told him what she had seen. In the
morning she saw the deceased boy Ray brought into the
Spreld Eagle yard. She went in the morning and looked
into Seddon's coal-yard, when she saw the prisoner Dean.
Seddon's father she alto saw coming out of the place.
She bad mentioned the matter previous to going to Burn-
ley, but did not give information to the police until a
week ago.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Wzmurrs.—Would
not say how long she had been a married woman, or how
she knew that her former husband was dead. Did not
say to Mr. Taylor that she could not swear it was Seddon
she had seen.

Jane Williams.—Resides at 28, Tuer-street. On the
morning of the murder, between twelve and one o'clock,
heard a scuffle in the neighbourhood of the bridge over
the brook and saw no one cn the bridge, but two persons
were walking quickly down Ormond•street, one of whom
seemed taller than the other. Heard a falling of some-
thing into the brook instantly after the scuffling noise.
Has heard similar noises on the bridge before and since.
Cross-examined.—Cannot say a Nether the persons she
saw in Ormond•street were men or boys.

Mary Jackson, dauehter of Mr. Jackson, a preceding
witness, went to, her lather's yard the morning after the
murder. Saw the two prisoners, and said to Seddon.
"Well, Jim, what became of that lad last night." A few
minutes after saw Seddon driving some hens out of the
stable. Dean was in the but lying on a bench. Had seen
him with a dark coloured mackintosh.
Ann Haslam.—Lodges, with her husband, at Mr.
Gregory's, in Jenkinson-street. Seddon occasionally
slept there ; did not sleep there on the 19th, the night of
the murder. Saw his father go to the stable at eight
o'clock on the following morning. The prisoners came
out of the stable that morning. The witness deposed to
having gone to Seddon's coal-yard for coals the week
before, and he had none. _

Janice H rglles.—ls Hamer's cleaner at the Spread
wifiates cu roar-mrtitrertabrning alter
the murder opened the stable window, and saw the body
of the deceased lying across the Brook, which at the time
contained very little water. His bead was out of the
water, and other portions of his person quite dry. Got a
policeman, who assisted in taking him out. Observed
two marks on the right side of the neck. A tin can
(produced) was found by the body.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant WILKINS.—It wad
thought at first that he had fallen into the brook in a fit.
His trousers were unfastened, and his head was upon a
stone. There are many stones in the brook. A club
was held at the Spread Eagle that night.

Joseph Bayley, police-constable, deposed to having as-
sisted to take the body out of the brook, and confirmed
the evidence generally of the preceding witness.
John Taylor, superintendent of police in Manchester,
on the morning of the murder went to the spot, and as-
sisted Dr. Golland in examining the body. Produced a
cap and jacket found on the boy. Directed two officers
to apprehend the prisoners, who were brought to the
police- office in Chorlton-on-Medlock. Both of them
said they had left the deceased about eleven o'clock at
the corner of Burns-street, and had not seen him since.
Went afterwards to the cabin in Jenkinson..treet, and
found a box unlocked, and 2,4 i 1. in c•inio r in a sto k-
ing. Found also a blip. and Mute harn'k, rchirt. which
Seddon said was his. The money I e said was co,l money.
There were no coals in the yard. Prisoners said they had
slept in, the stable on the preceding night. Described the
bridge over the brook, the construction of which accounted
for the seuffling noise mentioned in the evidence of the
witness Williams.

Cross-examined by Mr. WILKINS : The witness said
that the handkerchief was very like one worn by the pri-
soner Seddon, and that a boy, from whom Dean said he
had received a marble found in the hut, said it resembled
one which he bad given him.

John Leigh, policeman, in company with Inspector
Reeves, apprehended the prisoners on the morning after
the murder. Seddon was in his father's house, and Dean
at the door. Found upon them four keys, two flageolet
keys, and twopence in copper. Afterwards went into the
cabin, and on the chimney-piece found a key which un-
locked the stable door, where he found a box, (produced,)
which both denied to be theirs. Seddon claimed the
flageolet keys as his own.

Inspector Rteves proved the apprehension of the pri-
soners, and their declaration that they had seen the
blacking boy on the preceding night, and that they had
left him at eleven o'clock in Jenkinson-street. Produced
a marble, a mackintosh, and two handkerchiefs, taken
from the prisoners. The witness deposed to finding some
money secreted in various parts of the cabin.
John Holehouse, half-brother to the deceased, swore
that the articles found upon the prisoners were I•ke those
in the possession of the boy Ray. The fidgeglet keys
were the same as he had. He knew them because one was
perfect and the other imperfect. The small tin box found
he had seen nearly every night.

Sarah Ray, mother oi the- deceased boy, deposed to the
rexemblance of the handkerchief found in Dean's mackin-
tosh. It was discoloured as at present when she gave it
him, on the morning Jf his death.
In cross-examination the witness stated that she had
identified a handkerchief, before the magistrates ha Man-
chester, as having been hemmed by herself.
Sarah Lightbound, a washerwoman, had washed such
'handkerchief,: as tlioee produced for Kay's family. Wit-
Ham Henry Balrn4ine, chemist, h,d examined the box
and corn produced, and found that they were stained with
blacking : on the keys be could not detect its presence.
Peter Tuer proved the letting of the coal yard to the
prisoner, Seddon, and leaving with him the key of the
stable to shew the premises to parties w'shing to take it.
He considered him a boy of industrious habits.
Henry Bailey sells coals in behalf of Lord Vernon, and
had supplied the prisoner Seddon up to within a month
prior to the sixteenth of June, when he owed £1 14s. 2J.
In consequence of its not being punctually paid, he de-
clined to give further credit. _

CrossExamined.—Prisoner has paid witness as much
as seven rounds at a time.

Mr. Walter Golland, surgeon, swore to having exa-
mined the body of the deceased, and de!cribed the inju-
ries found, whiel, t- • externally slight. On removing
the scalp, found a quantity of clotted blood between the
scalp and the bone on the right temple ; and the brain was
much injured. The cause of death was a violent blow on
the right temple, which might have been inflicted by an
oaken spindle or a poker produced.
Cross-examined.—Had said that the injury might have
resulted from a fall. Examined the eyes of the boy Sed-
don, and considered his vision very defective.

e-examined.l-4 --falltO-PrOitirce;:ch injury must be
from a considerable height. Thinks a fall from the bridge
over the brook might be sufficient.
A statement made by the prisoners, and signed before
the magistrates, was read to the court and ju►y, giving
their version of the proceedings of the day, Seddon and
Dean both stating that they left the deceased at eleven
o'clock, and attempting to account for the money and the
articles found.

This closed the case for the prosecution.
At about five o'clock, Mr. Sergeant WILKINS com-
menced the delivery of a powerful address in defence of
the prisoners, which occupied two hours and ten mi▪
nutes.
The learned counsel, after an impressive warning to the
jury against the danger, in a case where human li▪ fe was
to be affected by their verdict, of depending upon eircum.