Southern standard., 1851-10-18
A Painful Case
An account Of a recent trial al the Old Bailey IN
London, Lord Chief Justice Tindai presiding.

George Hammond a portrait painter, was plac-
I'd at the bar, to be tried on an Indictment found
against him by the grand jury for wilfu murder,
With maace aforeshought, of George Baldwin,
cope dancer, and moun'ebank The prisoner wa,
man Of middle heieh'. bu. slender form Hi
eyes were blue and mild. His whole being gave
violence ol subdued sadness and melahcio..
snaton. He was forty-one years of age, and had
soft voice, and his manner and appearance bort
estimony ofhis being man of distinguished edu-
cation, in spite of the poverty of his dress.
On being called to plead, the prisoner ad-
ntted that he did kill Baldwin, and he deplored
he act adding, however, that on his soul and con-
science he did not believe himself guilty. There
upon jury was empanneled to try the prisoner
The Indictment was then read to the jury, and The
ct of killing being admitted, the government rest
ID heir case, and the prisoner was called upon
for his defence.
The prisoner then addressed himself to the
court and jury
my Lord" said he, ''my judgement is to be
found in a recital of the facts. Three years ago
lost daughter then four years of age. the soule
memorial of nv beloved wife, whom it had pleas
ed God to cali to himself. ! lost her; but [ did
not SEE her die, as had seen her mother die
She disappeared-she was stolen from me. She
was charming child and but for her had no
BODY in the world to love me. Gentlemen what
suffered
comprehend it. / have expended in advertising
and fruitless searches every thing possessed
furniture pictures. and even to my clothes. All has
been sold For three years, and on foot, | have
sought for my child in all the cities and all the
villages in the three kingdoms AS soon as by
painting portraits | had succeeded in gaining lit
tie money | returned to London to recommence
my adv. rtisemen,s in the newspaper AT length
on Frdey, the 14th of April last, crossed the
Smithfield cattle market. In the centre of the
market a troupe of mountebanks were performing
their feats. Among them child was turning on
its head its legs in the air. and us head supported
by halberd. A ray from the soul OF It's mother
must have penetrated my own, for me to have re-
coynised my child in that condition 1t was my
poor child Her mother would prehaps have pre-
cpitaed herself towards her, and locked herself
in her arms AS t,rne a veil pas sed over my eyes.
threw myself upon the chief of the rope dancers.
knew not how it was: l, habitually gentle, even
to weakness, seized him by his clothes-l raised
him in he air, then dashed him to the ground
then again He was dead Afterwards repeat
ed what had done. At the moment regretted
that | was only able to kill but one.
Lord Chiet Justice Tindal.--''These are no.
Christian sentiments. How can you expect the
court and Jury to look with favor on your defence
or God to pardon you, ifyou cannot forgive -
Prisoner-''I know, my Lord, what will be your
Judgment, and that of the jury but God has al
ready pardoned me; l feel it in my heart. You
know not-I knew not then-the whole extent of
the evil that man had done me. When some COM
passionate people brought me my daughter in my
prison; she was no longer my child; she was no
longer pure and angelic as formerly, she was cor
rup:ed, body and soul-her manner, her language,
infamous like those with whom she had been hN-
ing She did not recognise me, and | no longer
recognised myself. Do you comprehend me now?
That man had robbed me of the love and soul OF
nv child And I--have killed him but once"
Foreman-"My Lord, we have agreed On our
verdict
Chief Jostice-"I understand you, gentlemen,
but the law must take its course. | must sum up
the case and then you will retire to deliberate.
The Chief justice having summed up the case,
the Jury retired, and in an instant after returned
I'M the court with .rdict, ''Not Gully"
On the discharge of Hammond the sheriff was
Obliged to surround him with an escort. The
crowd of women and men was immense. The wo-
men were determined to carry him oil in triumph
The crowd followed him all the way to his lodg-
ings with defending shouts and huzzas.
| NUMBER OF ESCAPED SLAvEs.-The following
table shows the number of fugitive slaves from
81. Snutbarn StataS dl1rincr the one wear eOdino