Washington telegraph., 1856-10-08
a Remarkable Case.

Il AsC1uoA AcrAC NsSoS'
An account ofo Recent Trial at the old
Bailey, IN London, Lord Chief Jus
tice Tindale, Presiding.
George Hammond, portrait painter,
was placed at the bar, to be tried on an
Indictment found against himself by the
Grand Jury, Cor the wilful murder, with
malice aforethought, of George Baldwin,
a rope dancer and mountebank. The
prisoner was man of medium height,
but slender form His eyes were blue
and mild. His whole bearing gave evi-
dence of subdued sadness and melancholy
resignation. He was forty-one years of
ace, had a soft voice and his appearance
and manner borev evidence of his being
man of distinguished education, in spite OF
the poverty Of his dress.
On being called to plead, the prisoner
admitted that he did kill Baldwin, and he
deplored the act, adding, however, that
on has soul and conscience, he did not be-
lieye himself guilty. Thereupon jury
was empannelled to try the prisoner. The
Indictment was then read to the jury, and
the act of killing being admitted, the Gov
ernment rested their case, and the priso-
ner was called upon for his defence
The prisoner then addressed himself to
the court and jury =
''My Lord, said he, "my justification
is to be found in the recital of the facts.
Three years ago, I lest a daughter, then
four years of age, the sole memorial of
beloved wife, whom it had pleased God
to recall to himself. lost her but l did
not see her die. She disappeared she
was stolen from me. She was charm
ing child, and beside her | had nobody in
the world to love me. Gentlemen, what
[ have suffered cannot be described; you
cannot comprehend it. / had expended
in advertising and fruitless searches every
thing possossed-furniture, pictures,
even to my clothes. All have been sold"
"For three years on foot, 1 had been
seeking for my child in all the cities and
all the villages in the three kingdoms. As
soon as by painting portraits L had sue
ceeded in gaining little money, l return
ed to London to recommence my adver-
tisements in the newspapers. At length,
on Friday the 4th of April last, J crossed
the Smithfield cattle market In the CEN
tire of the market atroupe OF mountebanks
were performing their feats. Among them
was a child turning on its head, supported
on a halberd a ray from the soul of its
mother must have penetrated my own,
for me to have recognized my child in that
condition. 1t was my poor child. Her
mother would, perhaps, have precipitated
herself towards her, and locked herself
in her arms As for me, veil passed
over my eyes. [ knew not how it was
|. habitually gentle, even to weakness,
seized him by the clothes-I raised him
in the air, then dashed him to the ground
then again; he was dead. Afterwards
I repented what 1 had done. At the
moment, [ regretted that L was able to
kill but one
Lord Chief Justice Tindale. "These
are not Christian sentiments. How can
you expect the court and jury to look
with favor on your defence, or God to par
don you, if you cannot forgive"
Prisoner. sI know, my lord, what will
be your Judgment and that of the jury; but
God has already pardoned me; l feel it in
NV heart You know not, L knew not
then, the whole extent of the evil that
man had done. When some compassion
DGOplc N"N3HNSi IL
prison, she was no longer my child; she
was no longer pure and angelic as formerly;
she was corrupt, body and soul her man
ncr, her language, infamous like those with
with whom she had been living. 1 did
not recognize her myself. Doyou compre-
hend me now? That man had robbed me
of the love and soul of my child. And l
i have killed him but once"
Foreman. "My lord, we have agreed
on our verdict"
Chief Justice. "I understand you,
gentlemen, but the law must have its
course l must sum up the case, and
then YOU will retire and deliberate.
The Chief Justice having summed up
the case, the jury retired, and in an instant
after returned into court with verdict of
"Not guilty"
On the discharge of Hammond, the
sheriff was obliged to surround him with
an escort The women were determined
to carry him off in triumph. The : crowd
| followed him all the way to his lodging
with deafening shouts of huzzas.