Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-08-20
A PAINFUL CAsE

/ terest 1t shows that men will aIIov ,hoi,
reason and feelings to guide their action. and
| that abstract law does not always represent
justice
AN ACCOUNT eT A RECENT TRIAL AT THE
OLD BAILEY IN LoNDoN-LoRD CHIEF JUSTICE
IIsDALE PRESIDING George Hammond a
portrait painter, was placed at the bar 10 bo
,;ied on an Indictment found against him by
the grand jury for the wilful murder, with
haiace aforethought, Of George Baldwin a
rope dancer and mountebank. The prisoner
was a man Of nodium height, but slender
% %olM. dis eyes were blue and mild His
Nnoie bearing gave evidence of subdued sad D..
H anu melancholy resignation. he was
loI'y one years OF age, had a soft voice, and
ms appearance and manner bore evidence to
us oelng man Of distinguished education.
IN spite OF the poverty Of his distress
On oeing Gained on TO plead, the prisoner
admitted that hc did kill Baldwin, and be
aepiored the act, adding, however, that on
Dis soul and conscience be did not believe him
neied to try the prisoner. The indictment
was then read to the jury, and the act Of kill
ing being admitted, the government rested
eheir case, and the prisoner was called upon
Tor his defence.
The prisoner then addressed himself % tb.
court and jury.
my Lord" said he, "my justification Is
years ago lost daughter then four years
OF age, the sole memorial cf my beloved wife,
whom II had pleased God TO recall TO himself
lost her, but did not see her die She dis
appeared-she was stolen from me She was
charming child, and but her had nobody
In the world TO love me Gentlemen, what /
have suffered cannot be described YOU cannot
comprehend it L have expended in ADVERT
sing and fruitless searches everything nos
sessed furniture, pictures, even to my clothes.
All have been sold
For three years on foot, had been seeking
Tor my child in all the cities and all the vii,
lages IN the three Kingdoms. As soon as by
painting portraits had succeeded in gaining
little money, L returned to London to com
mence my advertisement. in the newspapers.
AT length, on Friday, the I4th Of April last,
crossed the Smith6eld cattle market. In the
center ot the market a troupe Of mountsbanks
were performing their feats. Among them a
child was tuning 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. IL
wa. my poor Ichild. Her mother would per-
maps have precipitated herself towards her
and locked herself in her arms As for me a
ven passed over my eyes. / threw myself on
the chief of the rope dancers / knew not
how it was-I, habitually gentle, even to
weakness, seized him blythe clothes-I raised
him In the air, then dashed him TO the ground
then again; he was dead. Afterwards
repented what L had done. At the moment
L regretted that was able TO kill but one"
Lord Chief Justice Tindale-" These are
not christian sentiments. How can you ex.
pect the court and jury to look with favor on
your defence, or God to pardon you, If you
cannot forgive"
Prisoner" know my lord, what will bs
your Judgment, and that Of the jury; but God
mas already pardoned me L ieel il in my
Whole extent of the evil that man had done
when some compassionate people brought NE
my daughter In my prison, she was no longer
my child; she was no longer pure and angelic
as formerly; she was corrupt, body and soul
hermanner, her language, infamouslike those
with whom she had been living. / did not
recognize her myself Do you comprehend
me nowt That man had robbed me Of the
love ana soul of my child. And IL have
killed him but once
Foreman" My lord, we have agreed on
our verdict"
Chief Justice-"I understand you, gentle
men, but the law must take its course. L
must 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 into the court with 9 verdict " Not
Guilty"
On the discharge Of Hammond, the sheriff
was obliged to surround him with an escort
The women were determined TO carry him OF
in triumph. The crowd followed him all the
way to his lodgings with desfening shouts Of
huZzas.