The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-07
CHAPTER xxx.
EY's TRIAL.

The Third Court at the Old Bailey was
crowded, for it was expected that very
interesting trial would be heard-that Of
Langley, the ex-convict.
When the prisoner was brought in, there
was low murmur of interest, as his
colossal size and powerful make were re-
marked.
Upon the table before the Judge were
the objects to be used as secondary evil
dence at the tIial--a long, thin dagger
knife, q red-covered pocket-bOok, open at
the page upon which Graham Forbes mad
written his last Margaret
vvenre-it was-"-aud various other
objects.
il was quarter past ten when the trial
began. Contrary to expectation, the pris-
oner appeared without handcutfs--for Ii
lad been whispered about that he was
80 violent, this prelaution would be
taken.
1t was at the judges express orders that
the prisoner was not manacled the justice
urgiaa that the use of handouts suggested
he idea of an unfair trial.
For that matter, the prisoner was quiet
enough He scarcely appeared to be TAX
llR HOUlCt OI NiItb EbtbE VIZ hpouU' IL
he appeared swayed by ono desire more
than au0ther, 1t was to avoid looking about
the hall.
The public was disappointed; they eG-
Dected to sec a furious giant. They saw
,oor. broken down looking man, apparent
| IL quite unconscious of his own strength.
Even the two officers VINO accompanied
| him into the dock felt that they were not
| wanted. A few moments, aud they began
| to lock about, almost without thinking OF
| their prisoner.
The Jury had been already sworn. and
| The clerk of alTaigns read the indictment,
which charged Abel Langley with the
yi!ful murder of Graham Forbes. on the
eth Of October, 1866, at place called Tag
CARTS Inn. Strand, London.
Called upon to plead Guilty {" or Not
auilty7" the prisoner showed no signs Of
hearing what was going on.
Tell him what he has to do, said the
iudge, addressing the two officers III the
dock with the prisoner.
He did not appear to comprehend what
was said to him. He still remained stand
| irg loosely in front of the dock, his eyes
looking toward tue ground.
According to modern and merclful cus-
ON, when prisoner refuses to pl a., The
tdge orders the plea Of Not guilty" to be
entered, and then he directs the case to
proceed
A counsel Immediately rose and an
rGunced himself as being for the pr0secu-
i.on. No baTrister declared for Lang
~.
,,TI,. A., ,r;ronar M nouncol ~ osly n1
he Judge.
Nobody replied; and thereupon, follow
trg another noble and merclful Engilsn
custom, the Judge appointed counsel 20
.s Gcad Abel Langley.
Tue preliminqEies being now prepared,
he counsel for the prosecution rose to
Ctate the case against the prisoner.
We are not here going to give all the
particulars as set out by the barrister, be-
cause most Of them are known to the
reader. We will, therefore, very briefly
sum up the counsePs speech.
After statilg that the prisoner was
Abel Langley, aged thirty-two, and that
lie was born in Cornwall, he went on tt
say that the prisoner had already beer
twice condemned to term of penal serVi
tudo. At the time Of the murder of Mr.
Graham Forbes the prisoner lived in til;
immediate neighborhood of MIR. Graham
Forbes residence-the latter being in Tag
gart's Inn. Strand; the former, in turn
ing out of Glare Market, a spot about fiv'
minutes walk from Mr.. Forbes apart
mants. He then went into particulars
showed how Langley was at that date a
, liberty, having escaped from Portland
that his dwelling was close to Drury Lane
, in part colony of thieves, AID that h
:, had cause for jealousy. The counsel thel
dilated on the confessions as made t
= Webber; the statement made by woIna
supposed to be the prisoners wife; an
finally DEVOTED some time to clearing ava
O any slight contradictions which appeare
, to clash with the evidence he should ad
q duce.
The first witness called was Paul Wei
ber, who deposed to the interviews be ha
had with Langley and the woman calle
1 Sunhower.
The reader is in full possession of all til
p facts to which Webber would natural
4 depose.
a The next witness called was Margart
e Ponsonby Mayter, who deposed to til
f finding of the dead man, and TO thos
n other particulars with which the reader
/. already acquainted.
|, The counsel for the prisoner refusing
v cross-examins Miss Mayter, she requeste
a to know if she might leave the court.
r She was told she might, and she did g
after having been recalled to be aske
d this question: DO you know the prl
# oner 7"
II never saw this man until to-day W;
the reply.
A Two or three other witnesses bein
is called, the porter at Taggarts Inn, I'll
e locksmith, and the first policeman WI
appeared upon the scene, the prosecutir
h counsel said, Call Adela Coulton, ali
II hrs. Langley, alias Sunhower."
m "Stop this" cried the prisoner; Il adm
lIdid it. killed him. Sentence me TO
ii lbenged, and don't call HER! DOn't-don
u cali SunfowerW
4. Now, as rule in English criminal pr
N cedure, if a man avows a crime, there is a
a. s:d to the matter, and no Inquiry is mad
SO that man in despair has really only
,s accuse himself of murder, and his word
ID taken for granted. But q judge has Il
ID privilege of assuming that p man is not