Trial For Mayhem.
The Times, 1824-06-26T00:00:00

Yesterday in the General Courta trial cameon, which, ftom its verv rare occurrence, andathe circumstances attending it,'excited no! small degree of interet. This was the trial of Joln D. Smith, of Grand Babama, for the crime of maihem, by cutting off part of' the ears of A.V. G . Tavler of the same island. The circumstance of this case, as detailed in evidence, werein subttance as follows:- Smith having entertained unfavourable suspicions of his wife's puritv of character, they had lived separate for twelve or eighteen months paSt, on the same island, their residence being thirty milft distant, Smith having his two daughters liviug with himself. Taj i lor lived about half am ile from Irs. Smithb Smith left his own re6 sidence in a beat, accompanied by fdur negro men, landed at some distance fromthe house oECharles Ureatberford; into whose house he came about 9 o'clockon the nightoftbe Ilth oflast month, soon after which boar the witness to this partof the afair retired to bed. Taylor's evidence was, that about 11 o'clock on the above-men_ tioned night, being in bed with Irs. Smith, in her owB housej he was awoke by persons breakingin theside of the house, near the bed, when through an aperture thus made Smith entered, accompanied by four negro men one of whon belad a lighted torch another of the negroes seized Taylor near the throat, aid he was dragged aff the bed and laid oa the floor, when Smnith took a SmaaU knife froin his pocket and cut off part of both the ears of Taylor. He was then allowed to rise on his feet. when Smith tore his shirt off. Thus rnu- tilated and bleeding he was led out of: the house, and heard Smith caU out to Charles Weatherford and Richard Wilscome, *and soon afterwards Weatherford asked Smith " Have you cut them both P" he replied, "Yes, 1 have cut them both." Taylor then proceeded to his own house, accompanied by Weatherford and Wilaceme, who passed on. Taylor called up his brother who wvs asleep. Taylor then desired his brother to hand him the'gun, but ivhicki bad been taken out that day by oneof the negroe. lie then desiredhisbrother to get him some clothe. and prepare to have hisvwounds dressed. - Theevidence'ontheparTtofthe Crown having bete gone through, the Counsel for the prisoner commenced his defence, which he con. ducted in a very ingenious and stroagly argumentative-nianner, and' concluded with an eloquent appeal to the jury on the enormity of the injury whicb had been doneto the priwoner by:Taylor, *homt he had discovered in the manner stated in the evidence This wit re. plied to by the Solicitor-General in cler atnd perspicueusiangusge, effgctuaUy and 'successfully combating the law cited, and the argu. mnents used in the defence of the prisoner. The Chief Justice then recapitulated the evidence to the Jury, commenting in StrOng terms on thteprovince of the jiaryasto the lawcited onihepart of tbedde, feace, and theyaetired' from the couit about 10 o'dockat miight. After consulting together for- nearly an hour, the jury returned int6 court,' finding the prisonge uilfy, but recommended himn to sqacyi, L I p TRIAL FOR MAYHEM. ! AP.R.RA7JT Nrw PnvTmEC. ApRIL 2&