Lent Assizes.
The Times, 1824-03-04T00:00:00

Vcforc tre HJOt. Xr. Baron UAtIROW. Daniel Cri nsldtre was indicted for the murder of hisson, William Grimshire, an infant of the age of six montlhs. The indictment chargeA hi'm with having, on the 3d of January last, feloniously, wilfully, and of maiice aforethought, poured a largae quantity ot boiling and scalding water into the mouth, and hver the nrck,breast, and arms of the deceased, who thereby became sore, sick, and dim- tetapered, and languished till the 18th of January when he died of the sickness and distemnper occasioned by the act of his father. The prisoner, a young man of Iecent appearance, in the condition of a labourer, pleaded "not guiltv." Mllr. JUSTICE stated the case for the prosecution. Catherine Dew then gave evidence as follows:-l am 50 Years of age. I live at Sutton Courtney. On the 1st ofJanuarv last- Daniel Yri;mshire and his wife lived in the house with me. 'lhey had one child, apparently rather more than six months old. The outer door opens into a brewhouse, common to both, which parts my rooms from those of the porisoner. The doors of the rooms are nearly, but not quite, oppoatte to each other. The partitionts are very thin, being comsposed of lath and plaster. The doors shut tolerably close. When I anm in my own room I can hear the prisoner and his wife converse, but not FO ac to undlerstand them. On the 3d of January t went two or three times in tite course of the day into the prisoner s room. About 5 in the evening I went in, when Its. Grimshire was ironing. I held the child while she finished her ironing, by the fire- side. It was very well then; as well as I had seen it for some time. In about a quarter of an hour she said she would dress it and put it to bed before the shepherd (that was her husband) came home. I then returned into my own room. About six, or a little after, I heard the prisoner cone home, and go into his room. lrs. Grimshire soon after went out on errands. A little after, she came in, and shortly went out a second time. After she had been gone about two minutes, I heard the child cry out very much indeed. I said to my boy, I could not think what had happenedt to little Billy, and I would go in and see. I went across the brew-house, opened the door, and said to the prisoner " La! shepherd, what maktes little Billy cryso?" He said, " es ie did: I have been to rite I cradle once, and rocked him before." I had heard no cry before that on which I went in. Theshepherd was sitting ona chair wlhich he usually sat in when he wvas at home. He went to the cradle, and took- one side, whild I took the other, and rocked the cradle. MIrs. Grimshire came in from the shop with the things, and asked, 1 What did little Billy cry so ?" (He was still crving.) I said, " Yes, he do; I could not bear to hear him cry so, or I should not have come in." I returned into my own house. Some tilne alter I lteard the shepherd go out; and a little while after, it might beabout three or four minotesU Mrs. Grimsliire ran in to me with the chitld in her artms. The child was rather stiller, tbough yet crying. I sat down in the chair, and Alrs. Grimashiie purtechild into rmy arm.s, while she went to call a neighbour. The child was very much scalded on tite neck, round the left ear all the cheek, mout9,breast, and shoulder. The lips were very much scald- ed indeed; all up in blisters. Dlr%.NVarrick and I undressed it we opened its moouth and saw that all around its mouth wasblistered. It had then its night dress on. TIley were verv wet round tile neck and shoulder. It had a night cap on, tied under thechin, and wet round the ear. I began scraping potatoe to nmix rvitl oil, while Mrs. WVarwick held thte child. Mrs. Grimshire went to fetch her h us- band home. The prisoner came it befoxe her, two or three minutes, i she said she went and called him out of Mr. Reeves's. W'hen hie came in, I said, La! shepherd, whiat liave you done to little Billy He nade me answer, and said, " I have done nothing." He took the chair, sat down, and be*an crying very much indeed. i The table was between tre cradle and thle fire. The cradle is a ! wicker cradle with a head; the fee. were towards the fire. On the table itere ttvo cups and saucers, and a tea-pot. They had nor drank tea. Other people examined the cradle. I did not. I saw I the pillow and clothes. The coverlet was not vet. Utoss-examined by :'Ir. DIGUY.-I had lived in the house with the prisoner thlree months before the death of the child. Ile and hisi wife had no words, to my knowledge. The prisoner swas mild in his manner. The prisoner and his wife did not live on vcry good terms, but lie never beat her or used violent langLuage. lie was not much at home.l Here one of thc Jurymen wvas observed to be faintirg. blat, after taking refreslhiment, lie said he should be able to go on, and the trial proceeded. Mrs. Dew proceeded to sav-I never knew the prisoner unlind to the child; but be was not usedS to take it or talk to it. ll'hen I heard the child cry, and srent into the room, there was a light on tbe table. I have heard hlis wife sav, that he did once shave on a; Sa- 1 turday evening. This was Saturday evening: I saw no preparationq for sliaving. The neighbours proposed to send for Jr. Vest, andt the prisoner went liinsselt: I often we,t into the prisoner's roo - I saw the prisoner's father there; heappeared very tond ofthe child: l Mr. Thomas WVest said-I am a surgeoni at Sutton Courtney. Otn the 3d of January a man came to my house, and I asked iim if it was his child that vas scalded? He said it was. I asked when it was done ? He said he di.l not know. I observed that hre could surely tell whether it v:as two or three days ago, or that night. He replied, " Yes, it was rn-night." I ztsked, " vhether it wasi done an hour ago ?" He replied, *- Not lotig ago, while the nmo- ther was gone to tihe shop." I asked * if the child was scalded very badly ?" He said, " it was." * I inquired if it could be brought up to me ?" He said, " he did not know." I then gave him di- rections as to immediate applicatioln to the child. I do not recollect any thing niore. A few ruisintes after thee ehild was brought in by three women, of whom MTrs.W*arwick was one. I examined it, and found that the left side of the faco seas in blistees from scalding, that tihe ear was in a similar state, anld tbht the moutlh, lips. left side of the neck, left shoulder, and tipper part of thie j chest, on the same side, were blistered. The next morning I i oeened rite mouth and found blisters on the tongue, inside ot the cheeks, and gums. I continued to attend the child regularly till his death,which hanpenvd on the morningof tle 18th ofJanuary. I attended the coroner's inquest on the 20th,and asled leave to open t!he body. I found a dark appearance ott the arm, as if the circul; - nLon was carried on with great languor; the childl was thin and inca- rre when I first saw hibs; I found no marks of internal disease; nothing in the appearance of the parts likely to produce death. The scalds were, in my opinion, the cause of the7child's death. Cross-examined.-I cannot positively swear that the man vheio c*ame to me was the prisoner. There was nothing swhich I obsenred tremulous in his voice. He wished nse to see the child. IMany ac- cidents arise from the careless use of hot water. The windpipe vwas not at all affected. Tl'c heat of the water might prodluce spastmodic action, and cause the stom ach to reject it. Edmund Morris said-I occupv a palper-mill at Sutton-Courtnev. On the 3d of January, I heard of what ha(d happenied, and went io the Fish public-house. I heard a man pass the house, whichI is on the road, three ftirlongs from Sutton-bridge. I and another man named Pointer set out to catch thIe person whom we heard pass. WVe overtook him at $ututn-gate, half a milc from the Fish. XI-e came tip to the man,und found it wts rthe prisoner. I said to bin, Grir- shiire, you are charged with having attempted to destrov vour child you must go back witlh .is." lIe did so witlhout resistarnce: be was crying very sadly. After we reached Sutton-bridge, he ttopped, and said, " I'll tell ytou all about it." I saict, " Keep your own coun:- sel. I'll riot hcar yot." lie twice repeated the offer, but I refused. A person going from Sutton-Courtecy to Dorchester would be in i the public road where we found hin. I JamesPohilter said-I overtook the prisoner on the other side of ite i bridge. I called" Hallo! W;here are you going?" He replied, * To Dorchester, after my wife's father or mother," I am not stire which. When we reached the Fisli, he told me if I would let himn go borne, he would tell nmc all about it. This wits the casc for the prosecution. The prisoner, beiisg called on for his defence, said that he took a basin to the kettle, and filled it. As he went across the rooni, lie stumbled against the cradle and the accident happenedl. He loved the child as his own life, antd 'eclared hiimself" as innocent as teo child unborn." Mr. Baron GAtRow stitiiiietd up the evidence with great inite ncss. lie strotigly urged the imiiprobability of the conimission of so rhrcadftil a crime, tor whlich no motive was suggested, and byn suc nleans, anid aditonielted itC jutry not to convict tile prisoner unless thiey were satisfied becondl r.li doubt of his guilt. The Jury, after rleliberatimrg tbr a short tinie, returned a verdict of Gutil Mir. 'aron GARntov proceeded to pass on the prisoner the dread- fullsentence, that he should be cxecuted on Thursday. and his bedy arlatornized ; and heldl out no hope of mercy. The prisoner manifested very little erssotibn during tire trial, on the delivery ot the verdict, or whent his was taken frons the bar. LENT. AMSIZES. CRILMINAL COURT. R'EADING. TuEsDnsv. IAAnr'T 9