The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1838-04-03 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MURDER.  Joseph Dnnerley, 27, was placed at. the bar, under an indictment ►n which he stood charged with the wilful murder of Jonathan Fielding, governor of the workhouse at Prestwich. The prisoner seemed perfectly cool and collected when he entered the dock. He is an exceedingly thin and cadaverouslooking individual, with long lanky hair.—Mr. Dodd, solicitor, of this town, gratuitously undertook to do what was in his power for the defence of the prisoner, and Mr. Boileau was assigned to him as counsel.  Mr. BRANDT conducted the prosecution. The learned counsel briefly opened the case. This, he said, was a serious case, in which there was very little room fur doubt, the prisoner having taken up a drying-iron and 'struck the deceased on the head therewith. It appeared that he was an individual of violent passions, and that several times he had been confined in the New Bailey prison at the instance of the governor of the Prestwich workhouse, of which he was an inmate. He appeared to have chetished some antipathy against the governor for this, and had taken away his life. The defence would be, that the prisoner Was of unsound mind. It would be for the jury to judge of that frog the evidence. Elizabeth Taylor sworn.—Witness stated that she was 72 years of age. She lived in the workhouse at Prestwich. Jonathan Fielding was the governor thereof, and the prisoner was an inmate. He (the prisoner) had a wife and three children. Remembered the day when this happened. It was about two o'clock. The governor was sitting near her. The prisoner Caine in and put an iron into the fire. It was an iron which they dry their weaving work with. It remained in the fire five or six minutes. (The instrument was here produced.) After it had remained in the fire five or six minutes, the prisoner, who had been out, returned, went straight to the fire, and pulled it out. He raised it, and struck the governor on re left side of the head, near the ear. He repeated the blow, and the governor fell to the ground. The governor was sitting with his head leaning towards the fire, making a little paste. The prisoner exclaimed, "I have killed him." He then went away into the workshop, where he was seized. Had nut heard any quarrel between the governor and the prisoner. Had only been about a quarter of an hour iti the dry-room. The prisoner had been sent to the New Bailey shortly before this, and had returned about four days. He was confined about three weeks. Witness did not hear the prisoner say any thing when be was taken away to the New Bailey. Two surgeons were sent for, and the governor died.  Cross-examined by Mr. BOILRA u.—Was in the room all the time, and saw him take the iron out of the fire. The iron was hot at the time, and the governor was sitting with his head very low. The prisoner stood and looked at him for a moment, and then exclaimed, " I have killed him." Ile (the prisoner) had been working in the recovery cellar before it happened. The prisoner frequently complained of being very ill. Never saw him in a fit. There was no one present. but Alice Schofield and witness.  Re-examined by Mr.