The Sun. — 1841-03-27 (London, England)

NORTHERN CIRCUIT—LANcesrEn, March 24. Richard Boothman, James Wilkinson, Thomas Riley, and Henry Bidehaigh, were indicted for the wilful murder of Joseph Halstead, at Colnc, on the 11th of August last. A second count charged Boothman with the murder, and the other prisoners with aiding and abetting him. It appeared in evidence, that about a week before the event serious disturbances had oectirred in the town of Colne, and the Magistrates thought fit to send for the military,, who re= mained from Friday to Sunday. On the evening of Monday the Magistrates received such information as induced them to swear in seventy Special constables, among whom was the de= ceased, a respectable tradesman of the town. The Hint Act was read first at the Old Church, and then about a quartti of a mile further, A distance further on was the New Church, from the fence ~f which iron rails had been torn. The Magistrates and Constables preceedtd down NbitliTh:, street to Cross-street, where they heard the spring of a rattle, and heard a considerable noise and the dicharge of firearms, and soon heard that a man had been killed. Firoiri the time the deceased was sworn in he Wa'S fit Coinpained by a speCial constable named Wild. In Cross-street they Were tbltowed a few yards b. the mob. A violent blow was airn,s'd 41 Wild with an iron liar, which so alarmbd him that he went home; The deceased was then standing at the door of a mats isarn6d Hawksworth, who looked out Of his sindtivv, and saw a man down on the ground, and Oft, limb making exclamations, " Kill him." Some taid, " Don't kill him." Others, again, said, " Kill him,'' and he was killed. The deceased wait Subseq4entli found on the ground by a man neitied Snowden, with his heat beaten to pieces, but Snowden was driven away by the mob while endeavouring to get it into a hbusei but the body was so disfigured that Snowden could no, recdgnise hiiii. Three police officers Will prose that Boothman was in the mob, and that he struck the blow which brought the person down who was standing at Hawksworth's door. He then rats awd.y, Mid dropped an instrument, and an instrintiont watt taken up at the With blood. There place. With respect to Rilby, a man who had known him before,pillow,was found followed him, He fell, and a large piece of wood was dropped, and he was secured. As to _Wilkinsen, the evidence I, various. roollff theAhosupseeeial constebit, named Fowls, passed by subskuently found in bed, and a jacket stained subs, quently upon them, was also waistcoata pair ,sotfain weted w shoes,ith b blood: with : o grassn the ownership of which he denied. its a cradle, but the man sent tits° tth officer' blond, His hat was found a shirt stained in part with saidhad been knocked oft by a eoristablth He been sent to the Houes football." It will " I Shetild not hate done it, proved that in January; 1840, he had 16, to the House of Correction for playing at of Correction for twb months on an ins formation given by thee as to the prisoner they Cl/4"' Solri'e information was given , tam out found till Vebruary, when R of the way, and he was not *ound in his head, which h: was taken in Halifax, with a Ile afterwards said that on thsoaT he had got in the street. coming to Colne, and met the moaby of the occasion he was his hand, when he was knocked downy ato put a weal on into a door in Cussstreet. The next morning a piece of iron, coveds with blood; was found about 200 yards from the spot -.e where the deceased was killed. Evidence also was given to show that in Jams y prisoner Wilkinson had been convicted and sentaren,celB4o, the months' imprisonment, under the Malicious Trio dto two 'Tres as Act, on the information of the deceased. The evidence against the prisoners Riley and Bidehaigh wast fix such as to connect them with the riot, but as it did no them with any actual violence to the deceased, his Lordship Ca.. quit ted them. Mr. WiticiNs then addressed the Jury on behalf of Boothman and Wilkinson, and his Lord-hip having summed up the evidence, the Jur ~ ayes a c nsiderabie r,etiiemer.,t, returned wish a verdict of Guilty against iketimran, sod acquitted Wilkinson.  Sentence of death was immediately passed upon Boothman.