The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1883-09-22 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

EXAMINATION OF THE PRISONER. In London, on Tueeday, at the Bow.street Police.  court, Michael O'Donnell, 48, described as a puddler, was charged before Mr. Flowers with the wilful murder of James Carey. Mr. Poland and Mr. Barnard Thomas, instructed by Mr. Stephenson, the solicitor to the Treasury, ap• peered on behalf of the Treasury; Mr. Howard Vincent and Chief Superintendent Williamson for the Police. The prisoner was guarded by several constables, who stood behind the dock. He gave his name as Patrick O'Donnell, though in the charge he is described as Michael O'Donnell.  Mr. Poland sad,—ln this case I appear on behalf of the Crown to prosecute the prisoner O'Donnell, who is charged before you with the wilful murder of James Carey on July 29 last, on board the British ship Melrose on the high seas, within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty of England and within the jurisdic• tion of the Central Criminal Court. When this matter occurred the vessel was about 25 miles south of Cape St. Blaise, on the high seas, and, therefore, clearly within your jurisdiction and within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court. He was arrested at the time and taken to Port Elizabeth before a magistrate there. The learned magistrate took the evidence of the witnesses, and on the 3rd of August he committed the prisoner to take his trial in that colony ; but after that was done the officer administering the government of the colony, General Smyth, thought it right and proper that the prisoner should be sent to this country, in order that he might be tried here, and by his warrant, which was issued by him under the statute, the prisoner was ordered to be brought by Inspector Cherry, of the Port Elizabeth police, to this country, to be dealt with in due course of law. It becomes necessary, therefore, that the witnesses should be examined again before you in this court, but at present they have not arrived, because, for obvious reasons, it was not thought deeirable that they should be sent over by the same vessel as that in which the prisoner was sant. His ship arrived first ; therefore I ask you for the ordinary remand until the arrival of the witnesses. That being so, I think it better to abstain from making any observations on the case; but when the witnesses have arrived I shall make a very short introductory statement so that you may the better follow the evidence. I shall only call the efficer Littlechild, who received this man under the Governor's warrant from the Port Elizabeth police at Southampton, and brought him here. I shall then ask you to remand him for the full time, when we expect the witnesses will have arrived. I then hope, in a full day, to be able to lay before you the whole of the evidence.  Inspector John George Littlechild was then called, and, in reply to Mr. Poland, stated that he was an inspector of the Metropolitan Police Force. On the 17th of September he went on board the vessel Athenian, which was lying in Plymouth Sound. He found the prisoner on that vessel. He was then in custody of Inspector John Cherry, of the Port Elizabeth Police Force. He went on with him in the Athenian to Southampton, and brought him up to London that day. Inspector Cherry banded him the Governor's warrant under which the prisoner was brought to this country. Inspector Cherry did not accompany him to London. With the exception of Inspector Cherry and other officers there were none of the witnesses on board the vessel. The other witnesses were on their way to this country.  The prisoner, who said he did not wish to ask any questions, was then remanded for a week.