The Sun. — 1846-06-23 (London, England)

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. OLD COURT.  William Manfield was indicted for feloniously ribbing and throwing Elizabeth Pullen upon a certain stone pavement, with intent to do her some bodily injury, dangerous to life; with intent to murder her. The circumstances of this case will be in the recollections of our readers. The prisoner and the prosecutrix cohabited together, and on the day in question it appeared that they were quarrelling, and the prisoner beat the prosecutrix in a most cruel manner; and he was heard to say he would throw her out of the window; and almost at the same instant the unfortunate woman was seen to fall from the window, and she was picked up in an insensible state and covered with blood. She was taken to the hospital, where she remained for some time in a most dangerous state ; and upon the magistrate taking her deposition, she, to the astonishment of every one declared that she had thrown herself out of the window.  The unfortunate woman was called as a witness, and she repeated this statement; but from the manner in which she gave her evidence, it appeared very evident that she was actuated by a desire to screen the prisoner from the consequences of his brutality. The RECORDER inquired whether a surgeon was in attendance to speak to the nature of the injury received by the prosecutrix 7—The Police constable said that Mr. Burrell, the magistrate who committed the prisoner, considered the evidence of a surgeon was unnecessary. The RECORDER said he was very much surprised that the magistrate had given such an opinion. The prisoner was charged with inflicting a bodily injury dangerous to life, and they had no evidence of a surgeon to show the character of the injury. Directions were then given that the constables should go to the hospital and procure the attendance of the surgeon ; and in a short time he entered, and seated that the gentleman who had attended upon the prosecutrix had gone out, and it was uncertain when he would return.  In answer to further questions put by the RECORDER, the constable stated that the prosecutrix was found lying upon the ground perfectly insensible, covered with blood; and a portion of her hair and :some blood was also found on a brick upon which she had fallen, lie also stated that she was three weeks in the hospital before she could be removed. The prisoner in his defence said that the woman threw herself out of the window, because he would not let her go out of the door.  The RECORDER, in summing up, said that it wr•uld have been more satisfactory to have had the evidence of a surgeon ; but still it would be a question for the jury, supposing they should consider the facts to be proved, whether they could entertain any reasonable doubt that the injury received was calculated to endanger the life of the prosecutrix.  The jury returned a verdict of Guilty. The RECORDER told the prisoner he had been convicted of a capital offence, and judgment of death would be recorded against him. The sentence of death would not, however, be carried out, but, taking into consideration the brutal character of the offence, he should feel it his duty to recommend that he be transported for the term of his natural life.