The Sun. — 1844-03-15 (London, England)

EXAMINATION OF THE PRISONER. This morning the Town-hall was densely crowded by per• sons anxious to hear the examination. At eleven o'clock the magistrates,. Major Allen, Major Holy, J. Boner, Esq., and Sir G. Westphal, took their seats, and the prisoner was shortly afterwards brought in between two policemen. He looked round the hall in a very unconcerned manner. He is a young man, and apparently well brought up. On being asked his name, prisoner answered composedly, John Lawrence. Major Allen—Prisoner, you are now charged with the crime of murder. • The prisoner nodded his head. John Barnden examined—The prisoner was given into my charge by Mr. Collins for stealing some carpet from his shop in St. Jamees-street, and I brought him to the Towa-hall. Mr. Collins-came down with me. On my arrival at the halt I found Mr. Solomon, Mr. Samuel Slight, Mr. Butler, and Mr. Alger. I told Mr. Solomon what he was charged with, and Mr. Scilomon told me to go and get the carpet. I stood outside of Mr. Solomon's door, and I heard a call of " police." - I stood there several minutes, and heard some one in the'office halloo " police." I ran into the office, and saw Mr. s3lomon bleeding, and falling on thd floor, and then caught hold of the prisoner. I saw no weapon of any kind. I put the handcuffs on him, and put him into a chair. Prisoner said,-" I hope I have killed him, and then I shall be hung for it, and the first chance I get I will make off with myself." Here the prisoner became exceedingly faint, and shed tears. Major Allen—Ask the prisoner if he hears what is going on. Thoburn—The prisoner says he does not wish to hear it. The prisoner was here asked if he had anything further to sav, and he-very coolly began to relate how it occurred. •Mr. Samuel Slight, accountant—About half-past eight o'clock last night, the prisoner was brought in by the last witness. The prisoner was detained in Mr. Solomon's office. Mr. Solomon inquired how long he had been in Brighton. Prisoner answered, two days. Solomon replied, "he had been longer than that, for he knew he had been there a fortnight." Prisoner, in a very violent manner, then took off his stock, and said, " It is no use saying any more about it, give me a knife and I will murder myself." He appeared quite sober. Mr. Solomon endeavoured to genet him, and afterwards commenced a conversation with some gentlemen in the office. Prisoner went to the corner of the office opposite the fire place, and seated himself in a large chair. Mr. Solomon, who, at the time, was sitting on the stool with his side towards the prisoner, in the course of conversation, rose from his stool, and walked across the office towards me. As he turned to walk back again, the prisoner darted behind me, picked up the poker, and struck Mr. Solomon on the head. [The poker was produced, it was an ordinary-sized parlour poker, and was considerably bent by the force of the blow.] Mr. Solomon was struck on the right side of the head. I saw the blow. I immediately turned round, seized the prisoner, and took the poker from him. The poker was bent as it now is, but I did not observe whether it was bent before. When I seized him, the prisoner said "I don't mind, I have done it, and I hope they will hang me for it." There was no harsh language used by Mr. Solomon. Major Allen—Prisoner, would you wish to ask Mr. Slight any question ? The prisoner shook his head. Thomas Baldy, surgeon, examined—About half-past eight o'clock I was called to attend Mr. Solomon, whom I found sitting in a chair, and bleeding from a considerable wound on the right side of the head, about midway between the ear and the crown of the head. I examined the wound; it was two inches and a half or three inches in length, and nearly half an inch in breadth. I don't think the wound had reached the skull. I could not ascertain any fracture of the skull. Mr. John Cordy Burrowes, surgeon, said he was with Solomon when he died, about a quarter past ten o'clock that morning. This closed the case for the prosecution. Major Allen then told the prisoner that he had committed an unprovoked and cruel murder, and had deprived a wife and eleven children of a protector, and that he must be committed to take his trial at the ensuing Lewes Assizes on the '9th instant.