The Express. — 1848-07-20 (London, England)

NEAR SWANSEA.—T. Martin, aged 24, stone-cutter, and M. Leary, aged 29, railway labourer, were charged with the wilful murder of John Williams. The prisoners pleaded" Not guilty."—Measre. Grove and Benson conducted e prosecution ; Scrjeant Jones and Mr. AlbertJenkin defended the prisoners.—The facts of the case, as detailed in the evidence, was as follows:—The prisoners, in company with three other men, named Patrick Leary, John N and William Norris, left Lloughor on the Bth May laA to proceed to Swansea, about seven miles distant. About midnight they reached Tywith, a house where a Cwrw Bach wee held—that being a sort of marriage festival, where, previous to a marriage, beer was sold, the profits on the sale of which served to produce a little pecket-money for the newly-married couple. There they sat tor some time, in company with many others, among whom was the deceased, John Williams. He was • sub-contractor on the South Wales tt. tilway—a person whom Welshmen call a "gaffer." Patrick Leary applied to him for work, which John Williams agreed to give him. Upon this a man named Edward Morgan, used some words which created a quarrel—the Irishmen were accused of working at • lower rate than the Welshmen on the South Wales Railway. A scuffle ensued, was continued outside the door, and • great many persons wore attracted to the spot. A groan was then heard ; and shortly afterwards it was found that John Williams had been stabbed through the heart. Re fell instantly dead. Patrick Leary swore that he saw the pthoner lhomu Martin strike the fatal blow. Soon atter a man named Jenkin Even was killed, almost in the same mariner as John Williams hail been. Early in the next Jay Mr. Dillwyn Llewelyn, a magistrate in the neighbourhood, caused a pursuit to be made for the five Irishmen, and they were ail apprehended. It was proved that Martin had sharpened his knife previous to th• murder, and that when on his way from the spot where it had been perpetrated he said, " I am the boy that has let the witei through some of them." Subsequently he said, when in the etation-house, I have done a bad job." Tne prisoner Michael Leary was charged with having been present, and aiding and abetting in the commission of the murder. 11 was proved that Michael Leary had a knife in his possession, and at the time of his apprehension he said, "We shall all be hung."—Dr. Bird depesedthat on the 10:h of May, at the request of the coroner and jury. be made an examination of the body of the deceased, John Williams. There was a wound on the left breast, on the side, which penetrated the chest, wounding the lower part of the left lung, and striking into one of the cavities of the heart. There was no other wound. " I have no doubt but that the wound which I have described was the cause of death."— The judge having summed up, the jury retired to consider their verdict, and returned in about three-quarters of en hour with • verdict of Guilty ageiast both the priuthers. The 'prisoners beard the verdict apparently with indifference. His lordship then put on the black cap, and passed sentence of death. The sentence was beard very Imperfectly, on account of the agonising end convulsive screams which proyeeded from a female in the immediate vicinity of the court, and who wee, probably, the wife or near relative of one of the prisoners. A. they were removed lrom the bar they exhibited symptoms of mental distress, and protested their innocence.