The Wolverhampton and Midland Counties Advertiser. — 1875-12-11 (Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England)

STAFFORDSHIRE WINTER ASSIZES. , .< These Assizes were commenced. at Stafford, before Baron Amphlett, at ten o'clock, on Tuesday. • • His Lordship, in charging the Grand Jury, said there,was an unusually large number of cases in the calendar, a great many of which were directly traceable to the beerahousesanclpublic-heuses, which had harboured men until they were so intoxicated. that they could only just walk. If he-might venture to make a practical suggestion, it was that it would be well for the police to be instructed to watch cases' that, were tried at the Assizes and Sessions,, and where there was reason to suppose that men had been Allowed to stay the whole of the day drinking in public-houses, to discover, if .possible, any publican who was not carrying en his business in a respectable manner, and call upon him ,to explain his conduct on the licensing day in due Course. There were one or two cases of a very serious kind , which he wonld call their attention. to. The first ease was one of wilful murder against two persons named Mussily and Mllman, the 'circumstances of ,Which were of a most pitiful and painful kind. The deceased was a young girl who was put by her mother under the, charge of the two prisoners who Were not man and wife, but lived as such. The father lived at Wolverhampton, and the prisoners plied about between that and other places., previous to the alleged murder, the attention of some boatmen were called to the prisoner's boat on several occasion's when the two prisoners were seen beating the girl in a most violent . way with a whip, which was probably used to drive the horse with, and both prisoners were seen to flog ,the little girl with the lash"' doubled on the stock of, the whip .upon her the, person. That' treatment went on up, to the 31st of:J October, at which time the girl appeared to be in a.,.; Very feeble_ state, and died on that day. When the 'girl, was medically examined, on her leinsand Other parts of , her person were -found a mass of wounds and: bruises, such :as might have been caused by. the whip. It was found at the post-mortem, examination that the cause of death was a clot of blood upon the brain. If they were satisfied: that the death was either caused or accelerated by the beating that the girl received from the prisoners, or either Of. them,.. undoubtedly the-beating being of kind that no-thing could justify in a girl -of tender age, it: Would be, an unlawful act on their, ;part., The . question would then arise—had they 'any doubt as to whether the prisoners were guilty ef manslaughter or, the More serious crime of murder?, There had beefy= immoderate and unreasonable Correction,* and !the question was Whetb,er, having remerd to the tender age of.the,girl and her delicate state 'of health.at the' time, the whip 'ivais not a dangerous instrument; or' die calculated. to lead to dangerous consequence. as not necessary that the prisoners 'should hare contemplated killing the Child, that they should- 'be charged. with ,the capital offence. If they used' dangerous weapon, knowing her weak state, wad in areckless 'spirit; the law said it was murder. . His. Ifordship then alluded to the case of Win. Hancock, eharged with murdering- by shooting Thomas Poodwin at Leek,. This ease arose out of a quarrel between the prisoner „and the deceased, • who. whilst in liquor fought'; after' which the prisoner went home-and fetched a gun, and encountering the deceased, pointed thegun at"-hii and shot him dead. Under the circumstances' a prima.' Pcie ease •of Murder was to be made-out. The Grand Jury wene then dfscharged to their duties., •• • • • • •• r.