The Herald of Wales. — 1888-03-03 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) CARNARTEIRN, Natl Milly morning. The excitement in the town occasioned by the Lionelly trial has somewhat abated, and the court this morning, though full, is not .liflioult to enter. The Judge took his seat at halfpast ten, and Henry Jones WB9 immediately put into the dock, chaired with the murder of his daughter on the let December. Mr Arthur Lewis and Mr Northmore Jones appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Abel Thomas defended the prisoner. On being asked to plead, Jones burst into sobs, and presently said" Guilty." You don't mean that," said the Judge, you are charred with killing with malice a fore thought." Did you kill her intentionally The prisoner, who continued to sob piteonsly, exclaimed in anguish " No, but I did it." The judge: "Plead not guilty then." Mr Arthur Lewis opened the case for the prosecution, and as he spoke, prisoner continued mobbing. Mr Lewis recapitulated the facts of the case. It appears that on the 7th of Decembcr the prisoner, who was a milk vendor, resided at Blue-street, Carmarthen, with his second wife and two children by his former marriage. About four o'clock on the Thursday of the murder, Mrs. Jones, prisoner's wife, left the house to go her usual rounds with the milk. Shortly after five o'clock, Police-Sergeant Hughes was called in and found the prisoner sitting on a settle near the fire, hugging his daughter Ann Jane, raven years old, to his breast. The little girl's throat had been cut, and from the ugly gash her blood was flowing over her fathers knees to the floor. As the officer entered Jones continued to careen his child and said repeatedly "Bt is my child—my child. I did it with a razor" Upon examination, it was found that the girl's throat had been cut from ear to ear, the head being almost completely severed from the trunk. The razor was fonnffiin Jones's pocket covered with blood. When questioned, the prisoner could give no intelligent account °I what he had done, or why he had done it. It was evident that at the time he was under the influence of drink.  The videnee adduced was of a purely formal characier, and the orose-examiaation was merely directed to prove temporary insanity at the time of the murder.  Harriet Thomas' said she was a neighbour of the prisoner. Shortly before five o'clock on the day of the murder, the prisoner in an excited manner called her in to his house, and pointing to his daughter who was lylng in a pool of blood, said, " I have done it." Police Sergeant Hughes, described the demeanour of the prisoner, when he was called in, and witness gave it as his opinion, that at the time of the murder, Jones was under the influence of drink—though not drunk. Hearder, head of the Carmarthen Asylum, said he had made tbroe examinations of the prisoner, but was unable to discover any mental derangement. His will was feeble,and his power of self-control waa utterly destroyed. He was also morbidly emotional. He had reoeived severe wounds at the back and the side of his head. Prisoner suffered from epilepsy. This caused physical convulsions at one time, and mental convulsions • another. In such oases persons might do I grievous injury without being conscious of it The Judge directed the jury to r,turn a verdict of guilty while in an insane state of mind. The jury did this, and his lordship, addressing the prisoner, : Jones, the jury have found you not responsible for your actions when you I killed your little child. You will be detained as a criminal lunatic during Her Majesty's pleasure, that is, you will be taken care of.