The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1872-08-03 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

PLEADING "GUILTY."  person . defaces,  At the Maidstone Assizes, the cue has been beard of the soldier who had murdered a drummer-boy.—James Tooth, a Mamie, a man of middle age, was indicted for the murder of one George Thomas titmice, a boy, at Chatham, on the 30th of June last. The Admiralty, the prisoner and the deceased being in the Marine C.rps, prosecuted. The prisoner was a private in the 9th ciimpany of Marines, stationed at Chatham, and the deceased W3`3 a drummer boy in the same corps. Some time ago the prisoner had got drunk, and it appeared that the boy, in some way or other, was instrumental in getting him into trouble. The prisoner, accoraing to his own account, had been far some time waitiag for his revenge ; and on Sunday, the 30th of June, he took it terribly. The poor boy leas sitting in the reading-room, when the prisoner—no one else being there—came into the room, seized the boy, and cut his throat from ear to ear. A woman on the stairs outside heard a suppressed scream, and in a few seconds the unhappy boy staggered out, bleeding copiously. A. soldier who was peering took hold of him ahe was about to tall, and assisted to remove him; every eff irt was made to save him, but in vain, and in a eliort time he died. There was no doubt that the ilreadiul deed was the act ..f the prisoner, who, when taxed with it, dui not deny it, and Raid shor ly afterwards, "Some time ago I got drunk, and the young was very near getting me into trouble. Pre been waiting to have my revenge, and now I've got it." The prisoner again and again declared his intention of pleading guilty to the charge of murder. It had beam intended to set up the defence of insaniti% He resisted, however, evi ry effort to persuade him to plead "Not guilty," and when arraigned that morning he pleaded "Guilty." The officer of the Court, Mr. Avory, explained the charge to him clearly, but the prisoner adhered to his confeseiiiia. The learned Judge then addressed him thus :—Don't suppose, he said, that I wish, if you fully understand the nature if the charge and the consequenceu of the course you take, to induce you to plead otherwise than you desire to ilo ; but I think it right to tell 3oU distinctly that the same sentence awaits you, whether you confess the charge or whether you are found guilty of it. If you are satisfied not only that you did the act, but that you are legally guilty of the crime charged, then the curse you propose to take is not only not improper, but quite the reverse. I only desire that you ehould fully understand the nature of the charge and the consequences of your plea. Do you fully understand me? The prisoner, after a few momenta of consileration, said,— It's better as it is. Let it stand aa it is. The Officer of the Curt: You adhere to your plea? The prisoner said he did. Mr. Stanhope (tor the defence) said be was not in a position to show that the prisoner was not in a tit state to plead, and he could take no part in the pro accontin,,,  ceediag.' The learned Judge: I do not gee how you possibly could, Mr. Stonhope. The plea of " was then recorded, and Th. 1, r,, proceeeed pees sentence rinati.. 1, -vie,: mad the depositions, I think it right to say, for the sake of the public, that you have dons yourself no wr.sz in the cow. you have tAken, and that no jury could have had ay doubt as to yonr wuilt. It is my duty to pare upon put the exuteuee of tli law, atd I add no words of my own. The learned Judge then prertedeo tr. • ...f4 sentence of death in the usual form.