The Sun. — 1846-03-09 (London, England)

PARRY..) MURDER. —Francis Fleet was charged with the wilful murder of Ann Ray, at Dunton,:in this county, by administering to her two drachms of corrosive sublimate on the 26th of June last. Mr. Sanders was counsel for the prosecution, and Mr. Power defended the prisoner. From the testimony of the various witnesses examined in support of this most serious charge, it appeared that the prisoner and the deceased were fellow-servants at Dunton, the former being the shepherd and the latter the only female attendant of a Mr. Duncombe, a farmer in that village. For some time before the date of this transaction it had become known to their fellow-servants that an illicit connexion had sprung up between these parties, and it was suspected that the deceased was in the family-way by him. On the 26th of June the prisoner was working with some other men in the rickvard till one o'clock, when lie went into the house, as he said, to get some bread and cheese from " the gal." In a few minutes, however, he returned, and calling one of the labourers to him told him that " the gal" was taken ill, and asked him to go in while he went for assistance. On going into the kitchen, the poor creature was discovered in great agony, vomiting dreadfully, and complaining of a burning sensatien in her throat and stomach. For some days she continued to suffer much, ulcers having appeared in her mouth and on her tongue,—and during all that time the prisoner evinced great anxiety on her account, making frequent inquiries after her condition. On one of these occasions, he was taxed with having given her " some stuff," when he replied that "he had not compelled her to take it." On the 9th of July the deceased was removed to the Winslow Union in a gig, and soon after that exertion she grew rapidly worse, till one of the ulcers broke, and she died of exhaustion. During her illness the prisoner was taken into custody, and she made a deposition before a magistrate in his presence, from which it appeared that on his coming into the kitchen on the 26th of June, he had put some white powder into a glass of water and told her to drink it off, declaring that he would not leave the house till she did so. This she declined to do at first, but being at last persuaded by him she swallowed it, and on the instant was attacked with the sickness and pains which had been deposed to by the other witnesses, and were attributed by medical testimony to her having taken a quantity of white mercury, or corrosive sublimate. The deceased also swore that she was then two months advanced in the family-way by the prisoner, who knew that fact, and had on a previous occasion caused her to take something to do away with the child, but without effect. In addition to this, she stated that the prisoner had some more of the same stuff by him, and on being searched, a rag was found in his pocket, containing a small quantity of corrosive sublimate, an article which appeared to have been kept on the farm for the purpose of application to the sheep under prisoner's care. Mr. POWER having addressed the jury, liis LORDSHIP summed up the case to them with great care and perspicuity, telling them that if they should be of opinion that the prisoner had administered this noxious substance to the deceased with the wicked design of procuring abortion, he was, in the eye of the law, guilty of murder, even though there was, in fact, an absence of any malice towards the unfortunate object of his practices. If, therefore, they thought that he had administered this poison with that design, and that her death ensued from her having so taken it, it was their duty, however painful it might be, to return a verdict of wilful murder against the prisoner at the bar. The jury then retired to consider their verdict, and ultimately found that the prisoner had administered the poison to the deceased to procure abortion, and that she had died in consequence thereof; on which a 'verdict of Guilty was recorded. Mr. Baron PAICKE then put on the black cap, and proceeded to pass the awful sentence of the law upon the prisoner; after which the jury begged to recommend him to mercy, as in their opinion he had not contemplated any injury to the deceased. Ilis Lordship then intimated to him that he should take care that the recommendation of the jury should be conveyed to the proper quarter, though he could not take upon himself to hold out any prospect of mercy in this world.