The Sun. — 1859-03-30 (London, England)

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.  NORTHERN CIRCUIT.-LIVERPOOL, MARCH 29.  CROWN COURT. (Before Mr. Justice Willes.)  John Parker, aged 55, a farm labourer, was charged with the murder of a gamekeeper, named Thomas Eatough, at Whalley, near Clitheroe, on the 14th of December last.  Mr. Monk, Q.C., and Mr. Kaye were counsel for the prosecution; and Mr. C. Foster defended the prisoner. It appeared that on the night of the 13th of De• cember last the deceased and five other gamekeepers were out watching, when they saw some men get over a hedge into a field, the property of the Rev. S. M. Whalley, called " Dewhirst's Meadow," in that gentleman's preserves. They followed, and one of the poachers was heard to exclaim " Blaze into 'em ! shoot 'em !" and another knelt down, presented his gun at the keepers, and drew the trigger. The cap exploded, but the gun did not go off. The keepers then rushed upon the poachers, and a desperate affray took place, in the course of which the deceased was so severely beaten about the head that he died on Christmas-day. Another of the keepers had two of his ribs fractured, and the others were more or less injured. The prisoner was recognised during the affray by one of the keepers, who called out, " What, Jack Parker, is't thee ?" The gun, which missed fire, was found in the field on the following morning, and was identified as belonging to the prisoner. Three of the poachers were apprehended shortly afterwards, and were tried at the recent assizes at Lancaster. The prisoner made his escape, but was subsequently apprehended in Westmoreland, where he was working as a navvy. While being conveyed to Clitheroe he twice attempted to throw himself under the wheels of the railway carriages, and when in the lock-up he stabbed himself four times in the abdomen with a spoon•handle which he had sharpened. At the close of the case for the prosecution, Mr. Foster raised the objection that the places named in connection with the affray were in the northern division of the county, and therefore the committal ought to have been to Lancaster. Under special circumstances the magistrates had power to commit from places in the northern division to Liverpool ; but in this case there was no proof of committal by the magistrates under the statutory authority and that of the Order in Council relating to the division of the county founded thereon. His Lordship said he would consider the objection, and, if necessary, reserve the point. Under the direction of his Lordship the prisoner was acquitted of murder, and the jury., after a long consultation, found him guilty of manslaughter. His Lordship sentenced him to ten years' penal servitude.  The prisoner's daughter, who was in court, a Foung woman respectably dressed in black, moaned Atterly, and almost fainted on hearing the sentence.  very horrible case, and he could not conceive how a woman could have cut up the body of her infant in such a manner. He did not believe there was any ground for supposing that the child had been born alive, but still it was a very bad offence indeed, and he felt it his duty to order her to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for 18 calendar months.