Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1887-07-09 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

TUE MURDER OF A MALAY SEAMAN. The trial of Jamm Cocks, James Gleeves, Edward William Evans and John William Webster, for the murder of a Malay named Elasaim on board the British vessel Lady DougLis on the high area, has been conchided at the Central Criminal Court, before Mr. Justice Stephen....  Mr. Polan-d and Mr. Mead appeared for the prosecu• tion ; Mr. Healey appeared for Cocks, Mr. Horace Avory for Gloeres, Mr. Geoghegan for Evans, and Mr. Grain for Webster.  After remarkable evidence recapitulating what had been elicited at the preliminary hearing had been taker., and counsel on both sides had addressed the jury, Mr. Justice Stephen summed up. Fle explained to the jury the law relating to casea of homicide, and he reminded them that it was their duty to be guided by what be should lay down to be the law upon the aubject, and not by any other consideration. The learned judge then referred to the evidence, and said it appeared to him that at the time the crew came to the determination to kill the deceased there was a variety of other means by which he might have been secured and eventually prevented from doing any mist. chief, It was rather for their own convenience that the crew resolved to kill the man than that such a step was necessary for their own s defy and the pr Aection of the ship. At the time the Malay was shot by °lemma he had been alro idy wounded in the foot, and his lordship could not find any ground for the panic that appeared to prevail on the ship. When the man had been twice badly wounded, he appeared to have been hauled upon deck like a bucket, and it was said that h looked round isa wild and strange manner. He (Mr. Justice Stephen) said he should like to know who would not look wild and strange under such circumstances; but while he was in this state it was said that they all agreed that the best thing to be done was to kill him. The jury would say whether they considered that the prisoners would have been justified in killing the man under such circumstances. He had no hesitation in tell ng them that by the law of England killing a man, although he might be in the condition this Malay was, amounted to murder, and that there was no justification whatever for the last shot fired by Webster, which appeared to have actually caused the death. lithe jury should believe that all the prisoners concurred in what was done by Webster, they were all equally guilty, and the jury would have no alternative but to say that they were guilty of murder. The jury retired to deliberate upon their verdict. They returned into court after an absence of an hour and 20 minutes and found all the prisoners guilty of wilful murder, but they strongly recommended them to mercy bemuse they believed it was done in ignorance of the law. Mr. Justice Stephen, having assumed the black cap, addressed the prisoners, and said that the jury had returned the only verdict they could have done upon the evidence, and they had coupled with it a strong recommendation to mercy, because they believed that they had acted in ignorance of the law. All he could say was that he would take care that this recommendation should be forwarded to the proper quarter, where it would no doubt be most carefully considered. He had no desire to say anything that would muse unnecessary pain to them in the position in which they stood ; but he could not help remarking that they appeared to have shown a great want of courage and humanity in the line of conduct they pursued. Ile then passed the formal sentence of death, and the prisoners were removed.