The Sun. — 1862-03-10 (London, England)

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCB.  OXFORD CIRCUIT, WORCESTER, March 6. (Before Mr. Justice Crompton.) Charles Pugh, 24, tailor, was charged with cutting and wounding Diana Mason with intent to murder her, and also with intent to do her some grievous bodily harm, on the 25th May, 1861, at Worcester. Mr. S. Best prosecuted, and Mr. J. S. Powell defended the prisoner. It appeared that the prisoner and the prosecutrix had formerly lived together as man and wife, but the prosecutrix had recently broken off the connexion, and on the day in question was living in a room at a house situate in a low part of this city, named Dolday. At about 12 o'clock on the 25th of May last the prisoner went to her in her room, and asked her to make it up and say no more about it. The prosecutrix said she would not, and prisoner asked her whether she had not served him a nasty trick. She said she didn't know. The prisoner then accused her of walking with another man before him, and the prosecutrix answered, " No, I must see to those who will treat me better than what you have." The prisoner had beaten her several times, and at this moment the prosecutrix sent a woman who was in her room at the time to fetch the landlady, and also told her to fetch a policeman, for she would not have the prisoner there to beat and ill usa her, as he had done before. When the young woman had left the room the prisoner went and stood with his back against the door, and took a razor out of his pocket. The prosecutrix stood with her arms folded before him, but said nothing. The prisoner said nothing, but prevented her from going out, and then caught hold of her by the hair of her head and pushed her back across the bedstead, and cut her with the razor on the throat, breast, and both sides of the face. The prosecutrix cried out, and, the door being opened by a person outside, she made her escape, and was taken to the Worcester Infirmary. She was there examined, and it fortunately turned out that her wounds were only superficial, and were cured in three weeks. The prosecutrix, on cross-examination, stated that the prisoner was drunk when he assaulted her ; that be was fond of her and kind, except when he was in these fits, and then he did not know what he was about ; and that he never had these fits except when he had been drinking. It appeared the prisoner had been taken to the infirmary on the same night as the prosecutrix, and was suffering from a dangerous wound in his throat, nearly two inches in depth, which he had inflicted upon himself, and for which he was confined several months in the infirmary. Mr. Powell addressed the jury for the prisoner, and contended that, from the highly excited state in which he was, he could not be convicted of either of the intents charged in the indictment, and urged the jury to convict him of unlawfully wounding only. Mr. Justice Crompton summed up the evidence to the jury, and cautioned them against too readily giving way to the suggestion that the prisoner did not intend the consequence of his acts. It would be for the jury to say upon the evidence whether either of the intents laid was proved ; but if not they must find the prisoner guilty of unlawfully wounding. The jury found the prisoner guilty of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Mr. Justice Crompton, in passing sentence, said he feared the prisoner had taken the razor with him for the express purpose of using it as he had done, and then sentenced him to 15 years' penal servitude.