The Sun. — 1869-11-24 (London, England)

THE WOOD-GREEN TRAGEDY.  Frederick Hinson was placed iu the dock, indicted for the wilful murder of William Douglas Boyd and Maria Death. The fatal occurrence took place on tl..e 4th of October last at Wood-green, and the det, tits of it are so well known that repetition of them, on this occasion is needless.  The witnesses for the prosecution hal iu.,g been examined, Dr. Kennealy addressed the jury for the p6soner. lie contended that the conduct of the deceasell man Boyd had been such as to create a feeling in the prisoner's mind which upset reason, and in the short fury thu meeting of the two persons in company together at the rail way statiou produced, he became, fur the time, an irresponsible agent. lie knew that his hopes of happiness in this world had gone, and i❑ the agony of his mind he returned home, he found his gun ready loaded, and in a state of wild insanity, of uncontrolied madness, he shot her through the beam Was it possible fur any other person than a blind, insane man to have acted in the manner the prisoner had done. They had it from more than two witnesses that the man when last seen after the shot had been fired had the appearance of a wild and insane person, and being in this state of wild excitement could they come to the conclusion that he was in a state of mind to become responsible for his actions. The whole of the witnesses for the prosecution agree that the prisoner, after the shot had been fired and before ho met with the man Boyd, was in a state of wild insanity, and that impression he thought was fully confirmed by the actions of the prisoner when reason began to assume its sway by his coolly asking the question, "Where's the police ?" He felt that they would weigh well the whole of the facts connected with the case, and that they would calmly deliberate before they came to the conclusion that he was in the ;possession of reason when the terrible act was committed. They would also bear in mind that the old law justified a man taking the life of another man found in adultery with his wife. Mr. Justice Byles said that was not the law. Dr. Kennealy—He was under the impression that such was so, but if not murder it was at least treated as justifiable homicide, and all be asked the jury to say was that the act committed by the prisoner did not amount to murder, that he had received such provocation as would reduce the crime below that of murder.  Mr. Justice Byles said prisoner was indicted for that he did, on the 4th of October last, with malice aforethought, put an end to the life of Maria Death. He might say that the defence set up for the prisoner was, that he had received such provocation as to reduce the crime below that of murder. The learned counsel had made certain observations on the law with respect to that point, but he might tell him that a man taking another man in the act of adultery with his wife, and killing him, might by the law become justifiable homicide, but this case was different in some important points from that. The deceased man was not taken in the act, and the deceased woman was not the prisoner's lawful wife, and he might say that if wild and reckless passion was to become a palliation for the crime of murder, no man's life would be safe for au instant. Divesting the case from all the intricacies with which it had been surrounded, the only question that was left for them to decide was, Did or did not the prisoner kill the unfortunate woman Maria Death ? The judge than proceeded to read the evidence and comment upon it. Having concluded, The jury, after a very short deliberation, returned a verdict of guilty. The Learned Judge then passed sentence of death, which the prisoner heard with the greatest composure.