The Express. — 1862-05-14 (London, England)

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. (THIS DAY.)  OLD COURT. (Before Mr. Justice Wilke.)  John Haines, • respectable-looking man, surrendered to take his trial upon the coroner's inquisition for the manslaughter of Thomas Mitchell. Mr. Metcalfe, who appeared for the prosecution, said it aesred to Dim, from the reading of the depoeitiona, that there really was no evidence to support the charge against the prisoner, and that the unfortunate affair was purely accidental. The learned Judge mid be was quite of the same opinion, and it was therefore perfectly useless to occupy the time of the jury by examining the witnesses. The jury then returned a verdict of Not Guilty and the prisoner was ordered to be immediately discharged. George Waite, 40, a tall powerful man, was charged with feloniously wounding his wife Maria Waite with an axe with intent to murder her.  Mr. Cooper prosecuted, and Mr. Ribton was counsel for the defence.  It appeared from the evidence of a police-constable of the D division that about half-past one o'clock on the morning of the Ist of May be was on duty near Carlton. terrace, in the Harrow-road, when he heard cries of murder ; and on proceeding to the spot from whence they came, he found the prosecutrix in her nightdrou, bleeding profusely from • wound in the bead, and her dress was completely saturated with blood, and in consequence of what she told him, he went to the prisoner's lodging, and found him io the act of dressing himself, and whec he told him that he was charged with wounding his wife, he said it wai a good thing she had gone away, or it might have been worse. According to the evidence of the wife she had gone to bed on the night in question, and about half-past 12 o'clock she got up and gave the prisoner some medicine, and then went to bed again, and a few minutes afterwards the prisoner attempted to stab her with a file in the stomach. She got out of Led, and was shout to leave the room, but just as she reached the door the prisoner attacked her with an axe, and struck her twice upon the head with it. She succeeded in 'actinic downetairs and giving an alarm, and the prisoner followed her down to the brat landing. la answer to guns. tins that were put by Mr. Ribton, the prosecutrix stated that the prisoner had been almost continually drunk for a fortnight before the occurrence took place, and that he was suddenly taken ill on the Saturday previous, and that he was in alvery excited state, fancying that people were in his room, and he looked under the bed to try to find them and conducted himself otherwise in a very extraordi. nary manner. The medical man who was called in described the Injuries received by the prosecntrix, which were of a very serious character, and he also expressed his opinion that at the time the act was committed the prisoner was suffering from delirium tremens, and when be was questioned upon the subject. he soil that he had had delirium tremens, and he had done it through jealousy, for which there did not appear to be the least foundation. Mr. Ribton, upon these facts, contended that the prisoner was not responsible for the act he had committed, and that the jury ought to acquit him upon that ground. The learned judge having summed up, and explained the law upon the subject of insanity to the jury, they deliberated for a short time, and then returned a verdict of Guilty of unlawfully wounding. lie was sentenced to eighteen months' hard labour.