The Sun. — 1849-03-13 (London, England)

DENMAN.) • John Smith was indicted for the wilful murder of Eleanor Lawrence, at Collingbourne Ducis, on the 9th of August last. Mr. Slade and Mr. lladow were counsel for the prosecution; and Mr. Challoner Smith appeared for the prisoner. It, appeared thaf, about twelve o'clock on the day of the 9th of the deceased, who was 34 years of age, carried dinner to some reapers in a field; having done so -she left the field, and in a very short time afterwards the ,poor. momen was found. lying by the side of a turnpike road, within a quarter of a mile of the field.' She was oa  13.,r back, 'ser face covered with blood, and several wounds on her head and face, apparently inflicted by a sharp stone or heavy shoe; she was insensible, and so remained for two days, when sh 3 died from a fractured skull. Tt to ear was nearly severed from the head. The prisoner, al rho was a blacksmith out of work, had been seen at Lug gershall, about a mile and a half off, shortly before the t body of the deceased was found. He was asking for wort :, and had a long conversation with a blacksmith, at w hose house he was eating bread and cheese; there wa s tat 'thing then in his manner to attract attention. Shortly after this murder must have been committed, the petsoner -went to the house of the Rev. Mr. Radon, at Everleigh,, and asked for work. Mr. Radon told him he head no woric to give him. The prisoner then threw two stones, Ivhich he had in his hands behind him, at Mr. Radon's head; fortunately they only struck him on the arm. Mr. Radon was alarmed and ran into his house for a min ute, and on his return to the door the prisoner was g. me. At the time he came up to Mr. Hadon's house th e prisoner appeared to be much out of breath, and was t.vmbling all over. Mr. Radon thought, from his state ot' excitement, that he was ill. Mr. Radon, finding the prisoner had left his premises, sent and went himself in pursuit of him. He overtook him and told him he wat ; determined to take him into custody. The prisoner then took three stones from his pocket and hurled t hem with great violence at Mr. Radon, aiming at his head; they, however, passed without doing injury. Other persons then came up and seized the prisoner. One of them asked him if he was not ashamed of himself, for he might have murdered the gentleman? The prisoner replied, "I do not care if I had, for I have murdered one person this morning already. I did not care what I did, for lam tired of life." He was asked where? He said, " You will soon know." When being taken to gaol, subsequently, he said he knocked her down with a stone, and then kicked her about the head, but had not otherwise assaulted her. The prisoner was,tried at the last summer assizes for this county for the assault on Mr. Radon, and was sentenced to be transported for seven years. The surgeon of the gaol in which the prisoner had been confined since his conviction stated that he .had paid particular attention to the prisoner's conduct, and he had not seen anything to induce him to believe that ,the prisoner had been, or was, insane. He had a perfect knowledge of right and wrong. He had been in the . habit of seeing him twice or thrice a week. In the course of the cross-examination of the medical witnesses, the following testimony was given:--That persons had delusions. There was a disease called " insane impulse, or instinctive madness," the predominant character of which was to commit acts of violence; there was an irresistible desire to destroy human life, or to commit a theft ; the latter as regarded ladies, because there could be no reason for their committing a theft. Persons might know they were doing wrong, but the impulse was so strong that they could not resist it— their will was not under their control.  Mr. SMITH made a most eloquent and dispassionate address to the jury on behalf of the prisoner, reading to them the observations of Dr. Pritchard and Professor Winslow, &c.  Lord bENNAN, in summing up, observed that the offence of unsoundness of mind was to be proved by the prisoner; and the question was, whether he had proved it to the satisfaction of the jury. The jury considered for a few minutes, and then returned a verdict of Guilty. Lord DEzouN then passed sentence of death upon the prisoner.