British Miner and General Newsman : — 1862-10-04 (London, England)

TRIAL OF MRS. WILSON. VERDICT AND SENTENCE. THE trial of Catherine Wilson for the murder of Maria Soames, by means of poison, was resumed on Saturday morning at the Central Criminal Court, before Mr. Justice Byles. Mr. Justice Byles proceeded to sum up the evidence to the jury. He said the prisoner at the bar stood before them charged with having wilfully and of her malice aforethought killed and murdered] Maria Soames, and the case was nearly ripe for their decision. His lordship then called the attention of the jury most carefully to all the material facts of the case, and said he regretted that it might be considered that nearly all the observations he had made were unfavourable to the Prisoner; but he was bound to perform his duty, and had said no more in this respect than he considered he was justified in doing upon the evidence in the cause. In conclusion, he said that the jury stood between the prisoner and the public. If they believed the evidence, there was undoubtedly sufficient to convict her; but if they had any reasonable doubt upon the point, she was entitled to the benefit of it. "Let us trust," said his lordship, "that you may be guided to a right conclusion." The jury, after consulting a short time in the box, expressed a wish to retire. They left the court about one o'clock, and were absent nearly two hours in deliberating upon the verdict. When they returned into court, Mr. Avory, the clerk of arraigns, put the question whether they found the prisoner guilty or not guilty of the felony and murder whereof she stood accused, the foreman uttered the fatal word "Guilty." The prisoner heard the verdict pronounced without exhibiting the slightest appearance of emotion, and the blood did not even rise to her cheeks.  Mr. Avory then asked her, in the usual form, whether she had anything to say why judgment of death should not be passed upon her according to law  The prisoner made no reply, but merely gave a gentle shake of the head. Mr. Harker, the senior usher of the court, th en made the usual proclamation for silence w,hile sentence of death was passing upon the prisoner. Mr. Justice Byles (having assumed the black cap) addressed her in the following terms: Catherine Wilson, after a long trial, and a most patient and anxious consideration of every circumstance in your case, the jury have come to the conclusion that you were ()Inky of this most atrocious crime. It is very seldom that I think it any part of my duty, in a case of this or any other desetiption, to express either concurrence or dissent with the verdict of a jury; but, on the present occasion, I am bound to say, that in my opinion the jury could not have arrived at any other conclusion than they have done, consistently with the facts that were laid before them. I never heard a case where it was so clearly proved that a murder was committed, and where the excruciating pain and agony of the victim were watched with so much deliberation by the murderer. The greatest care was taken, during the progress of the trial, that nothing should be improperly introduced into the inquiry, and that you should not be prejudiced by anything that had happened before. Your life is in the hands of the Crown, and I think it right to inform you that if I am consulted in reference to your case, I shall not feel myself justified in interfering, and that I cannot hold out to you the slightest hope of any commutation of your sentence. The learned judge then passed the awful sentence of death in the usual form.  Monday, the 20th inst., has been fixed for the execution of the prisoner. The execution will take Place at the Old Bailey.