The Express. — 1868-03-12 (London, England)

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.  HOME CIRCIIIT.—MAinsTorrz, Maws 11. (Before Mr. Justice Bytes.) Samuel Martin, 29, chimney-sweeper, was charged with the manslaughter of a boy whose name was unknown, and in • second count of the indictment be was charged with the like off enoc in reference to • boy known by the name of George. Mr. Hiroo and Mr. Mershon conducted the prosecution. The prisoner was undefended. From the opening statement of the learned counsel for the prosecution it appeared that the deceased had no parents or friends, but was • poor wanderer, when he became acquainted with the prisoner, • few months before his death, and agreed to accompany him and • woman named Caroline Buckland, with whom he cohabited, and assist him in his occupation, which was that of • travelling sweep. The evidence left no doubt that the prisoner was in the constant habit of beating the boy In • most brutal manner ; and it appeared that when the three were at Appledore, in the neighbour. hood of Ashford, in the month of January last year, the prisoner wee seen to knock the unhappy boy down and kick "- se the erotind ; and he also on the same day appeared to w. •. beaten him most severely with a thick stick, the deceaae ...ins at the time, aoconling to the testimony of the entnem?... very weak and ill. The occurrence that was the subject of inquiry was reproanted to have taken place on the same day that this brutality was exercised towards the wretched lad, namely, on the 17th of January. It appeared that on this night the prisoner had obtained permission from • farmer at Apple. dove to sleep in one of his barns, but before the party proceeded thither they had lighted a fire in • lane near the spot to cook ionic food ; and the prisoner and the women appeared to have gone to the barn, leaving the boy in the lane, the prisoner telling him that he did not want him any more, and that he had bettor go " borne." It was • most inclement night, and nothing more seemed to have traaspired with respect to the deceased until the middle of the night, when the prisoner got op, saying that be would go and see after the boy. He returned shortly afterwards with the boy in his arms ; end at this time, aooordbig to the evidence of the woman Dockland, he was alive, but she did not know what became of him ; all that she was able to say being that the prisoner told her that if she said • word of what bad occurred he would serve her as he had served the boy. The prisoner and the woman then seemed to have resumed their occupation. and nothing more was heard of the deceased until the month of June following, when, in consequence of information that was received by the police, the prisoner was taken into custody Ly Mr. Dance, the superintendent of the Kent constabulary, and the prisoner then made • statement which red to the discovery of the dead body of the deceased in the barn, concealed under some straw, and in a most horrible condition. The prisoner was originally committed to take his trial for the crime of wilful murder, but in the result an Indictment for investigation only was preferred against bbn. When the prisoner was apprehended he said be did not know whether the boy was quite dead when he put him under the straw, but he was quite limp, end oanin gr. The jury returned a verdict of Ouilig, and the prisoner was sentenced to be kept in penal servitude for twenty years. He exhibited the greatest effrontery and callowness during the trial, and when the sentence was pronounced exclaimed, " Thank you, my lord ; and I hope you may it there tall I come back."