The Sun. — 1863-12-12 (London, England)

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.  MIDLAND CIRCUIT—DERBY, Dec. 11.  George Victor Townley was indicted for thl murder of Miss Goodwin.  Mr. Boden, Q.C. (specially retained), and Mr. Bristowe appeared for the prosecution; and Mr. Macaulay, Q.C., and Mr. Sergeant O'Brien (both of whom were specially retained), with Mr. Stephen, defended the prisoner. The court was densely crowded with people anxious to hem this remarkable trial.  The prisoner, who was described as a man of very quiet and refined manners, a good linguist, and an accomplished musician, and who was apparently about 25 years of age, on being arraigned pleaded not guilty in a low but firm voice. Mr. Boden, in opening the case for the prosecution, after adverting to the painful interest it had excited in the county, and asking the jury to dismiss from their minds the rumours which were floating about, and to attend to the evidence only, stated that the prisoner was a member of a respectable family living at Hendham-vale, a mile or two from Manchester. His father was a commission agent at Manchester, but the prisoner had no employment, unless it was that he acted as a clerk in his father's office. Miss Elizabeth Goodwin, with whose death he was charged, was the daughter of Mr. Henry Goodwin, and granddaughter of Captain Goodwin, who had long lived in the county and acted as a magistrate there. Mrs. Henry Goodwin lived at Chester, and up to the last three or four years Miss Goodwin had lived with her mother, but about that time she left Chester and went to reside at Wigwell- grange, or hall, with her grand- 1 the andclua a M.iss Goodwin h eof acquaintance formed father, who is an old man upwards of 80 years of ag Goodwin was nearly 23 years of age, Captain Goe. odwiiiisns's eldest a o him had physiciani at Manchester, ‘ovir a visitw sonil the Townleys. That acquaintance led to the forming of a strong attachment between the prisoner and the deceased, b and ultimately, about four years aci.o • they became engaged. Owing to Townley's want of means to support a wife the engagement was not approved by the lady's friends, and for some short time it was broken off. It had been renewed, however, shortly afterwards, and contin to exist to within a short time of her death. Mica Goodwinued written to the prisoner on the 14th August appears topberaerasktove off ffhathe engagement. Her letters, however, had, with one exception, been given up by Townley to her friends, who destroyed them. On the 15th ' of August Townley wrote to Miss Goodwin as follows :  " Hendham- vale, Sunday. "My dearest Bessie,—Dearest:you will always be to me ; to say that I am not terribly cut up would be a lie, but, at any rate, you know I am not the man to stand in your way. I answer nothing to your last letter, except that I wish to hear from your own lips what your wishes are, and I will accede to them. You know me too well to suppose that I should give way to any unnecessary nonsense or sentimentalism. I have had a singular run of good and bad luck lately ; it suffices to say that I have an offer to leave England. Before Igo I wish to see you once again, and for the last time, though God knows what misery it gives me to say so. You will admit that my desire to see you is but natural. Say in your next where you will meet me. I will come by the first or second train from Derby on Tuesday or Wednesday morning, whichiiver suits you of course, without any one knowing, The sooner it is all settled the better for both parties. .._.  "Eve;, dearest Bessie, your affectionate  "