The Sun. — 1822-12-21 (London, England)

BAYLEY. MURDER. John Smith was indicted for the wilful murder of Catherine Smith, at East Greenwich, on the 4th of October last. Mr. BERENS and Mr. BOLLAND conducted the prosecution. It appeared that the prisoner, a Greenwich pensioner, who was a very old man, upwards ofseventy, had cohabited with the deceased, and they passed as man and wife. On the morning of the 4th of October, about half-past five o'clock, he went to a public-house' called " The Cricketers," sat down near the bar, and called for a pot of porter. Immediately afterwards addressingi himself to the landlord said, " Hawkins, have you seen my woman this morning ?" He replied in the negative. Upon which the prisoner said, "If you see her go past, call her in." About ten minutes before six, the deceased came into the public-house in company with another Greenwich pensioner named Levitt. The deceased called for two glasses of gin. The landlord drew a glass of gin, and set it before her on the bar ; when she said, " You know I take it with peppermint." The landlord was turning round to get the peppermint bottle, when in an instant the prisoner, who was sitting close to the deceased, rose up and stabbed her with a knife in the right breast. Before this, not a word had passed between the prisoner and the deceased. The deceased immediately exclaimed, " You have, killed me ! you have killed me !' The unfortunate woman was urged, by the landlord to run to the Infirmary immediately. She went out, but before she got the distance of forty paces she dropt down dead. The prisoner was immediately seized by the landlord, who said to him, " You wicked old man, how could you do so rash an act ?" He replied, She has been with that fellow all night." The prisoner was afterwards searched, and the knife was found_upon him stained with blood ; and being asked whe. ther that was the instrument with which he committed murder, he said it was, and owned that he did it. The point of the instrument, which was a common pocket knife, upon being examined, appeared as if it had been recently sharpened at the point. This was the case proved on the part of the prosecution. The prisoner, who appeared to be the remains of a very fine seaman, being at least six feet high, and still robust in frame, entered into a long statement f quarrels between . him and the deceased, which, he said, had irritated and made him unhappy. She had come from London to live with him, and take care of him, he being old and infirm. They had lived together for about fifteen months; but a short time before this transaction she was greatly altered in her behaviour towards him. He had, through friends of his own, procured her a situation as .helper in one of the wards of the Hospital. She became cold and link :rid to him, and at last he discovered that she kept company with Levett, another Greenwich pensioner. On the morning of the 4th of October he went to the Cricketer's public-house to get some beer. Whilst he was there lie was, cutting a piece of stickliquorice with his knife, when the deceased and ter lubber came into the house, and stood close to him. He had been drinking the night before. The appearance of the deceased with her paramour affected him very much, and the deceased having trod upon his corns, he in a moment of rage, committe4 the fatal act; but without knowing what he did, and certainly not intending to kill the unfortunate woman. Under such circumstances he hoped a merciful view of his case would be taken. Mr. Baron G RAIIAM summed up the case for the Jury. The Jury found the prisoner Guilty, and he was ordered for execution on Monday morning. The unfortunate old man appeared firm, and retired from the bar with a firm step. The Assizes ended about three o'clock. Sentence of death was passed upon ten capital convicts ; but none were left for execution but Robert Hartley, for stabbing Captain Owen, of the Bellerophon, and Smith, the man above-mentioned.