The Kenilworth Advertiser. — 1898-03-19 (Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England)

MURDER AGAINST A  NURSE.  _ The trial of Nurse Brandish, charged with the murder of her illegitimate child, while in the train on the way to Ettington, on September 11th last, was concluded on Saturday, before a crowded court. The prosecution was undertaken for the Treasury by Mr. J. Stratford Dugdale, Q.C., with whom was Mr. Russell Griffiths (instructed by Messrs. Warden and Sons, of Southern), and the defence was in the hands of Mr. Hugo Young, and Mr. F. Noble (instructed by Mr. Crowther Davies, of Leamington). On the previous evening the case had been left at the close of the speech for the defence, in which Mr. Hugo Young brought all his well known forensic power to bear, and on Saturday morning the Lord Chief Justice delivered a very able summing up. He was followed with the profoundest attention by all in court as he approached the controverted portions of the case, and addressed himself to the various theories suggested as compatible with the innocence of the accused. The trenchant analytic force with which he pursued the different lines of hypothesis and inference was almost reminiscent of past forensic achievements. The prisoner who, as before, occupied a chair, was grave, almost haggard, but in no sense prostrate. She appeared to have lived years since the trial opened, the lines of her face having deepened and the features become sharper. She occasionally raised her head slightly, and glanced momentarily at judge or jury; but during the greater part of the long summing up she bent her gaze vacantly on the front of the dock. It was exactly half-past one when the judge uttered his final words to the jury, and not until nearly three and a half hours later did they return into Court. Then it was to say that there was no prospect of their agreeing upon a verdict, and his lordship discharged them, leaving the Crown to decide upon the course to be next pursued.  Once or twice during the progress of this case the Judge had reason to rebuke some of those in court. For example, at half-past one on Saturday, his Lordship asked the jurymen whether they would prefer to take their luncheon or deliberate forthwith upon their verdict. A juror expressed preference for luncheon, eliciting a laugh from many of the people in court, who were sternly called to order fel their levity. The Court then adjourned for tWinty minutes, and on its reassembling, the ;'udge proceeded with the civil business of the aseizes. The people who thronged the court waited patiently for the verdict in the Brandish case, and showed such a ready inclination to be diverted* any incident in the less serious proceedings that was even remotely humorous that the Judge was at length provoked to exclaim, "It takes very little to amuse this gaping crowd." When the jury returned into court after considering their verdict, the prisoner emerged from the staircase giving access to the dock from the cells below, and, advancing to the bar, lifted her eyes in a dazed manner to the Judge. When the warder whispered to her and motioned to the chair provided for her, she was apparently oblivious to what was said, but after a moment she mechanically retreated to the seat. The jury then confirmed the communication that they had already made, viz., that they were unable to agree, and were discharged. The Judge said he supposed the real course would be to enlarge the reoognisances to the summer assizes. The Court then rose. Meanwhile the accused remains at Warwick gaol.