The Sun. — 1862-07-19 (London, England)

THE FORDINGBRIDGE ATROCITY. This court opened yesterday morning under circumstances of great excitement. Every cranny and corner of the place was very soon crammed, and hundreds of persons could not obtain admission. George Jacob Gilbert, agep 30, described as a labourer, was indicted for the wilful murder of Mary Ann Susan Hall, at Fordingbridge. Mr. Prideaux, with Mr. Cole, appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Bare defended the prisoner. The prisoner pleaded not guilty. Mr. Prideaux opened the case on the part of the prosecution. The young lady whose violent and melancholy death was the subject of this inquiry was named Mary Ann Susan Hall, and was the only child of a farmer, residing upon a farm called Midgham Farm, in the parish of Fordingbridge. The distance from Midgham Farm to Fordingbridge Church was about a mile. There was a public footpath leading through Midgham Moor. At the end of that moor was a stile, and then a lane called Holmes's-lane, which was bounded on one side by the moor and on the other side by a field called Harding's or Pinhorn's. In Harding's field there were two cows. Holme's-lane had a high bank and hedge on each side ; it was a very wet lane, having water running through it. The path went on to Fordingbridge Church. On the morning of Sunday, June 22, about ten o'clock, this young lady left her father's house for the purpose of going to Fordingbridge Church. She had on a bonnet with green flowers. She had in her hands parasol. She had a cloak or mantle, with some tassels; and she had with her two books which she was in the habit of taking to church, which she carried in her pocket. Mr. Hall's dairymaid would prove that it was about ten o'clock when this young lady left her father's house. He should call a little boy who sat in the same pew in which Miss Hall was in the habit of sitting, and he would tell them that Miss Hall was not at church that morning. He would call a witness named Hicklin, who would say that about a quarter past ten that morning he had occasion to go to Harding's field, where the cows were, and he observed the cows running about in a state of great excitement and disturbance, but he did not look in the lane. Between two stiles there were several marks of footsteps, as if there had been trampling about, and on the following day a piece of the green ornament of Miss Hall's bonnet was picked up there. There were marks on the bank of the lane, showing that struggling had been going on in the lane. About half way up the lane a tassel was found in the branches—one of the tassels of the young lady's mantle: Up to the end of the lane, covered with mud,with mud in her throat and mouth, with her dress much disordered, her pocket torn out, with several marks of violence on her throat, this young lady was found dead. There could not be a doubt that she had been murdered there, and after a violent struggle, resisting the attacks which bad been made upon her—and it was by the sacrifice of her life that she had preserved her honour. But there was a gleam of light amid the shades and the darkness of this most melancholy and painful transaction. It would be some comfort to them, and a great comfort to her sorrow• ing father and her friends, to feel that, although this young lady was compelled to struggle to the death, yet she had struggled with success, and had passed through nature to eternity as unsullied in her person as she was pure in her mind. That she was murdered after a great struggle there could be no doubt. Then the painful duty the jury had to perform was this—who was the man who committed the murder? He would briefly point out to them the material facts upon which the prosecution relied. On two different Sundays, five weeks and three weeks before the 22d of June, the prisoner was walking with a young man named Turner, when they saw Miss Hall pass on her way to dearca, 0;f the prisoner, upon seeing Miss Hall, made use some have a indecent expressions showing a desire to asked him improper intercourse with her. Turner 14 why he should like to go with her more than with !ie did any other girl. The prisoner replied know there was much difference, but there was not a