The Express. — 1866-06-15 (London, England)

THE CANNON-STREET MURDER.  Serjeant Ballantine, in summing up the case for the prisoner, said that, unless his feelings and his judgment were completely warped, it appeared to him that there never was a case in which a prisoner had been able so conclusively to establish, not that there was any doubt of his guilt, but his complete and entire innocence. Mr. Metcalfe having replied, Baron Bramwell then proceeded to sum up. He said there were two questions for the consideration of the jury, the first of which was whether a murder had been committed, and if so, whether the prisoner was the person by whom that murder had been committed. His lordship then proceeded to state that the evidence given by Mrs. Robbins, that she saw the prisoner leave the house at a time when the murder mast have been committed, was most important ; but if they thought that she was mistaken in speaking to the identity of the prisoner, there was undoubtedly an end of the case, for there really was no other evidence against the prisoner. He would at the same time observe that it was the duty of the prosecution to make out the case, and if any reasonable doubt was left upon their minds as to the guilt or innocence of the accused, he was entitled to the benefit of that doubt, and ought to be acquitted. There was no doubt that a connection of an =friendly character existed between the prisoner and the deceased, and that the prisoner was in the habit of applying to her for money, and the suggestion on the part of the prosecution no doubt was that he had gone for that object on this night, and that a quarrel took place, and that the murder was committed by the prisoner with the instrument that was found in the passage, or one he had taken with him. There appeared to be no doubt that the prisoner was at Windsor about seven o'clock, and again at ' twelve o'clock, and the case for the prosecution was that there were certain trains by which the prisoner could have gone to London and committed the murder and have returned to Windsor by the time mentioned. Some witnesses had been called for the prosecution to show that the prisoner was seen apparently making his way to the Slough station, but it appeared by the evidence of one of these witnesses that he saw him at a distance of a mile and a half and a hundred and fifty yards at half-past seven o'clock, and this would only have allowed him thirteen minutes to catch the train, which started at forty-three minutes past seven. The jury would judge whether this could have been done, but, of course, tf the prisoner could not have caught this train, there was an end of the case. His lordship then referred to the evidence of the witness Robbins, and said that, without at all finding fault with the police, be thought they bad not wisely in stationing her at her door and taking the prisoner pest her, but it was a circumstance favourable to the prisonertbat although he was taken by, Mrs. Robbins could not recognise him, and if anything unfair was intended by the course that was adopted, it seemed to have recoiled upon those who bad practised this unfairness. The learned judge then called the attention of the jury to the evidence that had been given by one of the witnesses, that she saw a man somewhat resembling the prisoner, but eipeared to her to be older, at the house of the deceased, and that she was evidently under alarm, and he put it to the jury whether it was an improbable suggestion that the murder was committed by this man, and not by the prisoner. He then promedW to remark upon the evidence that had been adduced to prove an alibi, and he observed that if the jury believed the evidence of the witnesses who had been examined, it would be impoerible for the prisoner to have committed the offence of which he was accused. His lordship concluded by stating that he believed he had laid all the facts before the jury, and he must now leave the case in their hands.  The jury, without any hesitation, found the prisoner Not Guilty. The learned judge, addressing the jury, said—lt is due to the prisoner for me to say I think so too. He is more than not guilty : he is innocent The foreman of the jury—We feel no doubt about it, my lord, in our minds. The prisoner exclaimed—. am as innocent as a baby." The court then rose.  •" Thank you, gentlemen. I