Widnes Examiner. — 1890-08-02 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

TRIAL AT THE ASSIZES.  At the Liverpool Assizes, Crown Court, yesterday, the trial was commenced, before Mr. Justice Vaughan Williams, of John Duckworth Pickavance, twenty-eight, shoemaker, and Mary Jane Pickavance, his wife, who were indicted for having at Rainford on the 7th July last feloniously, wilfully, and of their malice aforethought, killed and murdered Mr. Henry Granger Foster, colliery proprietor, of Brook Lodge, Rainford. : The trial drew together the usual crowd of sightseers, and; admittance to the court was eagerly sought, but the police took the greatest precaution that the precincts should not be over-crowded. The weather was dull and miserabla, and proba,bly on this account and the early hour at which the hearing was fixed to commence--viz,, 9.30, the neighbourhood of St. George's Hall was less frequented than is customary upon the occasion of great trials such as that of Mrs. Maybrick and other noted criminals. The prisoners had been brought to the cells beneath the hall at an early hour in the morning, so that there was no opportunity, except lay a few early birds, of even having a glimpse at the vehicle in which they were conveyed for trial. Counsel for the prosecution were' Mr. Watson and Mr. coiling wood Hope; Mr. M'Keand was for the male prisoner, and Mr. Shee for Mrs. Pickavancee. Mr. T. Swift was also with Mr. Shee for Mrs. Pickavance. The Judge took his seat promptly on the bench at 9.30, just after the flourish of trumpets announcing his arrival had died away in the remotest corners of the h.Lll. An appalling silence ensued, and all eyes were turned in the direction of the dock. Several routine matters having been arranged, the Clerk of AfkeiZe called, "Put up Jchn Duckworth Pickavance and Mary Pickavance." The female prisoner, who was well-dressed, with a black hat, came first, and was crying bitterly: the male prisoner was placid and collected, and had his hands clasped as usual. The female prisoner is understood to be enciente. Mr. Watson having opened for the prosecution, the first witnesscalled was James Baron, a surveyor practising at Rainford, whb produced a tracing double the size of the ordnance man of the county, embracing the district from Ecclestnn to Four Lane Ends, about six and a half miles by road. Evidence, similar to that previously made public, was next given bv Alice Lee„ deceased's honekeeper: Mrs. Morris, of the Old Saddle Inn, Rainford: J. Macbeth, grocer, Rainford; Clara Macbeth ; Thomas Dyke, gardener. Ormskirk. Several other witnesses were called for the prosecution. Aftec an adjournment, Dr. Wiglesworth was put in the witness box, snd, in reply to Mr. M'Keand, said he was superintendent a Rainhill Lunatic Asylum. He had a large experience in the study ot mental disease. He was lecturer of University College. Livernool, on that subject. He was instructed by the Director of Public Prosecutions to examine the male prisoner. He had several interviews, one which lasted an hour and a half, and which took place on the 28th July, 1890. Witness was struck with his peculiar manner, the expression of his face, his demeanour and character. There was not sufficient evidence to justify the canelusion that the prisoner was actually insane, but he had an insane temperament, that was to say that his brain was badly organised, that his modes of thought and feeling, his ways of looking at things differed from ordinary people. and his feelings were more readily overthrown. He had another interview which enabled him to better determine the condition of tip prisoner's mind. He was still disposed to think that the prisoner occupied the borderland between sanity and insanity, and he went further now and stated that the prisoner showed a nearer approach to insanity than sanity.—Elizabeth Preston, a sister of the male prisoner, and other witnesses, were called to show that he had always been strange in his conduct.—Mr. McKeand afterwards made the opening'speech for the defence in which he dwelt upon the evidence of insanity in the male prisoner.  In the sick room, as a disinfectant, use " SUNLIGHT SOAP" Advt.