Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1882-05-12 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

VERDICT AND SENTENCE.  On Wednesday the trial was resumed. Prior to continuing the trial of Brand, Richard Rycroft, 19. the second hand on Brand's fishing-smack, wee put to the bar, charged with doing grievous bodily Larm to William Pepper. Re pleaded guilty to a common assault, and Mr. Weddy accepted that plea on behalf of the Crown, . . . .  The Judge directed the jury to acquit Rycroft on the other charge. The Bentonite upon him was three months' hard labour. The proceedings in 0. Brand's case were then resumed with the examination of one of the crew named Blackburn. He admitted that sometimes prisoner had •hown kindness to decaased. He said the crosstreas were 13 feet above the deck, and the lad would have been hoisted that height if the trees had not broken. The prisoner kept bitting deceased with • thick stick all the while he was being hoisted out of the dill•bole. . .  David Gate., two yr are an apprentice to Brand, was the next witness, and began by deposing to the rope•beating off Spurn Island, and said from that day to Friday before Christmas Day the prhooer thrashed deceased more or less every day. On one occasion Brand thrashed the lad ten or fifteen minutest, and then throw SD bucket, of water over him. One day he put the Jib tackle rope round Pepper's neck, saying, I'll finish you," and drew both ends tight. Mr. Kershaw said the deceased had, according to the usual discipline, been punished for disobedience, no d nibt ; but the skipper bad no idea that the boy was so extremely weak, and he suspected him of shamming. The learoed c3unsel strongly insisted that a verdict of man. slaughter would amply meet the justice of the case. The Judge, in his summing up, remarked that it was a simple case, but one the gravity and snlemnity of which were enough to prevent the jury from giving way to prejudii e. He doubted whether there was any alternative but an acquittal or murder, for it was difficult to see that the decamped had done anything calling for correction. Hie lordship said he would not distress the sjury by going over the details of the cruelty; nor would he trust himself to speak about any of the more flagrant and inhuman deeds of which they had heard. He put it to the jury whether they could come to any other c seclusion than that the prisoner abused, and so excessively injured, this lad that he took away his life in • way which made him responsible for it, and so as to make him guilty of the high crime of murder. His lordship, however, mentioned with emphasis, in order to misfit the jury in finding out a motive, that when the lad appeared to be in articuto ntortic, and Blackbura recommended that brandy should be given to him, the prisoner said he would not brcall a bottle of brandy for any such a boy: The jury retire I for ten minutes, rid then returned a verdict of Guilty. The prisoner, on being called upon,. said, "I am not guilty of wilful murder, your worship. The Judge said the crime was the most atrocious he ever heard of, and the evidence must have carried convice tion to all who heard it. Sentence of death was then passed in the usual lona, his lordship holding out no hope of mercy.