The Express. — 1867-04-13 (London, England)

EXTRAOHOINART CHAROZ OF MOWRY.  The jury, .tfter our report left, found the prisoner Guilty. . . . . . . .  _ Oa the prisoner being afterwards brought up for judgment, the learned judge, addressing him, maid that the jury, after a very careful inquiry, had found themselves compelled to convict him of the crime of wilful murder ; and aa to the act itself, there was no doubt that be had committed it, and the only defence that was set up for hint was that at the time he was labouring under a delusion, which had impelled him to commit the crime, and that he was, therefore, not responsible. It was not contended that he did not on ordinary occasions fully appreciate the difference between right and wrong, hut it was said that he was labouring under a delusion, and that the effect of this delusion was to induce him to commit the act. The jury had carefully considered the matter, and they had arrived at the conclusion that they were not justified, under the circumstances, of acquitting him on the ground of insanity, and it therefore became his duty to pass upon him the sentence of the law for the crime of murder. His lordship then passed sentence of death in the usual form.  The prisoner bowed to the learned judge, and was then removed.  Henry George Snelling, 33, was charged with the wilful murder of his wife, Mary Snelling. Mr. Cooper prosecuted ; Mr. Montagu Williams was counsel for the defence.  The prisoner was • painter, and resided with the deceased in Verulum-etreet, Gray's-inn-road. On the 2nd March they were at a public-house called the Goat, in the same neighbourhood, both of them being at the time, and the woman particularly so, the worse for liquor. They appeared to be on good tens at this time, end went home together, and the prisoner proceeded to his own room, and the deceased sat down on the steps leading to the finri floor, and there appeared to be no doubt that by some means she fell down from the place where she was, and then slipped backwards down the stain leading to the kitchen, and in so doing fractured her skull. A very intelligent little boy, named Hawkins, the son of another lodger in the house, who was the principal witness for the prosecution, stated that while the deceased was. lying on the ground the prisoner went up to her and laid hold of her head and struck it against the ground, and then gave her a violent kick in the stomach, which appeared to cause her death almost immediately. The prisoner then went away, and on his being told that his wife was deed he exclaimed " Let the die and be —." The evidence of Mr. Norton, the surgeon, went to show that the mortal injuries were occasioned to the deceased by falling down the stairs, and that death must in any osse have been the result of those injuries, but the case on the part of the prosecution was that the prisoner by his violence had accelerated the event. It was admitted, however, that the deceased could not under any circumstances have lived longer than • very few months ; and It did not seem to be very clearly established to what extent, or by what means, the prisoner had accelerated the death.  The learned judge ruled that upon these (acts the charge could not be sustained ; and  The jury returned % verdict of Not Guilty. Mary Candy, who had been convicted of the manslaughter of her child by starvation, was brought up fa judgment, and sentenced to be imprisoned and kept to harl lshour for 12 months.  This concluded the business of the session, and the court adjourned to Monday. May 6.