The Sun. — 1835-02-21 (London, England)

THAMES OFFICE.  Yesterday a tall seamen named Mark Brady, formerly belonging to the Mercury, a Newcastle collier, was brought before Mr. Broderip for final examination, on a charge of feloniously wounding Robert Dixon, his shipmate, with intent to murder him, on the night of the 22d of October last, since which time the prisoner has been in custody, the life of the wounded man having, until within the last few days, been despaired of. Dixon was now brought from the hospital for the first time to give evidence, and was accommodated with a chair. The short facts of the case are these, as detailed by Dixon and several other witnesses. On the night in question the parties went ashore, and a quarrel took place between the prisoner and Dixon's brother, and they exchanged some blows. Dixon and the prisoner afterwards fought opposite a public house, but were parted by a policeman before any mischief was done. Brady soon afterwards went on board, and Dixon followed about an hour afterwards, and on reaching the deck asked who was on board ? Dixon was on the second step of the companion ladder when Brady got up, and before Dixon was aware of him he seized a long and heavy handspike, and gave Dixon a severe blow on the head. Dixon fell backwards, and was insensible for Meer, hours until the operation of trepanning was performed, ,his skull having been extensively fractured, the fall hay ing been heard by his shipmates a Thames Police galley was _hailed, the crew of which found the unfortunate man lying 012 the deck apparently lifeless, and the blood streaming front a dreadful wound on the head. Sporle, a con.  stable, observed to the prisoner, " Why, you have murdered the man." Whereupon he coolly observed, " I have done it, I have done it ; I don't care if you hang me for it.' He afterwards acknowledged he had struck Dixon with the handspike. The wounded man was bled and taken to the hospital, and the case on being admitted was thought to be a hopeless, one ; but by the extraordinary skill of the surgeons of the institution, who have at various times removed seven or eight pieces of bone from the skull, the man's life has been preserved, though it will be a long while before he is able to work. Mr. Paul Vickermann, a surgical pupil, described the wound to be a very extensive fracture of the skull, and a rupture of the spinous artery, attended with a great effusion of blood on the dura mater. Mr. Adams had used the trephine, and removed many pieces of the depressed bone. The life of the patient had been in the most imminent danger. He was admitted into the institution on the 22d of October last, and the cure was now only in progress. The witness then unco vered the man's head, which presented a most shocking spectacle, and referred the Magistrates' attention to the parts where the pieces of bone had been removed. Mr. BRODERIP said the surgeons had performed a most surprising cure. It was a great triumph of medical art. The prisoner in his defence said that Dixon and his brother 1-4 beaten him ashore, and that when the former came on " AallenFed him to fight, calling him many opprobriboard, he induced him to quit his berth, and he ous epithets. unto -. thinking that Dixon would use it. threw the handspike away, surgeon if it was likely such Mr. BRODFRIP inquired of the "-- --ident. a wound could have been inflicted by at,. very heavy blow Mr. Vickermann said it must have been a on the top of the man's head. In answer to a question by Mr. BRODERIP, Dixon dent,challenging the prisoner to fight, or standing in a fighting attitude.  Mr. BRODERIP said the case was a most serious one, and committed the prisoner for trial on the capital charge of maliciously wounding, with intent to murder.