The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1841-08-31 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CHARGE OF MURDER. James White was indicted for the wilful murder of William Plummer, at Liverpool, by stabbing him with a knife. Mr. Wigham prosecuted ; Mr. Wilkins defended the prisoner.  The particulars of the case will be gathered from the subjoined evidence. Bridget Plummer.-1 am widow of the late William Plummer. We lived in Christian-court, in Preston-street, in this town. The house was resorted to by women of the town. On the night of Saturday, the 12th of June last, about ten o'clock, a young woman, whom I did not know, came to our house with a man, who was also unknown to me. They went up stairs together, and, after remaining there a few minutes, I heard the woman shout " murder." I requested the man to come down, and the woman in the room also requested that he would go down. In a few minutes afterwards there was another cry of murder, and I took a candle into the room. The man, who is the prisoner then came down stairs. He attempted to strike me. My husband, the deceased, at this time, was undressed, and in the act of going into bed, which was in the kitchen. My husband said, " don't strike that woman, she does not deserve it from 316 u." He replied, "If I don't strike ner, I'll strike you." My husband replied, "Go home, my good man, 1 want nothing to do with you." The prisoner then struck my husband, and the blow was returned, and my husband thrust prisoner out of the house into an entry, where a scuffle took place between them. The prisoner took something from bis pocket, with which he struck at my husband, and I immediately observed that he bad inflicted a large wound in the lower part of his belly, and my husband exclaimed, " Oh, lam killed." The prisoner ran up Preston-street, and 1 pursued him, and gave him into the charge of a policeman. A female, named Ann Gallagher, was in the house at the time the altercation took place. My husband died at five o'clock the following day. The witness was severely cross-examined by Mr. Wit.IUNS, chiefly as to what provocation had been given by deceased.  Ann Gallagher, the woman alluded to by the last witness, deposed to being at Plummers house on the night of the occurrence forming the subject of the charge. Heard a cry of murder at the time the prisoner was up stairs. Witness, after deposing to the altercation spoken of by the last witness, stated that she saw prisoner take a knife from his right hand trousers pocket, and inflict a wound upon deceased. Mr. WILKINS severely cross-examined the witness, with a view to impeach her testimony. The deceased's dying declaration was read, which was to the effect that the deceased and prisoner had had a quarrel. together ; deceased struck prisoner in the first instance ; prisoner then left the house, but returned in about two minutes, and inflicted the wound forming the subject of the present inquiry.  Mr.' WILKINS, in his speech for the defence of the prisoner, remarked strongly upon the correct source of the evidence for the prosecution. He laboured to reduce the offence from murder to manslaughter, on the ground that the stab had been given by prisoner at the time of quarreling with deceased.  The Jury acquitted the prisoner of the charge of murder, but found him guilty of manslaughter. His LORDSHIP, after commenting upon the aggravated nature of the prisoner's offence, sentenced him to be transported for twelve years.