The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1867-07-19 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE BUCKHURST-HILL TRAGEDY.  Frederick Alexander Watkins, 23, a diminutive looking man, was charged, on Wednesday, at the Central Criminal Court, with feloniously wounding Matilda Griggs, with intent to murder her. Mr. Streight conducted the prosecution. The prisoner was defended by Mr. Albion.  The learned counsel for the prosecution, in opening the case, said that the charge against the prisoner was one of a most serious character, but he was not in a position to produce the prosecutrix. He said, however, that the prisoner appeared to have himself admitted that he had wounded the prosecutrix, and he believed that the jury would, in the result, entertain no doubt of that fact. He then proceeded briefly to narrate the circumstances under which the charge was preferred. Witnesses were then examined, for the prosecution, whose evidence was but a recapitulation of that given before the magistrate, at the close of which,  Mr. Streight, in summing up the case for the prosecution, said that from the line of cross-examination adopted by his learned friend, it was clear that he did not intend to dispute the fact that the set had been committed by the prisoner, and that he would only endeavour to show that he was not actuated by the more serious intention imputed to him. He said, however, be should submit that upon all the facts it was impossible to come to any other conclusion than that the prisoner really intended to murder the unfortunate girl, and that he decoyed her to a lonelyplace for the express purpose of carrying out his object. Mr. Ribton made a most feeling and eloquent appeal to the jury on behalf of the prisoner, and stated that, with regard to the absence of the prosecutrix, all he could say was, that he would rather have had the prosecutrix in attendance because her evidence might very possibly have been attendance, to the prisoner; but at present they were entirely in the dark as to the circumstances under which the melancholy affair actually took place. Mr. Baron Bramwell having summed up, the jury, after a short deliberation, found the prisoner guilty of wounding the prosecutrix with intent te do her grievous bodily harm.  The learned Judge, addressing the prisoner' said that the jury had taken very merciful view of this case, and he had very grave doubts whether he ought not to have infticted upon hint the full punishment fixed by the law. He had, however, consulted the learned Recorder, and the conclusion he had arrived at was that the sentence he should pronounce upon him was that he be kept in penal servitude for the space of twenty years.  The prisoner, who did not exhibit the slightest manl. festation of feeling during the trial, or when aentence was pronounced, was then removed from the bar. Before sentence vu pronounced, a letter was handed to the learned Judge, written by the prosecutrix, and addressed to the prisoner, in which she atated that ahe wee keeping out of the way because she thought it would do him good, and that she freely forgave him all that happened, and hoped that when she next saw him be would be at liberty, and that they aboald be happy together for many years.