The Sun. — 1827-03-09 (London, England)

DISCOVERY OF INNOCENCE.  The case of Hannah Russell, who, together with Daniel Leany, was convicted at the Lewes Summer Assizes, for the supposed murder of her husband, must be familiar to most of our readers. It will be remembered that Leany was executed on the Thursday after the trial, protesting his innocence to the very last ; and it would now appear that he was really guiltless. The woman was respited on a point of law. The evidence against the prisoners was merely circumstantial, yet it was deemed conclusive by the Court and Jury, although some individuals who were present at the trial were of a different opinion. The medical evidence was deemed very strong in proof, that the man was poisoned by arsenic ; and the witness was Complimented by the Court for the decisive manner in which he gave his evidence. An eminent surgeon of Lewes, well known in the literary world, Mr. Mantell, who happened to be in Court, did not, however, consider the appearances of the body of the deceased, as described by the witness, or the tests employed, as conclusive, and while the examination of the surgeon was going on, he handed a note to the prisoner's Counsel, suggesting the propriety of other questions; but, unfortunately, this suggestion was not attended to, and Mr. Mantell being called out of Court, and hearing afterwards, from the highest authority, that the prisoners were convicted upon the clearest evidence, considered that any interference in their favour would be improper and unavailing. Finding that the poor woman was respited, (Leany having been executed), and that the more he reflected upon the case, the more improbable did it appear that Benjamin Russell's death was the effect of poison, Mr. Mantell communicated his doubts to the High Sheriff, and they were immediately laid before Mr. Baron Graham, who, paid great attentionlo the communication, and encouraged Mr. Mantell to investigate the case in the fullest manner possible, with the valuable aid of Mr. Ellis (the solicitor who conducted the woman's defence), and who generously tendered his advice and assistance gratuitously. Mr. Mantell was, at length, enabled to obtain such a mass of evidence, that the Learned Judge expressed his conviction that there were grave and serious doubts whether Benjamin Russell came to his death by arsenic or any other poison, and directed Mr. Mantell to obtain this additional evidence in the form of affidavits, and transmit it with a memorial to the Secretary of State. The result was, the free pardon and discharge of the poor woman. It may he interesting to our readers to know on what grounds the innocence of Hannah Russell has been established ; but we can merely state, that in the affidavits alluded to, it was alleged that the appearances on dissection were equivocal, and more likely to have been the effect of disease than of poison ; that the tests employed were unsatisfactory, and that metallic arsenic ought to have been reproduced by a process therein described; that the time in which the death of Benjamin Russell took place was too short to be the effect of arsenic. that the deceased had been for months previously to his death, subject to an affection of the heart, which was likely to have produced sudden death after any violent exertion, and yet might have left no appearance of disease in the heart after death. The conduct of Hannah Russell while in confinement in Horsham gaol has been most exemplary, and we trust this fact, together with his Majesty's free pardon, will have due weight with her former neighbours, and lead them to view her past sufferings with regret, and receive her among them in the spirit of Christian charity and benevolence.— Times.