The Sun. — 1841-04-28 (London, England)

SOLICITOR-GENERAL said he had to bring the painful business with which he had been trusted to a close, and felt that he could not do so without asking at their bands a verdict of guilty against all the prisoners ; and as his Learned Friends on the other side of the bar had stated that they did not intend to address them, he felt that he would be discharging his duty by leaving the case entirely in the bands of the Court. Mr. P. ROBERTSON said, on the part of the prisoners, he felt, however painful it was to him, that he discharged his duty, and his Learned Friend concurred with him, ny leaving their case with the Court. It would not be of advantage to the prisoners to enter into any analysis of the evidence. It would be for the Court to exaniao that evidence, and see whether there was any doubt in favour of any of the prisoners, and give the prisoners entitled to it the benefit of that doubt, Lord MONCREIFF then charged the Jury. They all, he said, must see that this was a very serious case, and in all its features a most remarkable case—few such had occurred during his exprience; and the course which the public prosecutor bad taken, and the course which had been taken by the Counsel for the prisoners, had imposed on him a very serious and important duty in summing up the evidence on which they were to return a verdict. On the one band, there was a very important interest to the public, considering the nature of the case, that justice might be admiaisterod according to the truth • on the other, he need not tell them that in a charge of murder, such as stated in the indictmeht, and in the manner in which it had been en. deavoured to be supported, they must sec that there was a dreadful interest in discharging such an important duty in a way satisfactory to their own minds. It would not Le more his anxiety to discharge that duty with firmness, according to the law of the country, than to deal with these prisoners in perfect farness. Neither of the Counsel had addressed them. He had, therefore, no choice but to lay before them the whole evidence, according to the notes which he had taken, with as much accuracy and fulness as possible. His Lordship, on the law of the care!, pointed out two very common delusions : first, that if a party of men sallied forth and waylaid another, and used such weapons as were libelled, merely for the purpose of giving him a beating, and they killed him, that in these circumstances they did not commit murder ; and next, that of an in lividual who went out with the others, and though did not lift his hand, if he was cogni-ant of than. acts, and abetted and encouiaged them by his Presence, being supposed not guilty, art and part, the proceedings. If he was present, and did tot interfere to prevent it, be', on the other haul, entered into an arrangement by which the deed :',as to be committed. who could say that he was ':it art and part guilty ? He did not say that it appliel to any of the prisoners—far from it; that was tor the Jury to determine on the evidence which had been laid before them.  At half-past nine o'clock the Jury retired, and, in about three quarters of an hour thereafer, returned with their verdict, finding unanimously the prisoners Dennis Doolan and Patrick Redding guilty as libelled, and, by a majo. rity, finding Jame 3 Hicaie also guilty, not as an actor, but art and part as libelled, and they unanimously recommonded him to mercy.  The prisoners were then sentenced to be execut.!cl, on the 14th if Alay, at or near Crosshill.