Star. — 1819-08-13 (London, England)

SUSSEX ASSIZES, LEWES, AUGUST 11. MURDER AT BRIGHTON. Edward Broadbent, a private soldier in the 90th regiment of foot, was indicted for the wilful murder of William Watson, a serjeant of the same regiment, by shooting him with a loaded musket, at the parish of Brighthelmstone, on the 29th of June last. This case produced considerable interest. When the wretched culprit was put to the bar, he excited' feelings in all around, very unusual on similar occasions—pity and commiseration. He appeared deeply affected by a sense of his dreadful situation, and his whole demeanour was highly creditable to him, considering the nature of the crime with which he stood charged, and the inevitable certainty of his fate.— Agitated with grief and remorse, he stewed to regard the doom which awaited him.as a just retribution for the *dreadful crime into Which he had been huiried by an ungovernable temper. HIS mind harassed by the, stir of conscience. he did. not even affect a composomwAtich most W b.-"peak,the-teek ings of his heart. Viten called apps fprliis Aglaia the arraignment, ha esclaiined in a pathetic, and woe-, begone manner and gesticulation, " I am but too guilty—l am guilty, and it would be only adding more guilt to my conscience if I were to say otherwise." Mr. Justice PARK urged • him to plead not guilty, and take his trial, suggesting to him the inutility of the course he had taken, if he expected any mercy. The prisoner shook his head with affecting significance, and repeated that he was guilty-anti expected no mercy. Upon which his plea of guilty was recorded. .The Learned JuDnr, however, again entreated him to plead Not Guilty, and requested the Common Serjeant, who led the prosecution, to speak with and recommend him to retract his plea. The COMMON SERJEANT accordingly conversed with the unhappy man, and after a great deal of persuasion, prevailed upon him to take his trial.— The Jury accordingly being charged, The COMNION SERJEANT stated, in as short a compass as possible, the case for the prosecution. It will be recollected that the prisoner, having been put under arrest by the deceased, for some act of misconduct, on the day mentioned in the indictment, he was liberated to attend the evening parade in the Barrack-yard at Brighton, and that at the moment he got at liberty he levelled his loaded musket at the deceased and shot him through the body. The deceased survived about 20 minutes, and the prisoner suneedered himself the moment the melancholy occurrence took place. The following witnesses were examined to prove the case : . John Shannon, a private of the 90th, stated, that on the 29th of June the prisoner was confined under arrest in the guard-house at the Brighton Barracks. Whilst witness was in the guard-room li saw the prisoner priming his firelock. It frequently happened, that when a soldier wanted to light his pipe, he flashed some gunpowder in the pan of his piece, to ignite some tinder ; but as the prisoner did not appear to be going to smoke, witness laid hold of his firelock, and asked him whether he was going to injure himself ? He replied, that the firelock was his own, and he was not so mad as to injure himself.— Witness took the gun out of his hand, shook the powder out of the pan, and laid the piece down, at a 'distance of about four paces from the prisoner.— The prisoner never touched the piece until a noncommissioned officer came to take him to the evening parade, when he took his firelock with him. Examined by Mr. Justice