The Sun. — 1863-12-17 (London, England)

DEC. 16. (Before Mr. Baron Pigott.) Emanuel Cash was indicted for ravishing Charlotte Feaver, on the 7th of November, at Ansford, and six other men were charged with aiding and abetting. There were other indictments charging each one as a principal. Mr. Edlin and Mr. Hooper were counsel for the prosecution ; Mr. Frideaux defended Coles ; Mr. T, W. Saunders defended Pitman; Mr. Ffooks defended all the others. This was one of those brutal cases that unhappily sometimes disgrace our courts of justice, but we shall only allude to the facts very briefly. It appeared that the parents of the prosecutrix lived at Castle Carey, the father being a gardener. The girl, who was 20 years of age, worked in a factory, and lived with her parents. She was keeping company with a young man named Sylvester Sheen. On Saturday evening, the 7th of November, after leaving work, she returned to her father's house, and shortly afterwards Sheen called for her, and they went out to take a walk. About ten o'clock they went to the Half-moon publichouse, which was kept by Coles, one of the prisoners. The girl had a glass of peppermuit, and Sheen had a pint of beer. The prisoners came into the house and joined them. They remained at the publichouse till 12 o'clock, when they all went out of the house, Coles accompanying them to the door of the house. ' Some of the prisoners knocked down Sheen, and they seized holy of the girl, all of them, with the exception of Pitman and Coles, effected their purpose, assisting each other. The girl cried "Murder I" Coles stood by. A man named Wright came up and threatened to send for the police. Coles sari it was a shame, but he did not like to interfere amongst so many men ; but he added, " Take her into the stable, as there is acme clean straw there." They then dragged her into the stable, threw her down, and then all of them, with the . exception of Coles, repeated the offence. The girl after a time went home, her father left her in, and she then told her mother what had happened; but no complaint was made to the police until the following Saturday. Three of the prisoners were immediately ap prehended, the others absconded, and were not „taken for some time. Charlotte Feaver deposed to the facts of the case. She was cross-examined at considerable length by the learned counsel for the defence, but her evidence was not shaken. She pulled their hair, she struck them in the face, she called "Murder !" and cried to be taken to her mother. Seven had intercourse with her in the stable. They were there an hour. Silvester Sheen corroborated the statement of the prosecutrix as to the outrages. The men pushed him about and struck him. He was afraid to interfere. Coles said there was clean straw in the stable, and they had better carry the young woman there, and not make a noise in front of the house. They then dragged her into the stable. They were an hour in the stable. He could see all that was going on. He could not interfere, because they threatened him and struck him. George Wright came up and saw the men surrounding and dragging the girl, and he heard her cry " Murder I" Thomas Goodrich, a neighbour of Coles, heard : h 0.,, cries et " Murder 1" and a call of " I wish my dear mother uan hour. There were cries of a woman in distress for h He opened his beim= window and listened, and the window again. then shut the girl, said that her dress Burge in misted -shawl was off her heel, George Feaver, the father of was torn when he lot her ill. A policeman had Emanuel and her teeth wore covered we talk of what they had 1 31' in their cells, and heard thorn • _itchiiabeshrlooadn.d I wade able defences for ea./ espective clients The comase Coles and Pitman witn Others of the prisoners lso made tatitat,etaents.. c' one. On the part of Co , ebses Were calico Mr. Baron Pigott summed up with great care, reading who certainly did not he)p their case, ever the whole evidence as it applied to each prisoner." The jury Lund all the ptisonersguiltv, but recommended The Judge then sencenced Emir a different punishment as regarded Pitman and Coles, Burge, and HaLett, to be kept Giles tube kept in penal servitude' for three years,Cash, William in penal servitude for five years, Giles and Coles to be iMprisonA fur two years. a