The Sun. — 1861-10-09 (London, England)

THE NEWCASTLE MURDER.  EXAMINATION OF THE PRISONER. NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE, Oct. 8. George Clark, the man. who so barbarously murdered Mr. Prater, in Blackett-street, in this town, last Tuesday morning, was this mooning brought up at the police-court, on remand, charged with that crime. Very little additional evidence has been obtained since the coroner's inquest was held on Mr. Frater's body on Weamesday evening. The facts of the case are indeed so conclusive and so palpable that the only question now to be decided is the sanity of the prisoner at the time he committed the deed. When first apprehended his demeanour betokened an imperturbable coolness rather than anything else, and there seemed at that time to be no reason whatever for suspecting his perfect sanity. Since his apprehension, however, he has conducted himself in such a manner as to prove that he is either a madman, or desires to be supposed so. His conduct during the whole of Tuesday was characterised by an excessive levity, and he seemed quite unable to realise the position in which he was placed. At the inquest, on Wednesday evening, as has been already reported, he became exceedingly impertinent. His manner was quite calm, and he listened to everything that went on with great attention, but he uttered the most absurd remarks during the course of the inquiry, and at the very moment that a former fellow-shopman was was giving most important evidence, in reference to the sharpening of the knife, and his previous threats on Mr. Frater's life, he took occasion to remark that the coroner was " nothing but an old wife," and to tell his old mate, in the kindest possible tone, to sit down, and not trouble himself any more about the matter, being evidently unconscious that the man was at the time offering fatal evidence against him. With regard to his previous habits it appears that he has often threatened the lives of persons before, far fancied wrongs, aud some of those who were thus threatened have no hesitation in expressing their decided convictian that the prisoner is insane, and in corrobore.don of this, that he is always worse when the moon changes—this proving him to be a lunatic in the literal sense of the word. With reference to his threats on Mr. Frater's life, it seems that whenever he alluded to that gentleman, in the presence of his fellow-workmen, he informed them that the Queen had been communicated with on the subject, and that she had said that he would be quite right to kill his victim. They, however, paid no attention to this talk, as they considered him nothing more than a harmless imbecile. There] are other circumstances which will be brought forward at his trial, and which show, to say the least, a diseased state of mind in the prisoner. This morning the police-court at the Manors was crammed to excess, and all the leading thoroughfares were crowded by persons anxious to catch a glimpse of the prisoner's appearance. The sitting magistrates were the Mayor, I. Blackwell, It. Dodds, J. L. Bell, G. C. Atkinson, and C. F. Hamond, F.sqrs. The prisoner was brought up as soon as the business of the court commenced. Mr. Frater's remains were interred on Friday at Jesmond Cemetery, Newcastle. A considerable number of the friends of the deceased attended, to pay a last tribute of respect to his memory. Many of the spectators appeared to be deeply affected by the impressive scene. The Rev. J. A. Charlton, M.A., curate of Gosforth, was the officiating clergyman, and the corpse was interred on the south side of the cemetery, adjoining the grave of Mrs. Frater, the first wife of the deceasted. At the meeting of the local board of guardians the same afternoon, the following resolution was unanimously adopted :—" This board, deeply sYrapathising with the family and relatives of the late Mr. Mark Frater in the irreparable loss they have uprightnesssustaindes andire merlin recordrlin wotrhthe.i,rbohtihghasense roifrahties citizen and as a member of this board. They ea'anot refrain, also, from expressing. their dere,p Whilst horrid crime W/diejii preheartfelt sorrow at the razion with and doted his death. the entire body of the inhalbeTt'anitns 'this town, pray that the consolations of Divine isdom may of desolation, be given the family •in this sad Inaid; r‘u ordeal through sustained by them under pisar examined be=fore the Coroner were which they are called to The witnesses recalled, and gave exactly similar testimony. Mr. Main, solicitor, attended to prosecute. At the conclusion of Mrz Dalrymple's (the first quired if the Mayor an answer in the witness) evidence the prisonter in was present, and receiving affirmative, he proceeded in a 'wild and rambling manner to imigt PrOdUCtia of two MCA with