The Sun. — 1837-09-25 (London, England)

CRIMINAL COURT.-SATURDAY.  OLD COURT.  William Major and James Davis were indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Jeremiah Broad, and stealing therein two cloaks and other articles, his property ; and Mihaly Fell was indicted for receiving part of the property, knowing it to have been stolen. In a second count the house was hid to be the I;ouse of W. G. Brown, the Warden of the Fleet prison. The prisoner Fcli, on being placed at the bar, expressed through Mr. C. Phillips, his counsel, a desire to withdraw the plea which he had pleaded of not guilty, and to confess himself guilty, _ _  The prosecutor stated to the Court that he bad made inquiry with regard to this prisoner,' and having ascertained that he bad hitherto borne a good character he was desirous of recommending him to mercy, under the impression that he had been the dupe of others. Mr. BALLANTNE then stated the facts. Mr. Payne and Mr. Doane defended the prisoners. The Jury found both Guilty. James Hennessey, aged 37, was indicted for the manslaughter of Margaret Hennessey, his wife, by striking, beating, and otherwise ill-using her. From the testimony of the witnesses who were called, it appeared that the prisoner and his wife resided together in a house in Caroline-court, Saffron-hill, Holborn, and that, on the 6th of August, the prisoner went to bed in a state of intoxication. The deceased came to him soon after, and, having awoke him, desired him to get up to have his dinner. He refused to do so, however, and a violent quarrel in consequence took place between them. The prisoner after some words had passed, struck the deceased several violent blows on the chest, and then took up a knife, and stabbed her with it in the wrist. She got away from him, and ran into an adjoining room, but the prisoner pursued her, and having knocked her down seized her by the hair of the head, and repeatedly lifting her head tip battered it violently on the ground. The deceased called " Murder," and otherwise attempted to raise an alarm, but the prisoner, in order to silence her cries, placed one hand over her mouth, and with the other pinched her severely in the throat. At this time the deceased's clothes being saturated with blood, the prisoner demanded that she should take off her gown. She declined doing so, and the prisoner then removed it by main force. The deceased was not seen until the following morning, when the prisoner was again guilty of several acts of brutal violence upon her person. The result of one of which was the breaking of one of her ribs. She afterwards lingered for eight days, during which she related the circumstances above described, and at the end of which time she expired. Mr. PRENDERGAST having addressed the Jury for the defence, Mr. Justice Vaughan summed up, and the prisoner was found Guilty. It the course of the day the Grand Jury returned a number of bills into Court, and then announced to the Judges that there was no further business before them. The Grand Jury were then dismissed. They afterwards returned to express their extreme satisfaction with the state of regularity and cleanliness in which they had found the gaol of Newgate, which reflected the highest credit on the authorities under whose controul it was placed.