The Sun. — 1865-03-31 (London, England)

CROWN COURT. (Before Mr. Justice Crompton) _ .  Henry Fisher was indicted for the wilful murder of Mary Fisher, his wife, at Bath, on the 6th of January.  Mr. T. W. Saunders and Mr. Murch were counsel for the prosecution ; Mr. Prideaux defended the prisoner. The facts were extremely simple. The prisoner was a journeyman shoemaker, living with his wife at 2, Northampton-street, Bath. He had been married 14 yearn, and he and his wife had always lived together on the, most comfortable and affectionate terms. They had had one child, which happily had died some years since. He was a very well-conducted hard-working man, bearing an excellent character. It would seem that his mind became tainted with a melancholy notion that things were coming to a bad end with him, and that the introduction of machinery in his trade would bring him and his wife to a state of destitution, poverty, and want. This morbid feeling of distress and misery he communicated to his wife. They pondered over it, and one became as much distressed as the other. They came to a resolution to end their woes by putting an end to their existence, and the deceased was heard to say that she should not mind if they could die together. It did not transpire who was the first to suggest it, but they determined to take poison, and a quantity of laudanum was procured at different times and at different shops. On Friday, the 6th of January, the prisoner's stepmother, Mrs. Fisher, called at their lodgings and knocked at the door of their room, but not obtaining any answer she went away. She called again in a later part cf the day, but with the same result. She went again in the evening, and knocked at the door until a faint voice answered, and then the prisoner opened the door. She asked him what was the matter. He replied "I could not help it. She is not dead, but dying." A light was procured. Mrs. Fisher said "What have you been about ?" The prisoner replied "We have taken laudanum by mutual consent. We worked each other up to it. We have each taken seven teaspoonful of laudanum." The woman was lying on the bed in a state of insensibility. Mr. Massey, a surgeon, was sent for, but the woman never rallied. She lingered from the Friday to the Sunday, and then she died. The prisoner was taken to the Bath Hospital, and by great care and skill was recovered.  The learned Judge, in summing up, observed that it might be to be regretted that there were not different punishments for different degrees of murder, but the law was clear that in such a case as this the offence was that of murder. If two parties agreed to commit suicide and one only died, the survivor was guilty of murder. The jury retired for some time, and on their return into court gave a verdict of Guilty according to law, but recommended him most strongly to mercy. The Judge said he agreed in their verdict, and he should join in the recommendation to mercy ; but still the law required that he should pass the sentence of death. The prisoner said he had no feeling of revenge or malice ; it was their weak minds, not trusting in Providence, as they ought to have done. Whatever might bo his fate, he hoped it would be a warning to others. His Lordship having put on the black cap, sentenced the prisoner to death with all the usual formalities. The prisoner looked the picture of misery and despondency.