The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1872-09-07 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE TRAGEDY AT CHELSEA.  Although it was at first conjectured that the bullet had lodged in the lungs of Paul May. the survivor of this tragedy, all doubts upon the maSter are now set aside, as he is able to sit up and converse. He is progressing as favourably as possible at St. George's Hospital, London, and when convalescent will be brought before the magistrates at Westminster Policeceurt. and charged with the wilful murder of Hermann Nagel. The verdict of the coroner's jury and the summing up of that gentleman may to the uninitiated have created some little surprise, especially as the evidence of Dr. Godrich leaves the presumption that the des ! ceased man not only committed suicide, but shot his companion, but the holding of the coroner and the ! verdict of the jury are perfectly consistent with the ruling of some of our greatest judges. As far back as the reign of James I. a woman was indicted at the Old Bailey for the wilful murder of her husband. It appeared they were in great distress, and had agreed to die together, whereupon they both partook of poison in some drink. The man died. but the woman seized a flask of oil and drank it off, saving her life. The judge ordered a verdict of acquittal, as she was the wife, acting under the control of her husband; and WI the proposal of suicide was his she was held not to be a free agent. There was another case, " Rex v. Dyson" ((toscoe's Digests, p. 741), iu which the man was charged with the murder of his paramour. They agreed to destroy themselves, and while in a boat near 'Westminster Bridge it went over and the woman was drowned. The man got into the boat again, and then attempted to rave the woman, but failed. He was convicted, but sentence was deferred, and as there was some doubt whether the woman might not have f alien into the water by accident, and whether the prisoner might not have attempted tosave her, he was recommended for a pardon. The last case, however, and the best in point, was tried at the Old Bailey, April 9, 1833. Benjamin Alliaim was indicted for the wilful murder of Emma Clips, a woman with whom he cohabited. They agreed to die together, and drank three parts of a cup of lau lemma each ; the large quantity produced vomiting in the case of the mau, and he survived. )Ir. Justice Patteson held that if two persons mutually agreed to e-mmit sui, ide together, and the meansemployed to produce death only took elicit in one, the survivor would he in point of law guilty of the murder of the one who ! died, and he also made come strong remarks upon the fact that juries were in the habit of returning verdicts of temporary insanity, and as a lawyer was bound to say such verdicts were wholly unwarranted by the law of the land. In this case (Allison) there was no evidence of insanity at the time ot the would be suicide, and he directed the jury accordingly. The prisoner was convicted and sentenced to death. This ease is reported in VoL 8. 'Carrington and Payne," page 418. A similar case was tried twelve months ago at the Old b it the man was acquitted, as; the evidence went to show that he was only pretending to bang himself.