Glasgow Courier. — 1844-12-28 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

INCASHIRE WINTER ASSIZES.  OSOW N COURT, MONDAY.  ---• rosy.— Thomas Stem, 21, Ism obsrged with Alice Nolan, at Salford, on the 7th of July throat. Before the prisoner was called upon  appeared on his behalf, held a con aaaaa tion is to the state of the prisoner's mind. The s understood to say, that it had been suggested Ca man who attended the prisoner, and likeMO, that he had, since the time of his imprison!: insane. The conversation lasted for some pt heard by the reporters. After his Lordship two questions of Mr. Thomas Chalmer, curindictment was read, and the prisoner plead. looked pale and feeble and seemed unable to one of voice, his plea being uttered in a sort He is about the middle stature, with ordinof a somewhat more slender make than the en of his class, namely, that of excavators. t the statement of counsel and the evidence, and deceased had been for some time acs other, and he had solicited her to marry the 7th of July, they passed nearly the whole house of a person, named Shepherd, where dinner they went out together, and, when dethe afternoon, she was smiling, and the priand angry. The witness Shepherd then ohAlice, you've been vexing him." The pri. side her, and she smiled, and they began to w. In the course of the evening he went out asor. Before leaving, between nine and ten ed got some bread and meat, and gave the . They seemed on good terms, and went out an o'clock a man and woman were seen stand. of Briggs Street, Salford, and the man said, all we be married?" The female replied,  months," and directly afterwards she was le, God ! Tom!" They separated, and, after istance, she fell, and was taken into a public expired in about ten minutes. The question cted the wound on the throat of the deceased, h a nature as rendered it impossible that she done it. The witness Shepherd deposed, that ;at ten the prisoner returned, dancing and singm." He stamped very hard with his feet, and, aigthing, said, " Here goes!" opened the latch of upon his face in the passage. Upon lifting up ge wound on his thrust was discovered, and he Tom, what have you been doing? Where's teen quarrelling?" He made no reply, but becoat and to gurgle in his throat, as if be were conveyed to the infirmary. on of the case for the prosecution, Mr. JAMES of the prisoner, at considerable length, arguing, sufficient evidence to show that the man stated with the deceased at the place where the murder as the prisoner at the bar. It might be that the cted the wound uponiterahlf ; it might havebeeu er person, and not the priaeuer ; that both the deceased might have agreed to commit suicide; ilar coincidence of both having made the attempt I, without a prior understanding as to the time should be made by both,was manifestly possible, ch the learned counsel referred to the case of the roung persons who recently poisoned themselves auto the late double suicide in Scotland. —Nothing is more dangerous than to refer to  1, after the suggestion throw out by the Court, in refer to any such cases. The second question momog the prisoner did the deed, he was sane at Id be shown that since he bad been in jail he had Bane ; and he (Mr. James) could almost draw an is facts which had been detailed to him by the jail and the surgeon as to the state the prisoner he came into the jail, that, at the time this matted, he was then labouring under the same  remarked, that he could not receive that eviition was, whether the prisoner wane sane man As to whether be was sane in September, Otto. nothing could possibly turn upon that. d the evidence he should tender would be, that, nnber, he was decidedly found to be insane by t he continued insane, in their opinion, for • cerlie was put under such regimen, and treated to reduce this aberration, and bring about certain ntervals ; that they believed that now he wan not and that, from their observation of this case, they he was insane on the 7th July likewise. I will hear such evidence as that, though it is d all conception. If you have any medical man it, because he was insane in November,he was in'hall form my own opinion upon his medical skill.  shall not attempt, my Lord, to form any opinion ill. It is very difficult. :hammer, jun., visiting surgeon to the jail, deposttended upon the prisoner from the period of his .esent time. For • fortnight or three weeks he ily for the wound on his throat; but after thst exceedingly irritable, morose, and ill-mannered, oTember, was in • very violent state, and into.. ;nage. He (Mr. Cbalmer) and Hr. Formby both ,nion that the prisoner was insane. A certificate as sent to the magistrates, and the prisoner was Hied and watched. He remained In that state for I. A reduced diet had produced beneficial effects knee then charged the jury, remarking upon plea of Insanity, and its evil results upon the ty of society ; alluding to the conduct of the print the murder as that of one perfectly sane; and serving, that the only question for their decision e prisoner had inflicted the fatal wound. -hour's absence, the jury returned • verdict of  e, after a brief pence, put on the black cap, and of death upon the prisoner in the following words: w, the jnry, after a long and patient attention to ye been compelled by that evidence to pronounce d I am cure upon that evidence no reasonable Mit can exist. You have put to death, without a ng,,a young woman, whose only fault that we know  fatal violence'both towards her and almoet toIt is impossible for me to show you any mercy. see of your time, time you did not allow her, to God lbepardon of your ,ion. The sentence of the Is, that you be taken from hence to the place in came, and from thence to • place of execution, you be hanged by the neck until you shall be your body be afterwards buried within the prelims wherein you shall be confined. And may God your soul." His Lordship, while delivering the leeply affected. r, at its conclusion, stared wildly about, and, when misted to lead him from the bar, seemed to have a t. He was accordingly allowed to step forward, y fell back iu the officer's arms, and was removed 'fainting state. His mother, who was amongst the lamed fearfuUy, and fainted at the passing of the