0 NEWS. FRIGHTFUL MURDER OF A FEMALE. A YOUNG MAN...
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0 NEWS. ORDERED B Y T H K IDIET. ^iott has passed, by a for Federal execution hi tie settlement of th» be order for the advance |immediately dispatched. deputed to carry out |have sent a summons to Holstein within seven formed circles that the olved not to make any ion. A friendly under- rbe arrived at with the net Council was held on , at which It was deter- _ conrlict the Danish as in Holstein which the )F THK STATE O F , 5L.VXD. says it is believed that 11 be shortly abolished, on tho 14th inst. at j of Cracow, in which the bo insurg"nts, who also st. Tho Austrian troops i retreating into Galjcian ave also obtained a success I state that the insurgents 9 1 tth, at Nichalowice, a ar from, Cracow, and took Austrian* prevented the _>Galician territory The lor.s in an engagement at If Lublin. ke statemont of some days ndrew Zamoyski has been THE TEBSDALE MERCURY—WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1863. I.'U<V I fcu. pom Stuttgart) has given. , in order to secure liberty he pending negotiations. negotiations are being Btaatmnzeiier. "testifies ties are animated by the ICA td steamer America has bringing news from New •following are the ohief >'s position on Mine Bun jit, has retreated to the I supposed that Meade will _r Washington, fs movements has been for- reinforced- Bragg near [jturo of J,(HH) of Wheeler's i Sannders at KnoxviHe on was repulsed with con- .ceived from Charleston to throwing twenty shells per shelling of Fort Sumter ng the lato campaign are ivod below Washington. L held at New York to raise NEW YORK, DEC. 5. ! is said to be more serious —dy being small-pox. fan official organ, declares LS a military failure. I t i s gwick will supersede Meade. ies to the 3rd inst. report _) at Walkersford, two miles pForster and Longstreet's tempting to cross the Clinch the loss of fifty men, but en superseded by General to resume the offensive 1 understood that the Preai- | of an intensely Radical to settle the question ef to the Presidency. The my question as practically ' should treat ft as a thing ie will urge the present as lisposition of the political _dle the war shall be prose- In of the national life and! .emblo on the 7th, and it Jee would be organised, and, [be ready on tho 8th for the I message. NEW YORK, DEC. 5. als received at Clinch River pgstreet's retreat, attanooga are now-estimated captured 0.000 prisoners 1UICIDE OF A BOY- [Raffles Walthew, deputy- bit the Haro Tavern, Hare- »railway station, respecting ft Grew, a lad only fourteen ed suicide with great deter- IrnVbuildrngs, Little Bacon- Tjeased, said he was a weaver, fourteen years of age and Last Tuesday morning at eight o'clock. He oom- ine o'clock. Witness could Et he supposed deceased was dd that on Tuesday morning [ that deceased had hanged i cut down. Deceased had i he had out long enotigh to of the water-closet. He limber a strip of webbing of takers, and hanged himself lad been very carefully fitted [everything seemed to have Aeration. | e was called in to deceased t dead. Dr. Silvester-a pro- si hour, but animation could las the result of strangula- tor. Little Baeon-street, said L well-conducted lad, much id not threatened to destroy gna- strange in his manner, twice complained of pains in : was a most singular thing |agc -hould deliberately hang ent cause. i of unsound mind." | Death.—Mr. William Tal ciety for the Abolition of •delivered a lecture on the \ The Rev. B. E. Maclcllan in was made by the lecturer •cations of the non-deterrent kit, Thus tho murder at Ipring, was speedily followed Viatter b y a third murder in of liiirtoa there Was an I mpanneiling any Maidstoae _ot of the known prevalence Imposition to capital pun^sh- leou repeatedly strengthened KB afforded by an assize town V-'letcmrat and demoralising ftlie w o t i o a o | (Mr. Fredewc .approving of death punish- lusly in a large audionce. THE WIG WELL-HALL MURDER. The trial ef George Victor Townley was oommeneed on Friday at Derby, before Mr. Baron Martin. The counsel for the prosecution were Mr. Boden, <}.C. (specially retained), and Mr. Bristowe. For the defence were Mr. Macaulay, Q.C., and Mr. Serjeant O'Brien (both specially retained), and Mr. Stephens. The court was densely crowded, and the prisoner pleaded, in alow bnt firm voice, " N o t Guilty." The Prosecution. Mr. Boden, in opening the case, stated that the pri- -sener was a member of a respectable family living at Hendham-vale, a mile or two from Manchester. His father was a commission agent at Manchester, but the prisoner had no employment, unless it was that he acted as a clerk in his father's office. Miss Elizabeth Goodwin, with whose death he was charged, was the daughter of Mr. Henry Goodwin, and granddaughter ef Captain Goodwin, who had long lived in the county, and acted as a magistrate there. Miss Goodwin herself was nearly twenty-three years of age. Captain Good- win 's eldest son was a physician at Manchester, and Miss Goodwin while o n a visit t o h i m became acquainted with theTownleys. That acquaintance led to a strong attach- ment between the prisoner and the deceased, and ulti- mately, about four years ago, they became engaged. Owing to Townley's want of means the engagement was not approved of by the lady's friends, and for some short time it was broken off. It had been renewed, however, shortly afterwards, and continued to exist to within a short time of her death. Miss Goodwin ap- pears to have written to the prisoner on the 14th of August to break off the engagement. Her letters, however, had, with one exception, been given up by Townley to her friends, who destroyed them. On the 16th of August Townley wrote to Miss Goodwin as follows:— Hendham-vale, Sunday. My dearest Bessie,—Dearest you will nlways be to me; to •ay that I am not terribly cat op would be a lie, bat, at any rats, you know I am not the man to stand in your way. I answer nothing to your last letter, except that I wish to hear from your own lips what your wishes are, and I will accede to them. Ton know me too well to suppose that 1 should give way to any unnecessary nonsense or sentimentallsm. I have had s singular ran of good and bad luck lately : It suffices to say that I have an offer to leave England. Before I g» I wish to see you once again, and for the last time, though God knows what misery it gives me to say so. Yon will admit that my desire to see yoa is but natural Say in your next where yon will meet raa. I will come by the first or second train from Derby on Tuesday or Wednesday morning, whichever suits yoa; of course, without any one knowing. The sooner it Is all settled the better for both parties. Ever, dearest Bessie, your aflectionate GSOROB. On Wednesday, the 19th, the prisoner wrote as fellows:— Gilnow Mills, Bolton, Wednesday. My dear Bessie,—I will only say here that I will arrive by the train yon mention (11.37 am , Friday morning), and that I hope, dear Bessie, yoa will not bother yourself unnecessarily about all this as far as 1 am concerned. For my own peace of mind I wish to see yon. which I hope yoa won't think selfish. Du reste, I only repeat what I have already said—I Have but to hear from yoa what your wishes are, and they shall be complied with, and that I have sufficient xavoir vivre net to make a bother about what cannot be helped. Tou can write to the Midland Hotel, Derby, where I shall stay to-morrow niaht, or leave a note at the inn at Whatatandwell-bridge for me. Don't let me be the cause of any row between yoa and your G. P. If yon like to call at the Inn I will not stir out till you come; bat I leave ail this to your judg- ment,—Ever vours affectionately, G . V . T . On the same day Miss Goodwin wrote a letter to the prisoner, which had been preserved, and was as folio wa:— My dear George,—I write this in the greatest haste t» tell yoa not to come on lany) acconnt I leave here to-day, and can't tell when I shall »r can be back again. I do not wish to see yon if it can possibly be avoided, and indeed there will be no chance now, so we had better end this state of suspense at once, and say "Good-bye" without seeing each other. I feel sure I could not stand the meeting. If you write once more within the next three days I can get it, but not later than that time without its wains; seen, for my letters are strictly watched, and even opened. —Tours truly, Bsssix. This letter reached Hendham-vale on the Thurs- day morning, and Townley's mother, perceiving from whom it came, opened it, and immediately telegraphed to the prisoner, who was then staying at Mr. Arrow- smith's, at Bolton :—" Letter from B ^Bessie].—Come at once. Will meet you at the station. Will wait. Immediate." Immediately on getting this telegram the prisoner seems to have left Bolton and gone to Hend- ham-vale. From there he went on the same day to the Midland Hotel, at Derby, where he slept. On the following morning, Friday, the 21st of August, he left Derby, and went to Whatstandwell, the nearest station to Wigwell-hall, which is about a mile and a half distant. He reached this place about half-past eleven, and went to the Bull's Head Inn, which is close to the station. The learned counsel then detailed the facts of the case as they appear in the evidence of the witnesses below. He added that it was clear that Miss Goodwin met her death at the hands o f t h e prisoner, and it seemed to be equally clear if the prisoner was responsible for his acts, the offence amounted to murder. On concluding, Mr. Boden called Elizabeth Margaret Poyser : I am the housemaid at Wigwell-halL The prisoner came to the hall on Friday evening, the 21st of August, at twenty minutes to six, and asked for Miss Goodwin. I showed him in, and Miss Goodwin met him at the drawing-room door, and they went into the garden. Half an hour after I went into the garden, and * and them sitting on a seat a short distance from ' te house. I told Miss Goodwin she was wanted, and she came to the house and re- mained there till a quarter to seven, when she went out again. I went out at a quarter past seven and found her again sitting on the seat with the prisoner. I told her tea was ready, and she said " I am coming directly." I left her, but she never returned alive. I had Been him before. His manner was like that of other people, and was not different on the 21st from what it had been at other times. The next witnesses were Thomas Biddulph and Reuben Conway. Tho former said he saw the pri- soner and Miss Goodwin in Wigwell-mill-lane, making towards the hall, at about half-past eight. Conway detailed how he found Miss Goodwin, guiding herself by the wall, as she came towards the ball, with her face and the front of her dress all covered with blood. She told him a gentleman behind had been murdering her ; and, on looking back, he saw the prisoner, who came towards him. He asked him who had been mur- dering Miss Goodwin, and the prisoner said he had stabbed her. Then they two took her—the prisoner by the head, and Conway by the body—and carried her towards her home. Reuben Conway continued his evidence by saying he called her " Poor Bessie " several times, and said, " You should not have proved false to me." She said nothing then. We laid her down near a gate, and prisoner asked me for aometing to put round her neck, to stop the bleeding, f went to Mr. Bowmer's _ yard for help, leaving the prisoner with Miss Goodwin. I was away about four or five minutes, and on coming back found the prisoner holding something _ round her neck. I asked if she was living, and he said she was. She said, " Take me home." We then carried her a short distance further, until Mr. Seeds and his brother came up. Mr. Seeds asked who had done it. The prisoner said, " I have done it." We then carried her further, and met James Conway, who also asked who had done it. The prisoner said, I know, and he knows; I am the man who did it, and I Bhall be hanged for it." Miss Goodwin then said she was dying. We carried ner further, and met Mr. Ilowmer. who also wanted to know who had done it. The prisoner said, " I have done it; there is no question at all about that." Captain Goodwin, who is eighty-four years of age, was examined. He was somewhat infirm, bnt spoke clearly and distinctly. He described what had oc- curred as his granddaughter was being brought into the house, and added :—After saying that the woman who deceived him must die, the prisoner said, " I told her I would kill her. She knew my temper." He also said, " I had the means two months ago, and I have the means at the present time." He asked if I would take charge of some of his things. I observed he had money in his hand. I declined to take anything. He then produced two packets of letters. He gave them to me and said, " Will you take care of these ? You may read them, burn them, or do what you like with them. I don't wish these to be brought into court." I kept them for a few days, and then threw ' hem all into t ae fire. I did not read a line of them, I ut I believe thorn to have been my granddaughter's 'etters. The prisoner was staying at my house for a few days at Christmas time. I d i d n o t see muoh, hardly anything, of him. On the Friday evening be behaved with the greatest indifference. I thought I saw a little excitement about him just before he offered me the things. He had been so perfectly indifferent before that I noticed the change. Cross-examined: After the prisoner was remanded, a policeman, Parnham, asked me for one of the letters produced ia court (the last from Townley), and another policeman. Burton, asked me for the packet of letters, and suspecting he had some improper motive, I burnt them. I thought he was pumping me, and, being annoyed at that, I burnt the letters. Charles Parnham : When I got, to Wigwell on the Friday evening the prisoner came towards mo and said, " I wish to give myself up for murdering the young lady." I cautioned him and asked him if he was aware of the nature of the charge he was giving himself up for. He said, " Yee, quite so, and will go with you quietly, only let me see her first." I then said to him, " What have you done with the instrument or knife you committed the deed with '-. " He took the knife now produced out of his pocket and gave it to me. It was wet with blood. I then took him into the kitchen. He looked at the body stedfastly, but did not speak. On the way to the lock-up he said, " I am far happier now I have done it than I was before, and I trust she is." I examined the road and found a small pool of blood at the corner of Wigwell-mili-lane. At the hunting- gate, which is about two hundred yards from the lane end, and nearer the hall, I found another pool of blood. I did not notice any between the two places. This closed the case for the prosecution. The Defence. Mr. Macaulay addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoner. He strongly hoped that he should satisfy the jury beyond all doubt that by a mysterious dis- pensation of Providence the prisoner had been deprived of his reason to such a degree as to render him not amenable to the laws for the dreadful deed which un- doubtedly he had committed. His father was a man of good means and position,' and had three children, a daughter and two sons, of whom the prisoner was the eldest. From an early age his behaviour had been somewhat peculiar. He was perfectly well-conducted, perfectly gentle, perfeotly quiet, perfectly well be- haved. He was exceedingly accomplished, but he was found to have no aptitude or capacity for the serious business of life. When very young he was noted for his taste for music. At school he acquired languages with facility; but when put into a merchant's counting-house he could not learn the business. The learned counsel then went into a detailed account of the evidence he proposed to adduce, and at the close of his address he called Emma Marsden: I am the prisoner's maternal aunt, and have known him all his life. He is very affectionate and very humane. I had an aunt named Mary Marsden, the sister of the prisoner's grand- father. She destroyed herself, and was supposed to be insane. Gilbert Ainsworth, a first cousin once re- moved, was confined for many years i n a lunatic asylum. Titus Bourne, my maternal uncle, had ten children, of iwhom five were insane. Two were con- fined in an asylum. Another maternal uncle had six children, of whom one has been insane. He is not now in an asylum. Cross-examined i He was occasionally subject to fits of ill-temper. He was not ill-tempered generally. The Rev. William Bourne Masters, the prisoner's maternal uncle, corroborated this evidence. Mary Townley: I am the prisoner's mother. He had a very poor capacity for business pursuits, and had no profession in August last. In March of this year I received a letter from Miss Goodwin, expressing great affection for my son. They were on the most affec- tionate terms, and my son's affections continued the same as ever. On the 12th of August he received a letter from Miss Goodwin, which I saw. (The letter was one of those given by Townley to Captain Good- win, and burnt by him). It spoke of a clergyman, the most delightful man she had ever seen in her life. He had been staying at Wigwell, and her grandfather thought he would just suit her, but that would not do. It ended, "Yours affectionately." The usual conclusion was "Your own darling," or something of that sort. I saw him on the Saturday, three days after he received that letter. There was another from Miss Goodwin to him on that day. It said she had a good deal to say to him, and it had better be said at once. Grandfather had found out that they corresponded, and was wild that there was anything in the way. " I w a n t y o u t o release me," the letter went on, " that I may have it to say I am free. Don't take this too hardly in pity for me. I shall not marry, if I can help it." This was signed, " Yours sincerely." That letter seemed to have turned his brain. He was in such an excited suppressed state of feeling that I asked Mr. Arrow- smith to sit np with him. The next morning I went to my son's room. He was at the door, and appeared very excited, but externally calm. He had not been in bed. He took nothing but tea and brandy for break- fast, and only very little for dinner. That evening, Sunday, the 16th of August, he wrote a letter to Miss Goodwin (the letter dated Sunday, and given above). He took a long time to write it, and was nervous and excited while doing so. He came down on Monday morn- ing and lay on the sofa. He appeared very restless. His nan ds and feet were t w it chin g nervously. I gave him some morphia. He remained on the sofa till dinner time, and took no dinner. After dinner time he wrote another letter to Miss Goodwin. (This letter is also given above.) H e h a d a little difficulty in finding words now and then. He was so nervous that he spoilt several envelopes in directing the letter of Sunday, and he had to tear them up. On Tuesday morning he took hardly any breakfast, and appeared not to have had a night's rest. He then went to Manchester to give a French lesson, and on coining back he was in a perspiration, and said he hoped he was not going to have an illness. That afternoon he went to Bolton, to Mr. Arrowsmith's. On Thursday another letter came from Miss Goodwin (that given above), and I telegraphed to him to return home. On arriving he showed me a letter he had received from Miss Goodwin at Bolton. The purport of it was that if he wished to see her he was to go to the Midland Hotel at Derby, where he "would find a note, from her, but she did notwishtoseehim. There was a postscript, "After all, youhad better come," and she mentioned the trains. We consulted on what was to be done at the station, and fixed that he had better go to Derby. The letter I gave him from Miss Goodwin evidently distressed him. I could see he was dreadfully upset, but he always kept quiet. Shortly afterwards he left for Derby. His manner was generally reserved, but excited. I noticed an excited manner. That was bis natural manner during the whole course of his life. H e wa3 only excited on occasions. I noticed a change after the receipt of Miss Goodwin's letters. I should describe that change as a suppression of deep feeling. I believe an objection was made to her marriage with Mr. Townley on the ground of insanity in my family. Cross-examined: The French lesson was given to the son of a neighbour whom my son had been in the habit of teaching from motives of kindness. Catherine Townley, the prisoner's Bister, confirmed the evidence of her mother, as did also Mr. Washington Arrow-smith, a cotton spinner of Bolton, and several other witnesses. Dr. Forbes Winslow: I have seen the prisoner twice in the presence of Mr. Sims, the governor of the gaol. He was not aware of my name or of the nature of my visit. His behaviour was quite natural and not assumed. I talked to him largely on the subject of the crime. I was with him nearly two hours on the first occasion and three quarters of an hour on the second. I think that at this present moment he is a man of deranged intellect. He was deranged on the 18th of November, and I thought still more so last night, when I saw him the second time. I f I had any doubt as to his insanity on the 18th of November, I had none whatever last night. I adverted to the conversa- tion I had had with him on the previous occasion, with a view of satisfying my mind that I had left him with an accurate impression of what he had said. He repeated to me that he did not recognise be had com- mitted any crime at all, neither did he feel any degree of pain, rsgret, oontrition, or remorse for what he had done. I endeavoured to impress on his mind on my first visit the serious nature of the crime he had committed. He repudiated the idea of its' being a crime either against God or man; and, in reply to some observations of mine, attempted to justify the act, alleging that he considered Miss Goodwin as his own property; that she had been illegally wreatedfroinhim by an act of violence; that he viewed her in the light of his wife who had committed an act of adultery, and that be had as perfect a right to deal with her life as he had with any other description of property, as the money in his pocket, <tc. I said, " Suppose any one robbed you of a picture, what course would you take to recover it P " He said he would demand its restitution, and if it were not granted, he would take the person's life with- out compunction. I remarked that me had no right to take the law into his own hands; he should have- re- course to legal measures to obtain restitution. He remarked that be recognised the right of no man to sit in judgment upon him. He was a free agent, and as he did not bring himself into the world by any action of his own, he had perfect liberty to think and act as he pleased, irrespective of any one else. I re- garded these expressions as the evidence of a diseased intellect. Last evening he said that he had been for some weeks previously to the 21st of August under the in- fluence of a conspiracy. There were six conspirators plotting against him, with a view to destroy him, with a chief conspirator at their head. This conspiracy was still going on while he was in prison, and he had no doubt that if he was at liberty they would continue their operations against him, and in order to escape their evil purposes he would have to leave the country. He became muoh excited, and assumed a wild, maniacal aspect. I am satisfied the aspect was not simulated. Dr. Gisborne, the surgeon of the Derbyshire In- firmary and of the County Gaol, gave similar evidence, and added that the prisoner's condition at this time was similar to his condition when he was brought to the gaol in August. Mr. Sims, the governor of the gaol, gave similar evidence as to the conduct and statements of the prisoner. This concluded the case for the defence, and the court then adjourned. On Saturday morning the trial was resumed. At nine o'clook, Mr. Boden, the counsel for the prosecu- tion, addressed the jury in reply to the evidence ad- duced to prove that the prisoner was not in his right mind at the time he committed the murder, which he maintained was altogether insufficient. The Bumming Up. The learned Baron then summed up, and said that George Victor Townley was on his trial before them for the murder of Elizabeth Caroline Goodwin, and the evidence upon that poi.it was simply and most remarkably clear—in fact, he did not remember any case in which the mere facts of the commission of the murder had been more clearly proved. The single point for the jury to consider was, whether the state of mind of the prisoner was such that he knew that what he did would cause death, that he was punishable by law for such an act as being contrary to the law of God, as laid down in the Commandments, which all persons learned, and which, doubtless, the prisoner had learned amongst others. If he was not in that state of mind, then he was not responsible in the eye of the law. The question was one of the greatest importance to the prisoner, and not less so i n an enlarged sense, to the public; and it was their duty as jurymen to look carefully at the case and give their verdict according to the law, which he should give them, and the facts before them, leaving out of the question any other consideration, whieh would be dealt with in the proper quarter. The learned Baron having gone over the facts of the case, observed,— This clearly was murder subject to the plea of insanity. The law holds that a man is insane whose mind is diseased—who supposes a state of things to exist that does not exist—but whose mind is in such a state that he thinks things real that are not, and acts accord- ingly. Such, for instance, as where a man lost his mind altogether, and acted upon the same instinct as a tiger or a wolf would in tearing its prey. Such a man clearly would not be criminally responsible in the eye of the law for what he did. After referring to some other instances of a like character, his lordship said that women in a certain condition of life were affected thereby, and many mothers had got rid of their children, believing that they were doing the greatest kindness to them ; but the law held that if a woman had a child and she was in distress, and wretchedness, and misery, and not able to provide for it, yet if she took away its life she would be guilty of murder, and she would not be deemed under any delusion at all. The result of his remarks would simply lead them to con- sider whether they believed that, at the time the prisoner committed the murder, he was doing that of which he knew not the liability. Was his deed the re- sult of mental disease ? If not, if the jury believed that he perfectly well knew that the act which he did would take away life, then the law of God, which said, " Thou shalt not kill," and the law of man, framed upon that law, judged him to be guilty of murder. He said, " You should not have proved false to me: " after he said, " I have done it; I shall be hanged for it." I must ask the jury if that was not consistent with a full knowledge of what he did and the respon- sibility of his act. One witness says, " We met Cap- tain Goodwin, and the prisoner told, h i m , ' T h i s i s y o u r grand-daughter, Betsy, murdered;' " and then, again, he said, " She has deoeived me, and the woman who deceives must die." I must put it to you, said the Judge, whether if every man was to act so towards every woman who deoeived him, the crime of murder would not be committed. I must tell you, if you think he knew what he did, that he took her life away, and knew that be was responsible to the law of the country, though it might be that he was of a diseased mind, that would not affect fora moment the law and the legal con- sequence of the act as I have laid it down to you from several most eminent judges. As to the letters which were burnt, it clearly showed that he knew he should be tried for what he had done, for he said, " I do not want them read in court." Having gone through the evidence for the prosecution, the learned Baron said that was the case, and he must again put it to the jury whether they were satisfied as to that part ef the case. With regard to the evidence for the defence, the first part of it clearly showed that there was insanity on the maternal line; and, as too often is the case, it was to some extent hereditary, but the evidence all through showed that they all treated the prisoner as a sane man, fit to contract matrimony, and countenanced his going to see Miss Goodwin with a view to induce her to change her mind, and continue her affections to him. The evi- dence of Mrs. Townley clearly showed that there was not the slightest taint of insanity in the conduct of the prisoner. Mr. Harris, in his evidence, said, "he," referring to the prisoner, "is the last man I should think likely to commit such a crime." That the prisoner killed Miss Goodwin there is no doubt, and, except it is excusable on the ground of insanity, that that act was a murder there is no doubt. Now the question is, did he act under a delusion? You must take it from me that if he knew • when he did the act that he was doing an act likely to cause death, and that it did cause death, and that he did it purposely, and that he knew all he was doing;—that the law of God said it was a bad act according to the Sixth Commandment, and then the law of man said such act should be punished by death,- and in my opinion, i f so, he is guilty of murder, and it is your doty to find him guilty of murder; but if not, then you will acquit him on the ground of insanity. The Verdict The learned Judge occupied nearly two hours in summing up, and the Jury,' after a few-minutes' con- sultation, returned into court with a verdict of Guilty. Amid breathless silence the Clerk of the Arraigns said: George Victor' Townley, you hate put yourself upon your country upon the charge of murdering Elizabeth Caroline. Goodwin, and they aay you are guilty—have you anything to say why sentence of death should not be passed upon you ? The culprit bowed his head, and'remained silent. Mr. Baron Martin, whose lips quivered with emotion, put on the black cap, and the usual awful proclama- tion having been made, the learned Judge said: George Victor Townley, after everything that could possibly be urged in defence of your crime hasbeen done with an ability never excelled, the jury have found you guilty of murder, and I am bound to say that in that verdict Pentirely condur, for if the defence that had been set up in your behalf was allowed to have pre- vailed it seems to me it might have been attended with the most disastrous consequences to the country, and if it did become instilled into the minds of young men that they were justified in taking away the life of a young woman who trans- ferred her affections to another, the consequences indeed would be dreadful. I have but one duty to perform, which the law imposes upon me; my pro- vince is purely ministerial, it is the law that sentences you, not I . I have only to express an earnest hope and, prayer that- you will take the opportunity of making your peace with? God during the short time.of your stay on earth. I do npt mean to make any com- ments on your most painful oase, but only to pass upon you the sentence which the law prescribes for the crime of murder. I His lordship, who was almost in- audible throughout the delivery of his remarks, faltered in pronouncing the final words and the dread sentence, finishing the words," and may the Lord have mercy on your soul." The heartrending scene in the court will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it; the miserable criminal, however, bowed to tbe learned judge, and left the dock apparently unmoved by the result. The Suez CanaL—The Moniteur publishes a dispatch from Suez, stating that the fresh-water canal is completed. The water was at three kilometres' dis- tanoe from Suez. Tbe inhabitants of tho town have offered their congratulations to M. de Lesseps, inviting him to be present in Suez on the day of the inaugura- tion. FRIGHTFUL MURDER OF A FEMALE. On Sunday a frightful murder-was oommitted on the body of a young woman named Green, by Samuel Wright, a person with whom she lived as his wife. From particulars obtained from authentic sources the following may be relied upon as being perfectly correct:— It appears that a man named Samed Wright, a bricklayer, 31 or 32 years of age, lost his wife some time since, being left with two young children. His father and mother, who resided atNo. 19, Howley- plaoe, undertook to take charge of one of the children. On Saturday night he came to see bis child, and tho deceased, who got her living by walking the streets, called, and said that she waited to see her husband and was told that he had no wife. Wright and his unfortunate paramour repaired to their lodgings on Sunday morning at an early hour, both having been drinking freely. After they entered their apartments a deal of quarrelling was heard be- tween them, which lasted at intervals nearly the whole of the night. _ Early in the morning Police-oonstable Newton, No. 76, of the L division, in passing along his beat, was called into the house in the Waterloo-road, and there beheld a fearful scene, for the unfortunate woman was lying i n a pool of blood with her head nearly severed from the body. Drs. Dodd of the Waterloo-road, and Donohoo of the Westminster-road, were at once sent for, and they promptly attended, bnt neither were in time to be of any assistance. The whole of the principal arteries of the neck and throat had been completely divided, and death must have been instan- taneous. Mr. Superintendent Webb, of the L division, and Inspector Edmunds, having arrived at the scene of the tragedy, they gave orders for the arrest of Wright, which was done, and he was taken to Tower-street police-station, where the charge was formally entered against him, and he was looked up in one of the cells, but complaining so muoh of cold, and evidently suffer- ing from drink, Sergeant Ranscombe allowed him to sit in front of the fire in the reserve room until he somewhat recovered. The head beadle of Lambeth took charge of the mangled remains, to await an inquest. On Monday morning Wright was examined at the Southwark Police-court, before Mr. Burcham, charged with cutting the throat of his paramour, Maria Green, with a razor, thereby causing her death. He is a youngish-looking man, about thirty years of -age, of light complexion, and a short beard, but no whiskers. He seemed very collected when taking his place in the dock, but after looking round the court a little his countenance fell, and he seemed much dejected during the examination. Some evidence was taken in accordance with the de- tails given above, and the prisoner, who declined to ask any of the witnesses questions, and made no answer to the charge, was committed for trial a t t h e present Old Bailey Sessions, and was removed at once to Newgate. The unfortunate woman had been married in her earlier years to a respectable man, who died, leaving her with two children, whom she had placed under the care of her relatives. The name of Green was only assumed, her relatives and friends being highly respectable persons. She became acquainted with her murderer about nine months since, at which time she was living i n a house in Tennyson-street, York-road, Lambeth, which she left to live with the man by whose hands she met her untimely death. An inquest has been held on the body of the de- ceased, and the evidence given was substantially the same as that before the police magistrate. The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against the prisoner Wright, who has since been tried and condemned to death. , -• - . 1 PROCLAMATION OF THE KING OF DENMARK TO HOLSTEIN. 7-The following proclamation has been issued by King Christian IX.: — i " To our beloved and faithful subjects of the duchy of Holstein— " We, Christian IX., by the grace of God, King 0 f Denmark, of the Vandals and Goths, Duke of Schles- wig-Holstein, Stomarn of the Dithmarschen and of Lauenburg, and also of Oldenburg, Ac., " Hereby make known .—The order of succession to the throne of the Danish monarchy, settled after serious commotions by the law of the 31st July, 1863, should be a work of peaee. Facilitated by. the devoted ab- negation of others it has. been accepted by us without personal ambition, bnt with the nope of promoting 1 thereby the Welfare of the beloved Fatherland. In the public law of Europe it has received recognition by a solemn treaty, in which most of the European Powers, including the greatest, took part, because they ac- knowledged the integrity of the Danish monarchy to be a necessity for the peace of Europe. Nevertheless efforts tending to the "disruption of the Danish monarchy, and serving as a veil for the most un- founded hereditary pretensions, nave been brought to bear against this order, so conducive to the welfare of our country and the preservation of the peace of the world. To our heartfelt' sorrow we cannot avoid per- ceiving that in our duchy of Holstein'these efforts gain ground, cause excitement in the public mind, and give rise to uncertainty and doubt even i n those on whose fidelity and devotion we have most right to depend. " Holsteiners! We see in the maintenance of the Danish monarchy one of our most important duties as a ruler. As it follows, therefore, that we cannot suffer that hostile efforts should be fostered by the attitude of a portion of the public officials, we are firmly deter- mined and prepared to oppose ail insurrectionary movements by. force, and to hold every one strictly accountable who allows himself to be drawn into illegal steps of this character. We are confident, however, that our beloved Holstein subjects, Attached to us by so many ties, will not allow themselves to be induced to waver in their fidelity to us; that the vacillating will return to a sense of their duty, and that the ex- citement of the public mind will be succeeded by reflection, thus sparing our paternal heart the adop- tion of measures which would cause it the greatest pain. To our great sorrow the efforts of many years to bring about an understanding on the consti- tutional relations of the united monarchy have, np to the present, been without result; but, inasmuch as it is pur intention to giva our German provinces an inde- pendent position in the monarchy, in the same maimer aa has already been done with regard to the parts of the monarchy not belonging to the German Confedera- tion, we permit ourselves the hope that our duchy of Holstein, when it feels content under the enjoyment of a real constitutional liberty, and when every pretext for foreign interference ia removed, will incline of its own aooord to a closer connection with the other parts of the monarchy, and that an arrangement satisfactory to all will then be Tendered more possible. " Holsteiners ! We have assumed the Government of the country under difficult circumstances. With so much the more confidence we reckon upon the devotion of all our subjects. If you remain faithful to .us God will, we trust, crown our efforts with success; they are solely directed to the welfare and peace of our country. . , " Given at our residence, City of Copenhagen, Decem- ber 4,1863, "C. HAM,. - "CHRISTIAN B." Heatley, the man who, passing himself off as a military officer, endeavoured to utter a forged billon the Marquis of Anglesey, and whose case excited con- siderable interest when it was before the police-courts, Was tried'at the Central Criminal Court, on Tuesday. He was found guilty, and sentenced to penal servitude for six years. Abolition o f T u r n p i k e s . — I n a d d i t i o n t o ' t h e ' metropolitan turnpikes to be abolished on the 1st July next, an Act of Parliament was passed at the close of the last session, to continue until the 1st November next, and "no longer," nearly eighty Turnpike Acts, unless otherwise directed by Parliament. i ' 1 • The Tricks . of Servants.—Bridget, Jones an Mary Kingston were reexamined the other day, at Hammersmith, on a charge of pilfering. The prisoner Kingston was oook in the Bervice of Dr. Hill, the proprietor of a lunatic asylum, at Earl' a Court Heuse, Kensington, and the other prisoner was employed as charwoman. In consequence of information Dr. Hill received that he was being robbed, he communicated with the police, and a plainclothes constable was employed to watch the prisoners. Jones was caught leaving the premises with a quantity of bread, meat, and milk, which she said the cook had given her. On searching Kingston's box a quantity of Dr. Hill's tea was found. Kingston was committed for two months' imprisonment, and Jones for fourteen days for the unlawful possession. A YOUNG MAN FROM THE COUNTRY. One day last week, as the court at the Mansion- house was about to rise, a respectable-looking man, barely twenty, who said he was a native of Armagh! applied for assistance i n a state of distress, having, he said, been defrauded of what to him was a considerable sum of money, and all he had in the world. He was on his way to Otago, in New Zealand. A few days ago he called at an emigration office in LeadenhaU- street, to take a passage out, but finding that the ship in which he had intended to go had left, he bespoke a borth in another vessel, which was to sale on the 10th of January. As he was leaving the office, an elderly man, whom he had not seen before, engaged h i m i n conversation, and stated that he, too, was about to sail in the same ship for New Zealand, and they might go together,-^The applicant assented, and a day or two afterward/ met by appointment, at a tavern near King a-cross, the man whose acquaintance he had so made. On entering a room there the man appeared to recognise a Yorkshireman, and all three presently got into conversation. The Yorkshireman took from his pocket what appeared to the applicant to be a l o t o f sovereigns, which he began to count, observing as he did so that he had recently had a considerable sum of money left him. He also produced two new canvas bags, such as are used by bankers, one of which he offered to give his ac- quaintance, adding that he would "hansel" it, too, by putting a sovereign into it, which he apparently did, taking one from tho lot on the table. He said he should not mind giving the young man the other bag, meaning the applicant, which he did. The applicant then took from his pocket J614 in gold, which was all he had to pay his passage, and which the Yorkshireman professed to put into the bag that he had given him. lney had something to drink, and eventually agreed to dine there, fixing a time. The Yorkshireman and the other man then left the house together, promising to return at the hour appointed, and leaving applicant in the room. They did not return, and, after waiting some time for them, he left ; and on reaching his lodgings he found eighteen counterfeit sovereigns i n the bag instead of the £14 in gold, which he had ex- pected to see. He had not seen either of the men since, and he, now in apennilessstate, asked for a sum to pay his passage to New Zealand, stating that on his arrival there he should meet with friends who would assist him. He had deposited his luggage at the East India Dooks, in proof of which he produced a cor- responding ticket. Mr. Goodman declined to pay his passage to Otago out of the poor-box, but as the next best thing he undertook to bear the expenses of his return to Armagh. The applicant accepted the offer, and left the court. SEVEN PERSONS DROWNED AT LYTHAM. A most melancholy occurrence took place at Warton, near Lytham, a few days ago, by which seven human beings lost their lives by drowning. For three weeks past there have been staying at Mrs. Harrison's, 35, East Reach, Lytham, Mr. Sugars, a merchant, of Manchester, together with his wife, two sons, and three daughters. The sons, Henry and Thomas, weee aged respectively about 21 and 16 years; and the daughters, Jessie, Laura, and Mary, were 21, 15, and 10 years old. With them has been, during their visit to Lytham, a Miss Eliza Wilson, a young lady of about 20; and the party were joined by Mr. Walter Wilson brother to Miss Wilson, aged 23, who, it is believed' was betrothed to the eldest of the Misses Sugars'. About eleven o'clock on Tuesday morning all the party, with the exception of Mr. and Mrs. Sugars, proceeded to the river for the purpose of hiring aboat and shoot- ing birds. They were in the highest possible gplrito, and were accompanied to the water's edge by Mr. Sugars. None of the youths were accustomed to row- ing ; but as there was a little wind blowing, although the tide was beginning to flow, no danger was appre- hended. They stated to the owner of the boat, a man named Parkinson, that they intended pulling ae far as the docks, and left with a pair of oars" Soon afterwards two of the youths were observed on one of the sandbanks with their guns, but were not no- ticed later; and nothing more.was haaid of them until a telegram was received by Mr. Sugars stating that they had gone to Preston with thi tide, and would return to Lytham in time for dinner at six o'clock. As they did not arrive at home at that hour, Mr. and Mrs. Sugars became very jwpBfc and a boat's crew was dispatched up the river i n search of the unfortunate party ; but after proceeding' as fa* as the Naze Point thoy had to return without any tidings of the missing youths, beyond what they had learnt from the men on the dredge, who saw thempaes homewards about half-past five o'clock. At daybreak next morning the search was renewed, when the boat in which the missing party left Lytham was discovered opposite Warton, and soon afterwards the body of Miss Laura Sugars was found on the sand. AH further search which was prosecuted throughout the day on both the Lytham and Hesketh sides of the estuary proved fruitless, although the crew of the lifeboat had made every exertion to discover the bodies. Of course, nothing is known, and never can be known with cer- tainty, of the cause of the fearful casualty; but it is supposed that the boat's keel must .have caught on one of the net stakes below Warton. ft eudn were the case, as the tide was receding witiugreat rapiditi, the boat would probably be instantaneously upset, ana the whole enguhphed without the leastfTfarning of hope of rescue. The greatest commiseratron is felt for Mr. and Mrs. Sugars, who. by the calamity have been deprived of the whole of their offspring. VERY "HARD CASH," AND ITS RE- SPONSIBILITIES. • A local contemporary gives the following account of a parent's reproach to his children: — "Mr. John Hutchinson, the well-known Sunderland shipbuilder of Lechmere-hou.se, who recently gave £300 to the Polish national fund,, and. is., distinguished for his munificence to local charities, has resolved to build a group of almshouses for' decayed members x>f the-fra- ternity of shipwrights. A portion oiMr. Hatahinaon'* family, with whom he is at variance, have, it seems*, arrived at the sapient conclusion that this extraordi- nary munificence ds proof positive of insanity, and their angry expressions having attracted attention, the public of Sunderland were startled yesterday by the publication of the following manifesto, b y M r T Hutchinson himself, in the form. of a,handballt tit has come to the knowledge of the public, and a para- graph has appeared in your newspaper, that I intend to establish almshouses. I hare -tmiretbre Ho heeftai' tion in stating that such is the ease, and I have pur- chased a plot of ground for tine purpose. Bat an attempt is made by some of 'nty family to prevent lie'' carrying such intention into emjet, and my eon Edwin, who is a law man, I am informed, has signified hue intention te go up to London and make an application to the Lord Chancellor to have me deals, td to be insane and incapable of managing my own affairs, which would enable them to take my money, and lock me up in an asylum. I think I can eonfi ie- >rlv appeal to all my friends in the town, with whom I have .dons business for so many years, whether they have ever found me, incapable of transacting my business ana they will admit that, having worked hard- for my money, I have a right to dispose of it as {think fit. I am sorry to be compelled to declare that out of my eight children, if I have one from w h o m I have-re- ceived any kindness, or can place any oonfidenee in, that is all, as they have been brought np by their mother from their infancy to' deceive and disobey me. ' It is necessary for me to put down at onoe any attempt on the part of my son Edwin to control aay intentions,, otherwise, I suppose, I should have to consult h i m " before distributing any of my charities for t h e t i m e to come.' The affair is now the sensational topic of the ' scandalmongers of the town, and has created much surprise, as most people knew nothing of the matter • until the appearance of the handbill." .1 • TTT-. • Carlisle Relief C o m m i t t e e . — A t t h e o r d i n a r y monthly meeting of the Carlisle Relief Committee held ' in the Town-hall m that city, it was reported that since last meeting some additional subscriptions bad . been received, and that the ladies' committee of 'the Carlisle sewing schools, deeming it undesirable to re' . open the schools at. present, had remitted £150 to the relief committee, to aid them in carrying on their ' operations for some time longer. But for this aid, the fund of the relief committee would have been now nearly exhausted. The receipt, up to this tim? have been £7,718, and the expenditure (£7,632, s—si»i a balance of £186 on hand. During the past monththe number of recipients on the books has been rather under 200, and the weekly cost of relief has been about A1C. A vote of thanks to tit* ladies' oomo' their consideration was unanimously passed. •
Transcript of 0 NEWS. FRIGHTFUL MURDER OF A FEMALE. A YOUNG MAN...
0 NEWS.
O R D E R E D B Y T H K I D I E T .
^iott has passed, b y a f o r F e d e r a l execu t ion h i
t i e s e t t l e m e n t o f t h » be o rde r f o r t h e advance
| i m m e d i a t e l y d i spa t ched . depu t ed t o c a r r y o u t
| h a v e sent a s u m m o n s t o H o l s t e i n w i t h i n seven
f o r m e d circ les t h a t t h e o lved n o t t o m a k e a n y i o n . A f r i e n d l y u n d e r -rbe a r r i v e d a t w i t h t h e
ne t C o u n c i l was h e l d o n , a t w h i c h I t was deter -
_ conr l i c t t h e D a n i s h as i n H o l s t e i n w h i c h t h e
) F T H K S T A T E O F , 5 L . V X D . says i t is be l ieved t h a t
11 be s h o r t l y abol ished, on t h o 1 4 t h i n s t . a t
j o f Cracow, i n w h i c h t h e bo i n s u r g " n t s , w h o a l so
s t . T h o A u s t r i a n t r o o p s i r e t r e a t i n g i n t o G a l j c i a n
ave also o b t a i n e d a success
I s ta te t h a t t h e i n s u r g e n t s 9 1 t t h , a t N i c h a l o w i c e , a ar f rom, C r a c o w , a n d t o o k
A u s t r i a n * p r e v e n t e d t h e _ > G a l i c i a n t e r r i t o r y T h e lo r . s i n an engagement a t I f L u b l i n . ke s t a t e m o n t o f some days
nd rew Z a m o y s k i has been
T H E T E B S D A L E M E R C U R Y — W E D N E S D A Y , D E C E M B E R 23, 1863.
I . ' U < V I fcu. p o m S t u t t g a r t ) has g iven .
, i n o rde r t o secure l i b e r t y he p e n d i n g n e g o t i a t i o n s .
nego t i a t i ons are b e i n g Btaatmnzeiier. " t e s t i f i e s
t i e s are a n i m a t e d b y t h e
I C A t d s teamer A m e r i c a has b r i n g i n g news f r o m N e w
• f o l l o w i n g are t h e ohief
>'s p o s i t i o n o n M i n e B u n j i t , has r e t r e a t e d t o t h e I supposed t h a t Meade w i l l
_r W a s h i n g t o n , f s movement s has been f o r -
re inforced- B r a g g n e a r [ j turo o f J,(HH) o f W h e e l e r ' s
i Sannders a t K n o x v i H e o n was repulsed w i t h con-
. c e i v e d f r o m Cha r l e s ton t o t h r o w i n g t w e n t y shel ls p e r
s h e l l i n g o f F o r t S u m t e r
ng t h e l a to c a m p a i g n a re
i v o d b e l o w W a s h i n g t o n . L h e l d a t N e w Y o r k t o ra ise
N E W Y O R K , D E C . 5. ! is said t o be m o r e ser ious
—dy b e i n g smal l -pox. f a n off ic ia l o rgan , declares
LS a m i l i t a r y f a i l u r e . I t i s g w i c k w i l l supersede M e a d e . ies t o t h e 3 r d i n s t . r e p o r t
_) a t W a l k e r s f o r d , t w o m i l e s p F o r s t e r a n d L o n g s t r e e t ' s t e m p t i n g t o cross the C l i n c h
the loss o f f i f t y men , b u t
en superseded b y Gene ra l t o resume the offensive
1 unde r s tood t h a t t h e Prea i -| of an in tense ly R a d i c a l
t o se t t le t h e ques t i on e f t o t h e Pres idency. T h e
my ques t i on as p r a c t i c a l l y ' s h o u l d t r e a t f t as a t h i n g
i e w i l l u r g e t h e p resen t as l i s p o s i t i o n o f t he p o l i t i c a l
_d le t h e w a r sha l l be prose-In o f t h e n a t i o n a l l i f e and!
. emblo o n t h e 7 t h , a n d i t Jee w o u l d be o rgan ised , a n d , [ b e ready o n t h o 8 t h f o r t h e
I message. N E W Y O R K , D E C . 5 .
a ls received a t C l i n c h R i v e r pgstreet ' s r e t r e a t , a t t anooga are now-es t ima ted
c a p t u r e d 0.000 p r i sone r s
1UICIDE OF A BOY-[Raff les W a l t h e w , d e p u t y -bit t h e H a r o T a v e r n , H a r e -»rai lway s t a t i o n , r e s p e c t i n g
ft G r e w , a l a d o n l y f o u r t e e n ed suicide w i t h g r e a t de ter -
I r n V b u i l d r n g s , L i t t l e B a c o n -Tjeased, said he was a weave r , f o u r t e e n years o f age a n d
L a s t T u e s d a y m o r n i n g at e igh t o ' c l o c k . H e oom-
i n e o 'c lock . W i t n e s s c o u l d Et he supposed deceased w a s
d d t h a t o n Tuesday m o r n i n g [ t h a t deceased h a d h a n g e d i c u t d o w n . Deceased h a d i h e h a d o u t l o n g e n o t i g h t o
o f t h e wa te r - c lose t . H e l i m b e r a s t r i p o f w e b b i n g o f t a k e r s , a n d h a n g e d h i m s e l f l a d been v e r y c a r e f u l l y fitted [ e v e r y t h i n g seemed t o h a v e A e r a t i o n . | e was ca l l ed i n t o deceased
t dead. D r . Si lvester-a p r o -si h o u r , b u t a n i m a t i o n c o u l d l a s t h e r e s u l t o f s t r a n g u l a tor. L i t t l e Baeon-s t ree t , sa id
L w e l l - c o n d u c t e d l a d , m u c h i d n o t t h r e a t e n e d t o des t roy
gna- s t r a n g e i n his manne r , t w i c e c o m p l a i n e d o f pa ins i n
: was a most s ingu la r t h i n g | agc - h o u l d de l ibe ra te ly h a n g
e n t cause. i of unsound m i n d . "
| D e a t h . — M r . W i l l i a m T a l c i e t y fo r t h e A b o l i t i o n o f
• d e l i v e r e d a l e c t u r e o n t h e \ T h e R e v . B . E . M a c l c l l a n i n was m a d e b y t h e l ec tu re r • c a t i o n s o f t h e n o n - d e t e r r e n t k i t , T h u s t h o m u r d e r a t I p r i n g , was speedily f o l l o w e d V i a t t e r b y a t h i r d m u r d e r i n
o f l i i i r t o a t h e r e Was a n I m p a n n e i l i n g any M a i d s t o a e
_ o t o f t he k n o w n preva lence Impos i t ion t o c a p i t a l pun^sh-l e o u repeatedly s t r e n g t h e n e d KB afforded b y an assize t o w n V - ' l e t c m r a t a n d d e m o r a l i s i n g f t l i e w o t i o a o | (Mr . F r e d e w c
. a p p r o v i n g o f d e a t h p u n i s h -l u s l y i n a la rge audionce.
THE WIG WELL-HALL MURDER. T h e t r i a l e f George V i c t o r T o w n l e y was oommeneed
o n F r i d a y a t D e r b y , before M r . B a r o n M a r t i n . T h e counsel f o r t h e p rosecu t ion were M r . B o d e n ,
<}.C. ( spec ia l ly r e t a ined ) , a n d M r . B r i s t o w e . F o r t h e defence were M r . M a c a u l a y , Q.C., a n d M r . Ser jeant O ' B r i e n ( b o t h spec ia l ly r e t a ined ) , a n d M r . Stephens.
T h e c o u r t was densely c rowded , a n d t h e p r i sone r p leaded , i n a l o w b n t firm voice , " N o t G u i l t y . "
T h e P r o s e c u t i o n . M r . B o d e n , i n o p e n i n g t h e case, s t a t ed t h a t t h e p r i -
-sener was a member o f a respectable f a m i l y l i v i n g a t H e n d h a m - v a l e , a m i l e o r t w o f r o m Manches t e r . H i s f a t h e r was a commis s ion agen t a t Manches ter , b u t t h e p r i sone r h a d n o e m p l o y m e n t , unless i t was t h a t he a c t e d as a c l e r k i n h i s fa ther ' s office. M i s s E l i z a b e t h G o o d w i n , w i t h whose d e a t h he was charged , was t h e d a u g h t e r o f M r . H e n r y G o o d w i n , a n d g r a n d d a u g h t e r e f C a p t a i n G o o d w i n , w h o h a d l o n g l i v e d i n t h e c o u n t y , a n d ac ted as a m a g i s t r a t e the re . M i s s G o o d w i n he r se l f w a s n e a r l y t w e n t y - t h r e e years o f age. C a p t a i n G o o d w i n ' s eldest son was a p h y s i c i a n a t Manches t e r , a n d M i s s G o o d w i n w h i l e o n a v i s i t t o h i m became acqua in t ed w i t h t h e T o w n l e y s . T h a t acqua in tance l e d t o a s t r o n g a t t a c h m e n t between t h e p r i s o n e r a n d t h e deceased, a n d u l t i m a t e l y , abou t f o u r years ago, t h e y became engaged. O w i n g t o T o w n l e y ' s w a n t o f means t h e engagement w a s n o t a p p r o v e d o f b y t h e l a d y ' s f r i ends , a n d f o r some s h o r t t i m e i t was b r o k e n off. I t h a d been renewed , however , s h o r t l y a f t e rwards , a n d c o n t i n u e d t o ex i s t t o w i t h i n a s h o r t t i m e o f her dea th . M i s s G o o d w i n appears t o have w r i t t e n t o t h e p r i sone r o n t h e 1 4 t h o f A u g u s t t o b r e a k off t h e engagement . H e r l e t t e r s , h o w e v e r , h a d , w i t h one excep t ion , been g i v e n u p b y T o w n l e y t o h e r f r i ends , w h o des t royed t h e m . O n t h e 1 6 t h o f A u g u s t T o w n l e y w r o t e t o M i s s G o o d w i n as f o l l o w s : —
Hendham-vale , Sunday . M y dearest Bess ie ,—Dearest y o u w i l l n lways be to m e ; to
• a y that I a m not terr ibly ca t op would be a lie, bat , at a n y r a t s , you k n o w I a m not the m a n to stand i n your w a y . I answer nothing to y o u r last letter, except that I w i sh to hear from your own lips w h a t y o u r wishes are, and I wi l l accede to t h e m . T o n k n o w me too w e l l to suppose that 1 should give w a y to any unnecessary nonsense or sentimental lsm. I have h a d s s ingular r a n of good and bad luck lately : It suffices to say that I have an offer to leave E n g l a n d . Before I g» I w i sh to see y o u once again, and for the las t time, though G o d k n o w s what misery i t gives me to say so. Y o n w i l l admit that m y desire to see y o a is but n a t u r a l S a y in y o u r next w h e r e yon w i l l meet raa. I w i l l come b y the first or second train from D e r b y on T u e s d a y or Wednesday morning, whichever suits y o a ; of course , without a n y one knowing . T h e sooner it Is a l l settled the better for both parties.
E v e r , dearest Bessie, your aflectionate G S O R O B .
O n Wednesday , t h e 1 9 t h , t h e p r i sone r w r o t e as f e l l o w s : —
G i l n o w Mil ls , Bolton, Wednesday . M y dear B e s s i e , — I w i l l only say here that I w i l l arr ive b y the
tra in y o n mention (11.37 a m , F r i d a y morning) , and that I hope, d e a r Bessie , y o a w i l l not bother yourself unnecessari ly about a l l this as far as 1 a m concerned. F o r m y own peace of mind I w i s h to see yon. w h i c h I hope y o a won't th ink selfish. Du reste, I only repeat w h a t I have already s a i d — I Have but to hear from y o a w h a t your wishes are, and they sha l l be complied w i t h , a n d that I have sufficient xavoir vivre net to make a bother about w h a t cannot be helped. T o u c a n write to the Midland Hotel , D e r b y , w h e r e I sha l l stay to-morrow niaht, or leave a note at the inn at Whatatandwel l -br idge for me. Don't let me be the cause of a n y row between y o a and your G . P . I f yon l ike to ca l l a t the Inn I w i l l not st ir out t i l l y o u c o m e ; bat I leave a i l this to y o u r j u d g m e n t , — E v e r vours affectionately, G . V . T .
O n t h e same d a y M i s s G o o d w i n w r o t e a l e t t e r t o t h e p r i sone r , w h i c h h a d been preserved, a n d was as f o l i o w a : —
M y dear G e o r g e , — I wr i te this in the greatest haste t» te l l y o a not to come on l a n y ) acconnt I leave here to-day, and can't te l l w h e n I s h a l l »r can be back again. I do not w i s h to see y o n i f it c a n possibly be avoided, and indeed there w i l l be no chance now, so we had better end this state of suspense at once, and s a y " G o o d - b y e " without seeing each other. I feel sure I could not stand the meeting. I f you wri te once more w i t h i n the n e x t three d a y s I c a n get it, but not later than that t ime without its wains; seen, for m y letters are s tr ict ly watched , and even opened. — T o u r s truly , B s s s i x .
T h i s l e t t e r reached H e n d h a m - v a l e o n t h e T h u r s d a y m o r n i n g , a n d T o w n l e y ' s m o t h e r , p e r c e i v i n g f r o m w h o m i t came, opened i t , a n d i m m e d i a t e l y t e l eg raphed t o t h e p r i sone r , w h o was t h e n s t a y i n g a t M r . A r r o w -s m i t h ' s , a t B o l t o n : — " L e t t e r f r o m B ^Bessie] .—Come a t once. W i l l mee t y o u a t t h e s t a t i o n . W i l l w a i t . I m m e d i a t e . " I m m e d i a t e l y o n g e t t i n g t h i s t e l e g r a m t h e p r i s o n e r seems t o have l e f t B o l t o n a n d gone t o H e n d ham-va le . F r o m t h e r e he w e n t o n t h e same d a y t o t h e M i d l a n d H o t e l , a t D e r b y , w h e r e he s lep t . O n t h e f o l l o w i n g m o r n i n g , F r i d a y , t h e 21st o f A u g u s t , he l e f t D e r b y , a n d w e n t t o W h a t s t a n d w e l l , t h e nearest s t a t i o n t o W i g w e l l - h a l l , w h i c h i s a b o u t a m i l e a n d a h a l f d i s t a n t . H e reached t h i s p lace a b o u t ha l f -pas t e l even , a n d w e n t t o t h e B u l l ' s H e a d I n n , w h i c h i s close t o t h e s t a t i o n . T h e l ea rned counsel t h e n de t a i l ed t h e fac t s o f t h e case as t h e y appear i n t h e evidence o f t h e witnesses b e l o w . H e added t h a t i t was c lear t h a t M i s s G o o d w i n m e t h e r d e a t h a t t h e hands o f t h e p r i s o n e r , a n d i t seemed t o be e q u a l l y c lear i f t h e p r i s o n e r was responsible f o r h i s acts , t h e offence a m o u n t e d t o m u r d e r . O n c o n c l u d i n g , M r . B o d e n c a l l e d
E l i z a b e t h M a r g a r e t Poyser : I a m the housemaid a t W i g w e l l - h a l L T h e p r i sone r came t o t h e h a l l o n F r i d a y e v e n i n g , t h e 21st o f A u g u s t , a t t w e n t y m i n u t e s t o s ix , a n d a sked f o r M i s s G o o d w i n . I showed h i m i n , a n d M i s s G o o d w i n m e t h i m a t t h e d r a w i n g - r o o m door , a n d t h e y w e n t i n t o t h e ga rden . H a l f an h o u r a f t e r I w e n t i n t o t h e ga rden , a n d * a n d t h e m s i t t i n g o n a seat a s h o r t d i s tance f r o m ' te house. I t o l d M i s s G o o d w i n she was w a n t e d , a n d she came t o t h e house a n d re-m a i n e d t h e r e t i l l a q u a r t e r t o seven, w h e n she w e n t o u t a g a i n . I w e n t o u t a t a q u a r t e r pas t seven a n d f o u n d her a g a i n s i t t i n g o n t h e seat w i t h t h e p r i sone r . I t o l d h e r t e a was r eady , a n d she said " I a m c o m i n g d i r e c t l y . " I l e f t he r , b u t she never r e t u r n e d a l i ve . I h a d B e e n h i m before . H i s m a n n e r was l i k e t h a t o f o t h e r people , a n d was n o t d i f fe ren t o n t h e 21st f r o m w h a t i t h a d been a t o the r t i m e s .
T h e n e x t witnesses were T h o m a s B i d d u l p h a n d R e u b e n C o n w a y . T h o f o r m e r s a i d he saw t h e p r i soner a n d M i s s G o o d w i n i n W i g w e l l - m i l l - l a n e , m a k i n g t o w a r d s t h e h a l l , a t a b o u t ha l f -pas t e i g h t . C o n w a y d e t a i l e d h o w he f o u n d M i s s G o o d w i n , g u i d i n g herse l f b y t h e w a l l , as she came t o w a r d s t h e b a l l , w i t h he r face a n d t h e f r o n t o f he r dress a l l covered w i t h b l o o d . She t o l d h i m a g e n t l e m a n b e h i n d h a d been m u r d e r i n g h e r ; a n d , o n l o o k i n g back , he saw t h e p r i sone r , w h o came t o w a r d s h i m . H e asked h i m w h o h a d been m u r d e r i n g M i s s G o o d w i n , a n d t h e p r i sone r s a i d he h a d s t abbed her . T h e n t h e y t w o t o o k h e r — t h e p r i sone r b y t h e head , a n d C o n w a y b y t h e b o d y — a n d ca r r i ed he r t o w a r d s her home . Reuben C o n w a y c o n t i n u e d h i s evidence b y s a y i n g he ca l l ed he r " Poo r Bessie " severa l t i m e s , a n d said, " Y o u s h o u l d n o t have p r o v e d false t o m e . " She sa id n o t h i n g t h e n . W e l a i d h e r d o w n near a gate , a n d p r i sone r asked me f o r a o m e t i n g t o p u t r o u n d h e r neck, t o s top t h e b l eed ing , f w e n t t o M r . B o w m e r ' s _ y a r d f o r h e l p , l e a v i n g t h e p r i sone r w i t h M i s s G o o d w i n . I was a w a y a b o u t f o u r o r five m i n u t e s , a n d o n c o m i n g b a c k f o u n d t h e p r i sone r h o l d i n g s o m e t h i n g _ r o u n d he r neck . I asked i f she was l i v i n g , a n d he sa id she was. She sa id , " T a k e m e h o m e . " W e t h e n ca r r i ed he r a s h o r t d i s t ance f u r t h e r , u n t i l M r . Seeds a n d h i s b r o t h e r came u p . M r . Seeds asked w h o h a d done i t . T h e p r i sone r s a i d , " I have done i t . " W e t h e n c a r r i e d her f u r t h e r , a n d m e t James C o n w a y , w h o also asked w h o h a d done i t . T h e p r i sone r sa id , I k n o w , a n d he k n o w s ; I a m t h e m a n w h o d i d i t , a n d I Bhall be h a n g e d f o r i t . " M i s s G o o d w i n t h e n said she was d y i n g . W e c a r r i e d ner f u r t h e r , a n d m e t M r . I l o w m e r . w h o also w a n t e d t o k n o w w h o h a d done i t . T h e p r i soner sa id , " I have done i t ; the re is n o q u e s t i o n a t a l l a b o u t t h a t . "
C a p t a i n G o o d w i n , w h o i s e i g h t y - f o u r years o f age, was examined . H e was s o m e w h a t i n f i r m , b n t spoke c l e a r l y a n d d i s t i n c t l y . H e descr ibed w h a t h a d occ u r r e d as h is g r a n d d a u g h t e r was b e i n g b r o u g h t i n t o t h e house, a n d added : — A f t e r s a y i n g t h a t t h e w o m a n w h o deceived h i m m u s t die, t h e p r i sone r said, " I t o l d he r I w o u l d k i l l her . She k n e w m y t e m p e r . " H e also sa id , " I h a d t h e means t w o m o n t h s ago, a n d I have t h e means a t t h e present t i m e . " H e asked i f I w o u l d t a k e charge o f some o f h i s t h i n g s . I observed he h a d money i n h i s h a n d . I dec l ined t o t a k e a n y t h i n g . H e t h e n p roduced t w o packe t s o f l e t t e r s . H e gave t h e m t o me and sa id , " W i l l y o u t a k e care o f these ? Y o u may read t h e m , b u r n t h e m , o r do w h a t y o u l i k e w i t h t h e m . I d o n ' t w i s h these t o be b r o u g h t i n t o c o u r t . " I kep t t h e m f o r a f e w days , a n d t h e n t h r e w ' hem a l l i n t o t ae fire. I d i d n o t r ead a l i n e o f t h e m , I u t I bel ieve thorn t o have been m y g randdaugh te r ' s ' e t t e r s . T h e pr isoner was s t a y i n g a t m y house f o r a f e w days a t Chr i s tmas t i m e . I d i d n o t see m u o h , h a r d l y a n y t h i n g , of h i m . O n t h e F r i d a y even ing be behaved w i t h t he greatest ind i f fe rence . I t h o u g h t I saw a l i t t l e exc i tement about h i m j u s t before he offered m e t h e t h i n g s . H e had been so p e r f e c t l y ind i f f e ren t before t h a t I n o t i c e d t h e change.
Cross -examined : A f t e r t h e p r i soner was r e m a n d e d , a po l i ceman , P a r n h a m , asked me f o r one o f t h e l e t t e r s p r o d u c e d i a c o u r t ( t h e l a s t f r o m T o w n l e y ) , a n d
a n o t h e r po l iceman . B u r t o n , asked m e f o r t h e packe t o f l e t t e r s , a n d suspec t ing he h a d some i m p r o p e r m o t i v e , I b u r n t t h e m . I t h o u g h t he was p u m p i n g me, and , b e i n g annoyed a t t h a t , I b u r n t t h e l e t t e r s .
Char les P a r n h a m : W h e n I g o t , t o W i g w e l l o n t h e F r i d a y e v e n i n g t h e p r i sone r came t o w a r d s mo a n d said, " I w i s h t o g ive m y s e l f u p f o r m u r d e r i n g t h e y o u n g l a d y . " I c au t ioned h i m a n d asked h i m i f he was aware o f t h e n a t u r e o f t h e charge he was g i v i n g h i m s e l f u p f o r . H e sa id , " Yee , q u i t e so, a n d w i l l go w i t h y o u q u i e t l y , o n l y l e t m e see he r first." I t h e n said t o h i m , " W h a t have y o u done w i t h t h e i n s t r u m e n t o r k n i f e y o u c o m m i t t e d t h e deed w i t h '-. " H e t o o k t h e k n i f e n o w p roduced o u t o f h i s pocke t a n d gave i t t o me. I t was w e t w i t h b l o o d . I t h e n t o o k h i m i n t o t h e k i t c h e n . H e l o o k e d a t t h e b o d y s tedfas t ly , b u t d i d n o t speak. O n t h e w a y t o t h e l o c k - u p he sa id , " I a m f a r happ i e r n o w I have done i t t h a n I was before, a n d I t r u s t she i s . " I examined t h e r o a d a n d f o u n d a s m a l l p o o l o f b l o o d a t t h e corner o f W i g w e l l - m i l i - l a n e . A t t h e h u n t i n g -gate , w h i c h i s a b o u t t w o h u n d r e d y a r d s f r o m t h e lane end , a n d nearer t h e h a l l , I f o u n d a n o t h e r p o o l o f b l o o d . I d i d n o t no t i ce any be tween t h e t w o places.
T h i s closed t h e case f o r t h e p rosecu t ion .
The Defence. M r . M a c a u l a y addressed t h e j u r y o n beha l f o f t h e
p r i sone r . H e s t r o n g l y hoped t h a t he s h o u l d sa t i s fy t h e j u r y b e y o n d a l l d o u b t t h a t b y a m y s t e r i o u s d is pensa t ion o f Prov idence t h e p r i soner h a d been d e p r i v e d o f h i s reason t o such a degree as t o render h i m n o t amenable t o t h e l a w s f o r t he d r ead fu l deed w h i c h u n d o u b t e d l y he h a d c o m m i t t e d . H i s f a t h e r was a m a n o f good means a n d p o s i t i o n , ' a n d h a d th ree c h i l d r e n , a d a u g h t e r a n d t w o sons, o f w h o m t h e p r i s o n e r was t h e eldest . F r o m an ea r ly age h is behav iou r h a d been somewha t pecu l i a r . H e was p e r f e c t l y we l l - conduc ted , p e r f e c t l y gent le , pe r feo t ly qu ie t , p e r f e c t l y w e l l behaved . H e was exceedingly accompl ished , b u t he was f o u n d t o have n o a p t i t u d e o r c a p a c i t y f o r t h e serious business o f l i f e . W h e n v e r y y o u n g he was n o t e d f o r h i s t a s te f o r mus ic . A t school he acqu i r ed languages w i t h f a c i l i t y ; b u t w h e n p u t i n t o a m e r c h a n t ' s count ing-house he c o u l d n o t l e a r n t h e business. T h e l ea rned counsel t h e n w e n t i n t o a d e t a i l e d accoun t of t h e evidence he p roposed t o adduce, a n d a t t h e close o f h i s address he ca l l ed
E m m a M a r s d e n : I a m t h e p r i soner ' s m a t e r n a l a u n t , a n d have k n o w n h i m a l l h i s l i f e . H e i s v e r y affect ionate a n d v e r y humane . I h a d a n a u n t named M a r y M a r s d e n , t h e s is ter o f t h e p r i sone r ' s g r a n d f a the r . She des t royed herself , a n d was supposed t o be insane. G i l b e r t A i n s w o r t h , a f i r s t cous in once rem o v e d , was conf ined f o r m a n y years i n a l u n a t i c a s y l u m . T i t u s B o u r n e , m y m a t e r n a l unc le , h a d t e n c h i l d r e n , o f i w h o m five were insane. T w o were confined i n an a s y l u m . A n o t h e r m a t e r n a l unc le h a d s ix c h i l d r e n , o f w h o m one has been insane. H e is n o t n o w i n a n a s y l u m .
Cross-examined i H e was occas iona l ly subject t o fits o f i l l - t e m p e r . H e was n o t i l l - t e m p e r e d genera l ly .
T h e R e v . W i l l i a m B o u r n e M a s t e r s , t h e p r i sone r ' s m a t e r n a l unc le , c o r r o b o r a t e d t h i s evidence.
M a r y T o w n l e y : I a m t h e pr i soner ' s m o t h e r . H e h a d a v e r y poo r capac i ty f o r business p u r s u i t s , a n d h a d n o profess ion i n A u g u s t l a s t . I n M a r c h o f t h i s year I rece ived a l e t t e r f r o m M i s s G o o d w i n , express ing g rea t a f fec t ion f o r m y son. T h e y were o n t h e m o s t affect i o n a t e t e r m s , a n d m y son's affections c o n t i n u e d t h e same as ever . O n t h e 1 2 t h o f A u g u s t he received a l e t t e r f r o m M i s s G o o d w i n , w h i c h I saw. ( T h e l e t t e r was one of those g i v e n b y T o w n l e y t o C a p t a i n G o o d w i n , a n d b u r n t b y h i m ) . I t spoke o f a c l e r g y m a n , t h e m o s t d e l i g h t f u l m a n she h a d ever seen i n her l i f e . H e h a d been s t a y i n g a t W i g w e l l , a n d her g r a n d f a t h e r t h o u g h t he w o u l d j u s t su i t her , b u t t h a t w o u l d n o t do. I t ended, " Y o u r s a f fec t iona te ly . " T h e usua l conc lus ion was " Y o u r o w n d a r l i n g , " o r s o m e t h i n g o f t h a t so r t . I saw h i m o n t h e S a t u r d a y , t h ree days a f t e r he rece ived t h a t l e t t e r . T h e r e was a n o t h e r f r o m M i s s G o o d w i n t o h i m o n t h a t day . I t s a id she h a d a good dea l t o say t o h i m , a n d i t h a d b e t t e r be sa id a t once. G r a n d f a t h e r h a d f o u n d o u t t h a t t h e y corresponded, a n d was w i l d t h a t t h e r e was a n y t h i n g i n t h e w a y . " I w a n t y o u t o release m e , " t h e l e t t e r w e n t o n , " t h a t I m a y have i t t o say I a m free. D o n ' t t a k e t h i s t o o h a r d l y i n p i t y for me . I s h a l l n o t m a r r y , i f I c an he lp i t . " T h i s was s igned, " Y o u r s s ince re ly . " T h a t l e t t e r seemed t o have t u r n e d h is b r a i n . H e was i n such a n exc i t ed suppressed s ta te o f f ee l ing t h a t I asked M r . A r r o w -s m i t h t o s i t n p w i t h h i m . T h e n e x t m o r n i n g I w e n t t o m y son's r o o m . H e was a t t h e door , a n d appeared v e r y exc i t ed , b u t e x t e r n a l l y c a l m . H e h a d n o t been i n bed . H e t o o k n o t h i n g b u t t ea a n d b r a n d y f o r breakfas t , a n d o n l y v e r y l i t t l e f o r d inne r . T h a t even ing , Sunday , t h e 1 6 t h o f A u g u s t , he w r o t e a l e t t e r t o M i s s G o o d w i n ( t h e l e t t e r da t ed Sunday , a n d g i v e n above) . H e t o o k a l o n g t i m e t o w r i t e i t , a n d was ne rvous a n d exc i t ed w h i l e d o i n g so. H e came d o w n o n M o n d a y m o r n i n g a n d l a y o n the sofa. H e appeared v e r y restless. H i s nan ds and feet were t w i t ch in g ne rvous ly . I gave h i m some m o r p h i a . H e r e m a i n e d o n t h e sofa t i l l d i n n e r t i m e , a n d t o o k n o d i n n e r . A f t e r d i n n e r t i m e he w r o t e a n o t h e r l e t t e r t o M i s s G o o d w i n . ( T h i s l e t t e r is also g i v e n above.) H e h a d a l i t t l e d i f f i c u l t y i n finding w o r d s n o w a n d t h e n . H e was so ne rvous t h a t he s p o i l t severa l envelopes i n d i r e c t i n g t h e l e t t e r o f Sunday , a n d he h a d t o t ea r t h e m u p . O n Tuesday m o r n i n g he t o o k h a r d l y a n y breakfas t , a n d appeared n o t t o have h a d a n i g h t ' s r es t . H e t h e n w e n t t o M a n c h e s t e r t o g ive a F r e n c h lesson, a n d o n c o i n i n g b a c k he was i n a p e r s p i r a t i o n , a n d sa id he h o p e d he was n o t g o i n g t o have an i l lness . T h a t a f t e rnoon he w e n t t o B o l t o n , t o M r . A r r o w s m i t h ' s . O n T h u r s d a y a n o t h e r l e t t e r came f r o m M i s s G o o d w i n ( t h a t g i v e n above) , a n d I t e l egraphed t o h i m t o r e t u r n home . O n a r r i v i n g he showed me a l e t t e r he h a d received f r o m M i s s G o o d w i n a t B o l t o n . T h e p u r p o r t o f i t was t h a t i f he w i shed t o see he r he was t o go t o t h e M i d l a n d H o t e l a t D e r b y , whe re he "would find a note, f r o m her , b u t she d i d n o t w i s h t o s e e h i m . T h e r e was a pos t s c r i p t , " A f t e r a l l , y o u h a d b e t t e r come , " a n d she m e n t i o n e d t h e t r a i n s . W e consu l ted o n w h a t was t o be done a t t h e s t a t i o n , a n d fixed t h a t he h a d b e t t e r go t o D e r b y . T h e l e t t e r I gave h i m f r o m M i s s G o o d w i n e v i d e n t l y distressed h i m . I c o u l d see he was d r e a d f u l l y upset , b u t he a lways k e p t qu i e t . S h o r t l y a f t e r w a r d s he l e f t f o r D e r b y . H i s m a n n e r was genera l ly reserved, b u t exc i t ed . I n o t i c e d a n e x c i t e d m a n n e r . T h a t was b i s n a t u r a l m a n n e r d u r i n g t h e w h o l e course o f h i s l i f e . H e wa3 o n l y e x c i t e d o n occasions. I n o t i c e d a change af te r t h e rece ip t o f M i s s G o o d w i n ' s l e t t e r s . I shou ld describe t h a t change as a suppress ion o f deep fee l ing . I bel ieve a n ob j ec t i on was m a d e t o her m a r r i a g e w i t h M r . T o w n l e y o n t h e g r o u n d o f i n s a n i t y i n m y f a m i l y . Cross -examined : T h e F r e n c h lesson was g i v e n t o t h e son o f a n e i g h b o u r w h o m m y son h a d been i n t h e h a b i t o f teaching f r o m m o t i v e s o f k indness .
C a t h e r i n e T o w n l e y , t h e p r i soner ' s Bister, con f i rmed t h e evidence o f he r m o t h e r , as d i d also M r . W a s h i n g t o n A r r o w - s m i t h , a c o t t o n sp inner o f B o l t o n , a n d several o t h e r witnesses.
D r . Fo rbes W i n s l o w : I have seen t h e p r i sone r t w i c e i n t h e presence o f M r . S ims , t h e gove rno r o f t h e gao l . H e was n o t aware o f m y n a m e o r o f t h e n a t u r e o f m y v i s i t . H i s behav iou r was q u i t e n a t u r a l a n d n o t assumed. I t a l k e d t o h i m l a r g e l y o n t h e subject o f t h e c r i m e . I was w i t h h i m nea r ly t w o hou r s o n t h e first occasion a n d th ree quar te r s o f an h o u r o n t h e second. I t h i n k t h a t a t t h i s present m o m e n t he i s a m a n o f de ranged i n t e l l e c t . H e was deranged o n t h e 1 8 t h o f N o v e m b e r , a n d I t h o u g h t s t i l l m o r e so l a s t n i g h t , w h e n I saw h i m t h e second t i m e . I f I h a d a n y d o u b t as t o h is i n s a n i t y o n t h e 1 8 t h o f N o v e m b e r , I h a d none w h a t e v e r l a s t n i g h t . I adve r t ed t o t h e conversat i o n I h a d h a d w i t h h i m o n t h e p rev ious occasion, w i t h a v i e w o f s a t i s f y i n g m y m i n d t h a t I h a d l e f t h i m w i t h a n accura te impre s s ion o f w h a t he h a d sa id . H e repea ted t o m e t h a t he d i d n o t recognise be h a d comm i t t e d a n y c r i m e a t a l l , n e i t h e r d i d he feel a n y degree o f p a i n , r s g r e t , o o n t r i t i o n , o r remorse f o r w h a t he h a d done. I endeavoured t o impress o n h is m i n d o n m y first v i s i t t h e serious n a t u r e o f t h e c r i m e he h a d c o m m i t t e d . H e r e p u d i a t e d t h e idea o f i t s ' b e i n g a c r i m e e i t he r aga ins t G o d o r m a n ; a n d , i n r e p l y t o some observa t ions o f m i n e , a t t e m p t e d t o j u s t i f y t h e act , a l l e g i n g t h a t he considered M i s s G o o d w i n as h i s o w n p r o p e r t y ; t h a t she h a d been i l l e g a l l y w r e a t e d f r o i n h i m b y a n a c t o f v i o l e n c e ; t h a t he v i e w e d he r i n t h e l i g h t o f h i s w i f e w h o h a d c o m m i t t e d a n ac t o f a d u l t e r y , and t h a t be h a d as pe r fec t a r i g h t t o deal w i t h her l i f e as he had w i t h a n y o t h e r d e s c r i p t i o n o f p r o p e r t y , as t h e m o n e y i n h i s pocke t , <tc. I sa id , " Suppose a n y one r o b b e d y o u o f a p i c t u r e , w h a t course w o u l d y o u t a k e t o recover i t P " H e sa id he w o u l d d e m a n d i t s r e s t i t u t i o n , a n d i f i t were n o t g r a n t e d , he w o u l d t a k e t h e person 's l i f e w i t h o u t c o m p u n c t i o n . I r e m a r k e d t h a t me h a d n o r i g h t t o t a k e t h e l a w i n t o h i s o w n h a n d s ; he s h o u l d have- recourse t o l ega l measures t o o b t a i n r e s t i t u t i o n . H e r e m a r k e d t h a t be recognised t h e r i g h t o f no m a n t o s i t i n j u d g m e n t u p o n h i m . H e was a free agent , a n d as he did n o t b r i n g h i m s e l f i n t o t h e w o r l d b y a n y a c t i o n o f h i s o w n , he h a d per fec t l i b e r t y t o t h i n k a n d a c t as he pleased, i r r e spec t ive o f a n y one else. I r e ga rded these expressions as t h e evidence o f a diseased i n t e l l e c t . Las t evening he sa id t h a t he h a d been f o r some
weeks p r e v i o u s l y t o t h e 21st o f A u g u s t u n d e r t h e i n fluence o f a consp i racy . T h e r e were s ix consp i r a to r s p l o t t i n g aga ins t h i m , w i t h a v i e w t o de s t roy h i m , w i t h a ch ie f consp i r a to r a t t h e i r head. T h i s consp i racy was s t i l l g o i n g o n w h i l e he was i n p r i s o n , a n d he h a d n o d o u b t t h a t i f he was a t l i b e r t y t h e y w o u l d c o n t i n u e t h e i r ope ra t ions aga ins t h i m , a n d i n o rde r t o escape t h e i r e v i l purposes he w o u l d have t o leave t h e c o u n t r y . H e became m u o h exc i t ed , a n d assumed a w i l d , m a n i a c a l aspect . I a m sat isf ied t h e aspect was n o t s i m u l a t e d .
D r . Gisborne , t h e surgeon o f t h e D e r b y s h i r e I n -firmary a n d o f t h e C o u n t y Gao l , gave s i m i l a r evidence, a n d a d d e d t h a t t h e p r i soner ' s c o n d i t i o n a t t h i s t i m e was s i m i l a r t o h i s c o n d i t i o n w h e n he was b r o u g h t t o t h e gao l i n A u g u s t .
M r . S ims , t h e gove rno r o f t h e gao l , gave s i m i l a r evidence as t o t h e conduc t a n d s t a t ements o f t h e p r i soner .
T h i s conc luded t h e case f o r t h e defence, a n d t h e c o u r t t h e n ad journed .
O n S a t u r d a y m o r n i n g t h e t r i a l was resumed. A t n i n e o 'c look, M r . B o d e n , t h e counsel f o r t h e prosecut i o n , addressed t h e j u r y i n r e p l y t o t h e evidence adduced t o p r o v e t h a t t h e p r i soner was n o t i n h i s r i g h t m i n d a t t h e t i m e he c o m m i t t e d t h e m u r d e r , w h i c h he m a i n t a i n e d was a l toge the r insuf f ic ien t .
T h e B u m m i n g U p .
T h e l ea rned B a r o n t h e n s u m m e d u p , a n d sa id t h a t George V i c t o r T o w n l e y was o n h is t r i a l before t h e m f o r t h e m u r d e r o f E l i z a b e t h Ca ro l i ne G o o d w i n , a n d t h e evidence u p o n t h a t p o i . i t was s i m p l y a n d m o s t r e m a r k a b l y c l e a r — i n fac t , he d i d n o t r emember a n y case i n w h i c h t h e mere facts o f t h e commis s ion o f t h e m u r d e r h a d been m o r e c l ea r ly p r o v e d . T h e s ingle p o i n t f o r t h e j u r y t o consider was , w h e t h e r t h e s ta te o f m i n d o f t h e p r i sone r was such t h a t he k n e w t h a t w h a t he d i d w o u l d cause dea th , t h a t he was pun i shab le b y l a w f o r such a n ac t as b e i n g c o n t r a r y t o t h e l a w o f G o d , as l a i d d o w n i n t h e C o m m a n d m e n t s , w h i c h a l l persons lea rned , a n d w h i c h , doubt less , t h e p r i sone r h a d l ea rned amongs t o thers . I f he was n o t i n t h a t s ta te o f m i n d , t h e n he was n o t responsible i n t h e eye o f t h e l a w . T h e ques t ion was one o f t h e greates t i m p o r t a n c e t o t h e pr i soner , a n d n o t less so i n a n en la rged sense, t o t h e p u b l i c ; a n d i t was t h e i r d u t y as j u r y m e n t o l o o k ca re fu l ly a t t h e case a n d g i v e t h e i r v e r d i c t acco rd ing t o t h e l a w , w h i c h he shou ld g i v e t h e m , a n d t h e fac ts before t h e m , l e a v i n g o u t o f t h e ques t ion a n y o t h e r cons ide ra t ion , w h i e h w o u l d be dea l t w i t h i n t h e p rope r qua r t e r . T h e l ea rned B a r o n h a v i n g gone ove r t h e facts o f t h e case, observed,— T h i s c l ea r ly was m u r d e r subject t o t h e p lea o f i n s a n i t y . T h e l a w ho lds t h a t a m a n is insane whose m i n d i s diseased—who supposes a s ta te o f t h i n g s t o ex i s t t h a t does n o t e x i s t — b u t whose m i n d i s i n such a s ta te t h a t he t h i n k s t h i n g s r e a l t h a t are n o t , a n d acts accordi n g l y . Such , f o r ins tance , as w h e r e a m a n l o s t h i s m i n d a l toge the r , a n d ac ted u p o n t h e same i n s t i n c t as a t i g e r o r a w o l f w o u l d i n t e a r i n g i t s p r e y . S u c h a m a n c l e a r l y w o u l d n o t be c r i m i n a l l y responsible i n t h e eye o f t h e l a w f o r w h a t he d i d . A f t e r r e f e r r i n g t o some o t h e r instances o f a l i k e charac te r , h i s l o r d s h i p sa id t h a t w o m e n i n a c e r t a i n c o n d i t i o n o f l i f e were affected t he reby , a n d m a n y m o t h e r s had g o t rid o f t h e i r c h i l d r e n , b e l i e v i n g t h a t t h e y were d o i n g t h e greates t k indness t o t h e m ; b u t t h e l a w h e l d t h a t i f a w o m a n h a d a c h i l d a n d she was i n distress, a n d wretchedness , a n d mise ry , a n d n o t able t o p r o v i d e f o r i t , y e t i f she t o o k a w a y i t s l i f e she w o u l d be g u i l t y o f m u r d e r , a n d she w o u l d n o t be deemed u n d e r a n y delus ion a t a l l . T h e r e s u l t o f h i s r e m a r k s w o u l d s i m p l y l ead t h e m t o consider w h e t h e r t h e y bel ieved t h a t , a t t h e t i m e t h e p r i sone r c o m m i t t e d t h e murde r , he was d o i n g t h a t o f w h i c h he k n e w n o t t h e l i a b i l i t y . W a s h i s deed t h e res u l t o f m e n t a l disease ? I f n o t , i f t h e j u r y bel ieved t h a t he p e r f e c t l y w e l l k n e w t h a t t h e ac t w h i c h he d i d w o u l d t a k e a w a y l i f e , t h e n t h e l aw o f God , w h i c h said, " T h o u s h a l t n o t k i l l , " a n d t h e l a w o f m a n , f r a m e d u p o n t h a t l a w , j u d g e d h i m t o be g u i l t y o f m u r d e r . H e sa id , " Y o u s h o u l d n o t have p r o v e d false t o m e : " a f t e r he sa id , " I have done i t ; I s h a l l be hanged f o r i t . " I m u s t ask t h e j u r y i f t h a t was n o t consis tent w i t h a f u l l k n o w l e d g e o f w h a t he d i d a n d t h e respons i b i l i t y o f h i s ac t . One wi tness says, " W e m e t Capt a i n G o o d w i n , a n d t h e p r i soner to ld , h i m , ' T h i s is y o u r g rand-daugh te r , B e t s y , m u r d e r e d ; ' " a n d t h e n , aga in , he sa id , " She has deoeived me, a n d t h e w o m a n w h o deceives m u s t d i e . " I m u s t p u t i t t o y o u , sa id t h e Judge , w h e t h e r i f eve ry m a n was t o ac t so t o w a r d s every w o m a n w h o deoeived h i m , t h e c r i m e o f m u r d e r w o u l d n o t be c o m m i t t e d . I m u s t t e l l y o u , i f y o u t h i n k he k n e w w h a t he d i d , t h a t he t o o k he r l i f e a w a y , a n d k n e w t h a t be was responsible t o t h e l a w o f t h e c o u n t r y , t h o u g h i t m i g h t be t h a t he was o f a diseased m i n d , t h a t w o u l d n o t affect f o r a m o m e n t t h e l a w a n d t h e l e g a l consequence o f t h e a c t as I have l a i d i t d o w n t o y o u f r o m several m o s t e m i n e n t judges . A s t o t h e l e t t e r s w h i c h we re b u r n t , i t c l e a r ly showed t h a t he k n e w he shou ld be t r i e d f o r w h a t he h a d done, f o r he said, " I d o n o t w a n t t h e m r e a d i n c o u r t . " H a v i n g gone t h r o u g h t h e evidence f o r t h e p rosecu t ion , t h e l ea rned B a r o n sa id t h a t was t h e case, a n d he m u s t a g a i n p u t i t t o t h e j u r y w h e t h e r t h e y were sat isf ied as t o t h a t p a r t e f t h e case. W i t h r e g a r d t o t h e evidence f o r t h e defence, t h e first p a r t o f i t c l e a r ly showed t h a t t h e r e was i n s a n i t y o n t h e m a t e r n a l l i n e ; and , as t o o o f t e n i s t h e case, i t was t o some e x t e n t h e r e d i t a r y , b u t t h e evidence a l l t h r o u g h showed t h a t t h e y a l l t r e a t e d t h e p r i sone r as a sane m a n , fit t o c o n t r a c t m a t r i m o n y , a n d countenanced h is g o i n g t o see M i s s G o o d w i n w i t h a v i e w t o induce her t o change her m i n d , a n d c o n t i n u e h e r affections t o h i m . T h e e v i dence o f M r s . T o w n l e y c l ea r ly showed t h a t t h e r e was n o t t h e s l i g h t e s t t a i n t o f i n s a n i t y i n t h e c o n d u c t o f t h e p r i sone r . M r . H a r r i s , i n h i s evidence, sa id , " h e , " r e f e r r i n g t o t h e pr i soner , " i s t h e l a s t m a n I shou ld t h i n k l i k e l y t o c o m m i t such a c r i m e . " T h a t t h e p r i sone r k i l l e d M i s s G o o d w i n t h e r e i s n o d o u b t , and , except i t is excusable o n t h e g r o u n d o f i n s a n i t y , t h a t t h a t ac t was a m u r d e r t h e r e is n o d o u b t . N o w t h e ques t i on i s , d i d he ac t unde r a de lus ion? Y o u m u s t t a k e i t f r o m m e t h a t i f he k n e w • w h e n he d i d t h e ac t t h a t he was d o i n g an ac t l i k e l y t o cause dea th , and t h a t i t d i d cause dea th , a n d t h a t he d i d i t purpose ly , a n d t h a t he k n e w a l l he was doing;—that t he l a w o f G o d said i t was a b a d ac t acco rd ing t o t h e S i x t h C o m m a n d m e n t , a n d t h e n t h e l a w o f m a n sa id such ac t s h o u l d be pun ished b y death,- a n d i n m y o p i n i o n , i f so, he i s g u i l t y o f murde r , a n d i t i s y o u r d o t y t o find h i m g u i l t y o f m u r d e r ; b u t i f n o t , t h e n y o u w i l l a c q u i t h i m o n t h e g r o u n d o f i n s a n i t y .
The Verd ic t T h e l ea rned Judge occupied n e a r l y t w o hours i n
s u m m i n g u p , a n d t h e J u r y , ' a f te r a f e w - m i n u t e s ' cons u l t a t i o n , r e t u r n e d i n t o c o u r t w i t h a v e r d i c t o f G u i l t y .
A m i d breathless silence t h e C l e r k o f t h e A r r a i g n s s a i d : George V i c t o r ' T o w n l e y , y o u h a t e p u t you r se l f u p o n y o u r c o u n t r y u p o n the charge o f m u r d e r i n g E l i z a b e t h C a r o l i n e . G o o d w i n , a n d t h e y aay y o u are g u i l t y — h a v e y o u a n y t h i n g t o say w h y sentence o f dea th s h o u l d n o t be passed u p o n y o u ?
T h e c u l p r i t b o w e d h is head, a n d ' r e m a i n e d s i l en t . M r . B a r o n M a r t i n , whose l i p s q u i v e r e d w i t h e m o t i o n ,
p u t o n the b lack cap, a n d t h e usual a w f u l proclamat i o n h a v i n g been made, t h e learned Judge s a i d : George V i c t o r T o w n l e y , a f te r e v e r y t h i n g t h a t c o u l d poss ib ly be u r g e d i n defence o f y o u r c r i m e h a s b e e n done w i t h a n a b i l i t y never excelled, t h e j u r y have f o u n d y o u g u i l t y o f m u r d e r , a n d I a m b o u n d t o say t h a t i n t h a t v e r d i c t P e n t i r e l y condur , f o r i f t h e defence t h a t h a d been set u p i n y o u r beha l f was a l l o w e d t o have prev a i l e d i t seems t o m e i t m i g h t have been a t t ended w i t h t h e m o s t d isas t rous consequences t o t h e c o u n t r y , a n d i f i t d i d become i n s t i l l e d i n t o t h e m i n d s o f y o u n g m e n t h a t t h e y were j u s t i f i e d i n t a k i n g a w a y t h e l i f e o f a y o u n g w o m a n w h o t ransfe r red her affections t o another , t h e consequences indeed w o u l d be d r ead fu l . I h a v e b u t one d u t y t o p e r f o r m , w h i c h t h e l a w imposes u p o n m e ; m y p ro v ince is p u r e l y m i n i s t e r i a l , i t i s t h e l a w t h a t sentences y o u , n o t I . I have o n l y t o express a n earnest hope and, p r a y e r t h a t - y o u w i l l t a k e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y o f m a k i n g y o u r peace wi th? G o d d u r i n g t h e s h o r t t i m e . o f y o u r s t a y o n e a r t h . I d o np t m e a n t o m a k e a n y comments o n y o u r mos t p a i n f u l oase, b u t o n l y t o pass u p o n y o u t h e sentence w h i c h t h e l a w prescr ibes f o r t h e c r i m e o f m u r d e r . I H i s l o r d s h i p , w h o was a l m o s t i n aud ib le t h r o u g h o u t t h e d e l i v e r y o f h i s r e m a r k s , f a l t e r ed i n p r o n o u n c i n g t h e final w o r d s a n d t h e d r e a d sentence, finishing t h e w o r d s , " a n d m a y t h e L o r d have m e r c y o n y o u r s o u l . "
T h e h e a r t r e n d i n g scene i n t h e c o u r t w i l l neve r be f o r g o t t e n b y those w h o wi tnessed i t ; t h e mise rab le c r i m i n a l , however , b o w e d t o t b e l ea rned j u d g e , a n d l e f t t h e dock a p p a r e n t l y u n m o v e d b y t h e r e s u l t .
The Suez CanaL—The Moniteur publ ishes a d i s p a t c h f r o m Suez, s t a t i n g t h a t t h e f resh-water c a n a l i s comple ted . T h e w a t e r was a t t h ree k i l o m e t r e s ' d is -tanoe f r o m Suez. T b e i n h a b i t a n t s o f t ho t o w n h a v e offered t h e i r c o n g r a t u l a t i o n s t o M . de Lesseps, i n v i t i n g h i m t o be p resen t i n Suez o n t h e day o f t h e i naugu ra t i o n .
FRIGHTFUL MURDER OF A FEMALE. O n S u n d a y a f r i g h t f u l murder-was o o m m i t t e d o n t h e
body o f a y o u n g w o m a n n a m e d Green, b y S a m u e l W r i g h t , a person w i t h w h o m she l i v e d as h i s w i f e . F r o m p a r t i c u l a r s o b t a i n e d f r o m a u t h e n t i c sources t h e f o l l o w i n g m a y be r e l i e d u p o n as b e i n g p e r f e c t l y c o r r e c t : —
I t appears t h a t a m a n n a m e d Samed W r i g h t , a b r i c k l a y e r , 3 1 o r 32 years o f age, l o s t h i s w i f e some t i m e since, be ing l e f t w i t h t w o y o u n g c h i l d r e n . H i s f a t h e r a n d m o t h e r , w h o res ided a t N o . 19, H o w l e y -plaoe, u n d e r t o o k t o t a k e charge o f one o f t h e c h i l d r e n . O n S a t u r d a y n i g h t he came t o see b i s c h i l d , a n d t h o deceased, w h o g o t he r l i v i n g b y w a l k i n g t h e s t reets , ca l led , a n d sa id t h a t she w a i t e d t o see he r h u s b a n d a n d was t o l d t h a t he h a d n o w i f e .
W r i g h t a n d h is u n f o r t u n a t e p a r a m o u r r epa i r ed t o t h e i r l odg ings o n Sunday m o r n i n g a t a n e a r l y hou r , b o t h h a v i n g been d r i n k i n g f ree ly . A f t e r t h e y en t e red t h e i r a p a r t m e n t s a dea l o f q u a r r e l l i n g was h e a r d bet w e e n t h e m , w h i c h l as ted a t i n t e r v a l s nea r ly t h e w h o l e o f t h e n i g h t . _ E a r l y i n t h e m o r n i n g Pol ice-oonstable N e w t o n , N o . 76, o f t h e L d i v i s i o n , i n pass ing a l o n g h is beat, was ca l l ed i n t o t h e house i n t h e W a t e r l o o - r o a d , a n d t h e r e behe ld a f e a r f u l scene, f o r t h e u n f o r t u n a t e w o m a n was l y i n g i n a p o o l o f b l o o d w i t h h e r head n e a r l y severed f r o m t h e b o d y . D r s . D o d d o f t h e W a t e r l o o - r o a d , a n d D o n o h o o o f t h e W e s t m i n s t e r - r o a d , were a t once sent f o r , a n d t h e y p r o m p t l y a t t e n d e d , b n t n e i t h e r w e r e i n t i m e t o be o f a n y assistance. T h e w h o l e o f t h e p r i n c i p a l a r te r ies o f t h e neck a n d t h r o a t h a d been c o m p l e t e l y d i v i d e d , and d e a t h m u s t have been i n s t a n taneous.
M r . S u p e r i n t e n d e n t W e b b , o f t h e L d i v i s i o n , a n d I n s p e c t o r E d m u n d s , h a v i n g a r r i v e d a t t h e scene o f t h e t r agedy , t h e y gave orders fo r t h e a r re s t o f W r i g h t , w h i c h was done, a n d he was t a k e n t o T o w e r - s t r e e t po l ice -s ta t ion , whe re t h e charge was f o r m a l l y en te red aga ins t h i m , a n d he was looked u p i n one o f t h e cel ls , b u t c o m p l a i n i n g so m u o h o f co ld , a n d e v i d e n t l y sufferi n g f r o m d r i n k , Sergeant Ranscombe a l l o w e d h i m t o s i t i n f r o n t o f t h e fire i n t h e reserve r o o m u n t i l he somewha t recovered .
T h e head beadle o f L a m b e t h t o o k charge o f t h e m a n g l e d r ema ins , t o a w a i t a n inques t .
O n M o n d a y m o r n i n g W r i g h t was examined a t t h e S o u t h w a r k Po l i ce -cour t , before M r . B u r c h a m , cha rged w i t h c u t t i n g t h e t h r o a t o f h i s pa r amour , M a r i a Green , w i t h a razor , t h e r e b y caus ing her d e a t h . H e i s a y o u n g i s h - l o o k i n g m a n , a b o u t t h i r t y years o f -age, o f l i g h t c o m p l e x i o n , a n d a s h o r t beard , b u t n o wh i ske r s . H e seemed v e r y co l l ec ted w h e n t a k i n g h is place i n t h e dock , b u t a f t e r l o o k i n g r o u n d t h e c o u r t a l i t t l e h i s countenance f e l l , a n d he seemed m u c h dejected d u r i n g t h e e x a m i n a t i o n .
Some evidence was t a k e n i n accordance w i t h t h e det a i l s g i v e n above, a n d t h e p r i sone r , w h o dec l ined t o ask a n y o f t h e witnesses quest ions , a n d made n o answer t o t h e charge , was c o m m i t t e d f o r t r i a l a t t h e present O l d B a i l e y Sessions, a n d was r e m o v e d a t once t o N e w g a t e .
T h e u n f o r t u n a t e w o m a n h a d been m a r r i e d i n her ear l ie r years t o a respectable m a n , w h o d ied , l e a v i n g her w i t h t w o c h i l d r e n , w h o m she had p laced u n d e r t h e care o f her r e l a t i v e s . T h e name o f Green was o n l y assumed, her r e l a t ives a n d f r i ends b e i n g h i g h l y respectable persons. She became a c q u a i n t e d w i t h her m u r d e r e r a b o u t n i n e m o n t h s since, a t w h i c h t i m e she was l i v i n g i n a house i n Tennyson-s t ree t , Y o r k - r o a d , L a m b e t h , w h i c h she l e f t t o l i v e w i t h t h e m a n b y whose hands she m e t her u n t i m e l y dea th .
A n i nques t has been h e l d o n t h e b o d y o f t h e deceased, a n d t h e evidence g i v e n was s u b s t a n t i a l l y t h e same as t h a t before t h e po l ice m a g i s t r a t e . T h e j u r y r e t u r n e d a v e r d i c t o f w i l f u l m u r d e r aga ins t t h e p r i sone r W r i g h t , w h o has since been t r i e d a n d condemned t o dea th . , -• - . 1
PROCLAMATION OF THE KING OF DENMARK TO HOLSTEIN.
7 - T h e f o l l o w i n g p r o c l a m a t i o n has been issued b y K i n g C h r i s t i a n I X . : — i
" T o o u r be loved a n d f a i t h f u l subjects o f t h e d u c h y o f H o l s t e i n —
" W e , C h r i s t i a n I X . , b y t h e grace o f G o d , K i n g 0 f D e n m a r k , o f t h e V a n d a l s a n d G o t h s , D u k e o f Schles-w i g - H o l s t e i n , S t o m a r n o f t h e D i t h m a r s c h e n a n d o f L a u e n b u r g , a n d also o f O l d e n b u r g , A c . ,
" H e r e b y m a k e k n o w n .—The o rde r o f succession t o t h e t h r o n e o f t h e D a n i s h m o n a r c h y , s e t t l ed a f t e r serious c o m m o t i o n s b y t h e l a w o f t h e 31st J u l y , 1863, shou ld be a w o r k o f peaee. F a c i l i t a t e d by . t h e devo ted abn e g a t i o n o f o thers i t has. been accepted b y us w i t h o u t persona l a m b i t i o n , b n t w i t h t h e nope o f p r o m o t i n g 1
t h e r e b y t h e Welfare o f t h e be loved F a t h e r l a n d . I n the p u b l i c l a w o f E u r o p e i t has rece ived r e c o g n i t i o n b y a so lemn t r e a t y , i n w h i c h m o s t o f t h e E u r o p e a n Powers , i n c l u d i n g t h e greatest , t o o k p a r t , because t h e y ack n o w l e d g e d t h e i n t e g r i t y o f t h e D a n i s h m o n a r c h y t o be a necessi ty for t h e peace o f E u r o p e . Never theless efforts tending t o t h e " d i s r u p t i o n o f t h e D a n i s h m o n a r c h y , a n d s e r v i n g as a v e i l for t h e m o s t u n founded h e r e d i t a r y pre tens ions , nave been b r o u g h t t o bear aga ins t t h i s order , so conduc ive t o t h e we l f a re o f o u r c o u n t r y a n d t h e p r e se rva t i on o f t he peace o f t h e w o r l d . T o our hea r t f e l t ' s o r r o w w e c a n n o t a v o i d perc e i v i n g t h a t i n o u r d u c h y o f Ho l s t e in ' t he se efforts g a i n g r o u n d , cause exc i t emen t i n t h e p u b l i c m i n d , a n d g ive r ise to u n c e r t a i n t y a n d d o u b t even i n those on whose fidelity a n d d e v o t i o n w e have m o s t r i g h t t o depend .
" H o l s t e i n e r s ! W e see i n t h e main tenance o f t h e D a n i s h m o n a r c h y one o f o u r m o s t i m p o r t a n t du t i e s as a r u l e r . A s i t f o l l ows , t he re fo re , t h a t we c a n n o t suffer t h a t hos t i l e efforts s h o u l d be fos tered b y t h e a t t i t u d e o f a p o r t i o n o f t h e p u b l i c officials , we are firmly determ i n e d a n d p repa red t o oppose a i l i n s u r r e c t i o n a r y m o v e m e n t s by. force, a n d t o h o l d eve ry one s t r i c t l y accountable w h o a l lows h i m s e l f t o be d r a w n i n t o i l l e g a l steps o f t h i s charac ter . W e are conf ident , h o w e v e r , t h a t o u r be loved H o l s t e i n subjects , A t t a c h e d t o us b y so m a n y t ies , w i l l n o t a l l o w themselves t o be i n d u c e d to wave r i n t h e i r fidelity t o u s ; t h a t t h e v a c i l l a t i n g w i l l r e t u r n t o a sense o f t h e i r d u t y , a n d t h a t t h e exc i t e m e n t o f t h e p u b l i c m i n d w i l l be succeeded b y ref lec t ion , t h u s s p a r i n g o u r p a t e r n a l h e a r t t h e adopt ion o f measures w h i c h w o u l d cause i t t h e g rea tes t p a i n . T o o u r g r e a t s o r r o w t h e efforts o f m a n y years t o b r i n g a b o u t a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g o n t h e cons t i t u t i o n a l r e l a t ions o f t h e u n i t e d m o n a r c h y have , n p t o t h e present , been w i t h o u t r e s u l t ; b u t , i n a s m u c h as i t is p u r i n t e n t i o n t o g i v a o u r G e r m a n prov inces an independen t p o s i t i o n i n t h e m o n a r c h y , i n t h e same m a i m e r aa has a l ready been done w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e p a r t s o f t h e m o n a r c h y n o t b e l o n g i n g t o t h e G e r m a n Confederation, we p e r m i t ourselves t h e hope t h a t o u r d u c h y o f H o l s t e i n , w h e n i t feels con t en t u n d e r t h e en joymen t o f a r ea l c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l i b e r t y , a n d w h e n eve ry p r e t e x t f o r f o r e i g n in te r fe rence i a r emoved , w i l l i nc l ine o f i t s own aooord t o a closer connec t i on w i t h t h e o t h e r p a r t s o f t h e m o n a r c h y , a n d t h a t an a r r angemen t sa t i s f ac to ry t o a l l w i l l t h e n be Tendered m o r e possible.
" Ho l s t e ine r s ! W e have assumed t h e G o v e r n m e n t o f t h e c o u n t r y u n d e r d i f f i cu l t c i rcumstances . W i t h so m u c h the m o r e confidence w e r e c k o n u p o n t h e d e v o t i o n o f a l l ou r subjects . I f y o u r e m a i n f a i t h f u l t o .us G o d w i l l , we t r u s t , c r o w n o u r efforts w i t h success; t h e y are solely d i r ec t ed t o t h e we l fa re a n d peace o f our c o u n t r y . . ,
" G i v e n a t o u r residence, C i t y o f Copenhagen, December 4 ,1863 ,
" C . H A M , . - " C H R I S T I A N B . "
H e a t l e y , t h e m a n w h o , pass ing h i m s e l f off as a m i l i t a r y officer, endeavoured t o u t t e r a f o r g e d b i l l o n t h e M a r q u i s o f Anglesey , a n d whose case exc i t ed considerable i n t e r e s t w h e n i t was before the pol ice-cour ts , Was t r i e d ' a t t h e C e n t r a l C r i m i n a l C o u r t , o n Tuesday . H e was f o u n d g u i l t y , and sentenced t o pena l s e rv i t ude f o r s ix years .
A b o l i t i o n o f T u r n p i k e s . — I n a d d i t i o n t o 'the' m e t r o p o l i t a n t u r n p i k e s t o be abol ished on t h e 1st J u l y n e x t , an A c t o f P a r l i a m e n t was passed a t t h e close o f t h e l a s t session, t o con t inue u n t i l t h e 1st N o v e m b e r n e x t , a n d " n o l o n g e r , " n e a r l y e i g h t y T u r n p i k e A c t s , unless o t h e r w i s e d i r e c t e d b y P a r l i a m e n t . i ' 1 •
T h e T r i c k s . o f S e r v a n t s . — B r i d g e t , Jones a n M a r y K i n g s t o n were r e e x a m i n e d t h e o the r day , a t H a m m e r s m i t h , o n a charge o f p i l f e r i n g . T h e p r i soner K i n g s t o n was oook i n t h e Bervice o f D r . H i l l , t h e p r o p r i e t o r o f a l u n a t i c a s y l u m , a t E a r l ' a C o u r t Heuse , K e n s i n g t o n , a n d t h e o t h e r p r i sone r was e m p l o y e d as c h a r w o m a n . I n consequence o f i n f o r m a t i o n D r . H i l l r ece ived t h a t he w a s b e i n g robbed , he communica t ed w i t h t h e pol ice , a n d a p l a i n c l o t h e s cons tab le was e m p l o y e d t o w a t c h t h e pr i soners . Jones w a s c a u g h t l e a v i n g t h e premises w i t h a q u a n t i t y o f b read , mea t , a n d m i l k , w h i c h she said t h e cook h a d g i v e n her . O n search ing K i n g s t o n ' s box a q u a n t i t y o f D r . H i l l ' s t e a was f o u n d . K i n g s t o n was c o m m i t t e d f o r t w o m o n t h s ' i m p r i s o n m e n t , a n d Jones f o r fou r t een days f o r t h e u n l a w f u l possession.
A YOUNG MAN FROM THE COUNTRY. One d a y l a s t week, as t h e c o u r t a t t h e M a n s i o n -
house was a b o u t t o r i se , a r e spec tab le - look ing m a n , ba re ly t w e n t y , w h o sa id he was a n a t i v e o f A r m a g h ! a p p l i e d f o r assistance i n a s t a te o f dis t ress , h a v i n g , he sa id , been def rauded o f w h a t t o h i m was a cons iderable s u m o f money , a n d a l l he h a d i n t h e w o r l d . H e was o n h i s w a y t o O tago , i n N e w Zea land . A few days ago he ca l l ed a t an e m i g r a t i o n office i n LeadenhaU-street , t o t a k e a passage o u t , b u t finding t h a t t h e s h i p i n w h i c h he h a d i n t e n d e d t o go h a d l e f t , he bespoke a b o r t h i n a n o t h e r vessel, w h i c h was t o sale o n t h e 1 0 t h o f J a n u a r y . A s he was l e a v i n g t h e office, a n e l d e r l y m a n , w h o m he h a d n o t seen before, engaged h i m i n conver sa t ion , a n d s t a t e d t h a t he, t oo , was a b o u t t o sa i l i n t h e same sh ip f o r N e w Zea land , a n d t h e y m i g h t go t o g e t h e r , - ^ T h e a p p l i c a n t assented, a n d a day o r t w o a f t e r w a r d / m e t b y a p p o i n t m e n t , a t a t a v e r n n e a r K i n g a-cross, t h e m a n whose acqua in tance he h a d so made. O n e n t e r i n g a r o o m t h e r e t h e m a n appeared t o recognise a Y o r k s h i r e m a n , a n d a l l t h r e e p r e s e n t l y g o t i n t o conve r sa t ion . T h e Y o r k s h i r e m a n t o o k f r o m h i s pocke t w h a t appeared t o t h e a p p l i c a n t t o be a l o t o f sovereigns, w h i c h he began t o c o u n t , o b s e r v i n g as he d i d so t h a t he h a d r e c e n t l y h a d a considerable s u m o f m o n e y l e f t h i m . H e also p r o d u c e d t w o n e w canvas bags, such as are used b y bankers , one o f w h i c h he offered t o g i v e h i s acqua in tance , a d d i n g t h a t he w o u l d " h a n s e l " i t , t o o , b y p u t t i n g a sovere ign i n t o i t , w h i c h he a p p a r e n t l y d i d , t a k i n g one f r o m t h o l o t o n t h e t a b l e . H e sa id he should n o t m i n d g i v i n g t h e y o u n g m a n t h e o the r b a g , mean ing t h e a p p l i c a n t , w h i c h he d i d . T h e a p p l i c a n t t h e n t o o k f r o m h i s pocke t J614 i n g o l d , w h i c h was a l l he h a d t o pay h is passage, a n d w h i c h t h e Y o r k s h i r e m a n professed t o p u t i n t o t h e b a g t h a t h e h a d g i v e n h i m . l n e y h a d s o m e t h i n g t o d r i n k , a n d e v e n t u a l l y agreed t o d ine the re , fixing a t i m e . T h e Y o r k s h i r e m a n a n d t h e o t h e r m a n t h e n l e f t t h e house t oge the r , p r o m i s i n g t o r e t u r n a t t h e hou r a p p o i n t e d , a n d l e a v i n g a p p l i c a n t i n t h e r o o m . T h e y d i d n o t r e t u r n , and , a f t e r w a i t i n g some t i m e f o r t h e m , he l e f t ; a n d o n r e a c h i n g h i s l odg ings he f o u n d e igh teen coun te r f e i t sovereigns i n the bag ins t ead o f t h e £14 i n g o l d , w h i c h he h a d expec ted t o see. H e h a d n o t seen e i t he r o f t h e m e n since, a n d he, n o w i n a p e n n i l e s s s t a t e , asked fo r a s u m t o p a y h i s passage t o N e w Zea land , s t a t i n g t h a t o n h i s a r r i v a l t h e r e he shou ld meet w i t h f r i ends w h o w o u l d assist h i m . H e h a d depos i ted h is luggage a t t h e E a s t I n d i a Dooks , i n p r o o f o f w h i c h he p r o d u c e d a corr e spond ing t i c k e t .
M r . G o o d m a n dec l ined t o pay h i s passage t o O t a g o o u t o f t h e poor -box , b u t as t h e n e x t bes t t h i n g he u n d e r t o o k t o bear t h e expenses o f h i s r e t u r n t o A r m a g h .
T h e a p p l i c a n t accepted t h e offer, a n d l e f t t h e c o u r t .
SEVEN PERSONS DROWNED AT LYTHAM.
A m o s t me lancho ly occurrence t o o k p lace a t W a r t o n , near L y t h a m , a f e w days ago, b y w h i c h seven h u m a n beings l o s t t h e i r l ives b y d r o w n i n g . F o r t h r e e weeks past t h e r e have been s t a y i n g a t M r s . H a r r i s o n ' s , 35, E a s t Reach , L y t h a m , M r . Sugars , a me rchan t , o f Manches te r , t o g e t h e r w i t h h i s w i f e , t w o sons, a n d t h r e e daugh te r s . T h e sons, H e n r y a n d Thomas , weee aged respec t ive ly a b o u t 2 1 a n d 16 y e a r s ; and t h e daughte rs , Jessie, L a u r a , a n d M a r y , were 2 1 , 15, a n d 10 years o l d . W i t h t h e m has been, d u r i n g t h e i r v i s i t t o L y t h a m , a M i s s E l i z a W i l s o n , a y o u n g l a d y o f abou t 2 0 ; a n d t h e p a r t y were j o i n e d b y M r . W a l t e r W i l s o n b r o t h e r t o M i s s W i l s o n , aged 23, w h o , i t is be l i eved ' was b e t r o t h e d t o t h e eldest o f t h e Misses Sugars'. A b o u t e leven o ' c lock o n Tuesday m o r n i n g a l l t h e p a r t y , w i t h t he excep t ion o f M r . a n d M r s . Sugars , proceeded t o t he r i v e r f o r t h e purpose o f h i r i n g a b o a t a n d shooti n g b i r d s . T h e y were i n t h e h ighes t possible g p l r i t o , a n d were accompanied t o t h e w a t e r ' s edge b y Mr. Sugars . N o n e o f t h e y o u t h s were accus tomed t o rowi n g ; b u t as t he re was a l i t t l e w i n d b l o w i n g , a l t h o u g h t h e t i d e was b e g i n n i n g t o flow, n o danger was apprehended. T h e y s t a t e d t o t h e o w n e r o f t h e boa t , a m a n n a m e d P a r k i n s o n , t h a t t h e y i n t e n d e d p u l l i n g ae fa r as t h e docks , a n d l e f t w i t h a p a i r o f oars" Soon a f t e rwards t w o o f t h e y o u t h s were observed o n one o f t h e sandbanks w i t h t h e i r guns , b u t were n o t n o t i c e d l a t e r ; a n d n o t h i n g m o r e . w a s h a a i d o f t h e m u n t i l a t e l e g r a m was received b y M r . Sugars s t a t i n g t h a t t h e y h a d gone t o P r e s t o n w i t h t h i t i d e , a n d w o u l d r e t u r n t o L y t h a m i n t i m e f o r d inne r a t s ix o ' c lock . A s t h e y d i d n o t a r r i v e a t h o m e a t t h a t hour , M r . a n d M r s . Sugars became v e r y jwpBfc a n d a boa t ' s c r ew was d i spa t ched u p t h e r i v e r i n search o f t he u n f o r t u n a t e p a r t y ; b u t a f t e r proceeding ' as f a * as t h e Naze P o i n t t h o y h a d t o r e t u r n w i t h o u t a n y t i d i n g s o f t h e m i s s i n g y o u t h s , b e y o n d w h a t t h e y h a d l e a r n t f r o m t h e m e n o n t h e dredge, w h o saw t h e m p a e s homewards a b o u t ha l f -pas t five o 'c lock . A t daybreak n e x t m o r n i n g t h e search was renewed , w h e n t h e b o a t i n w h i c h t h e m i s s i n g p a r t y l e f t L y t h a m was d i scovered opposi te W a r t o n , a n d soon a f t e rwards t h e b o d y o f M i s s L a u r a Sugars was f o u n d o n t h e sand. A H f u r t h e r search w h i c h was prosecuted t h r o u g h o u t t h e d a y on b o t h t h e L y t h a m a n d H e s k e t h sides o f t h e e s t u a r y p r o v e d f ru i t l ess , a l t h o u g h t h e c rew o f t h e l i f e b o a t h a d made every e x e r t i o n t o discover t he bodies. O f course , n o t h i n g is k n o w n , a n d never c a n b e k n o w n w i t h cer t a i n t y , o f t h e cause o f t h e f e a r f u l c a s u a l t y ; b u t i t i s supposed t h a t t h e boa t ' s kee l m u s t .have c a u g h t o n one o f t h e ne t s takes be low W a r t o n . ft eudn we re the case, as t h e t i d e was reced ing w i t i u g r e a t r a p i d i t i , t h e b o a t w o u l d p r o b a b l y be in s t an taneous ly upse t , a n a t h e w h o l e enguhphed w i t h o u t t h e l e a s t f T f a r n i n g o f hope o f rescue. T h e greates t commise ra t ron i s f e l t f o r M r . a n d M r s . Sugars, w h o . b y t h e c a l a m i t y have been d e p r i v e d o f t h e w h o l e o f t h e i r o f f sp r ing .
VERY "HARD CASH," AND ITS RESPONSIBILITIES. •
A l o c a l c o n t e m p o r a r y gives t h e f o l l o w i n g account o f a pa ren t ' s r ep roach t o h is c h i l d r e n : — " M r . J o h n H u t c h i n s o n , t h e w e l l - k n o w n S u n d e r l a n d s h i p b u i l d e r o f Lechmere-hou.se, w h o r e c e n t l y gave £ 3 0 0 t o t h e Po l i sh n a t i o n a l f u n d , , a n d . is., d i s t i n g u i s h e d for h i s munif icence t o l o c a l cha r i t i e s , has resolved t o b u i l d a g r o u p o f almshouses f o r ' decayed members x>f t he - f r a -t e r n i t y o f s h i p w r i g h t s . A p o r t i o n o i M r . H a t a h i n a o n ' * f a m i l y , w i t h w h o m he is a t var iance , have, i t seems*, a r r i v e d a t t h e sapient conc lus ion t h a t t h i s e x t r a o r d i n a r y munif icence ds p r o o f p o s i t i v e o f i n s a n i t y , a n d t h e i r a n g r y expressions h a v i n g a t t r a c t e d a t t e n t i o n , t h e p u b l i c of S u n d e r l a n d were s t a r t l e d yes te rday b y t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e f o l l o w i n g man i fes to , b y M r T H u t c h i n s o n h imse l f , i n t h e f o r m . o f a , h a n d b a l l t t i t has come t o t h e k n o w l e d g e of t h e pub l i c , a n d a pa ra g r a p h has appeared i n y o u r newspaper, t h a t I i n t e n d t o es tabl ish almshouses. I h a r e - tmi re tbre Ho heef ta i ' t i o n i n s t a t i n g t h a t such is t h e ease, a n d I have p u r chased a p l o t o f g r o u n d f o r tine purpose. B a t a n a t t e m p t is made b y some o f ' n ty f a m i l y to p r e v e n t l i e ' ' c a r r y i n g such i n t e n t i o n i n t o emjet , a n d m y eon E d w i n , w h o i s a l a w m a n , I a m i n f o r m e d , has s ign i f ied hue i n t e n t i o n t e go u p t o L o n d o n a n d m a k e a n a p p l i c a t i o n t o t h e L o r d Chance l lo r t o have me deals, td t o be insane a n d incapab le of m a n a g i n g m y o w n af fa i r s , w h i c h w o u l d enable t h e m t o t a k e m y money , a n d l o c k me u p in an a s y l u m . I t h i n k I can eonfi ie- >rlv appea l t o a l l m y f r iends i n t h e t o w n , w i t h w h o m I h a v e .dons business f o r so m a n y years , w h e t h e r t h e y have ever f o u n d me, incapable o f t r a n s a c t i n g m y business a n a t h e y w i l l a d m i t t h a t , h a v i n g w o r k e d h a r d - f o r m y money , I have a r i g h t t o dispose of i t as { t h i n k fit. I a m s o r r y t o be compel led to declare t h a t o u t o f m y e i g h t c h i l d r e n , i f I have one f r o m w h o m I have- re ce ived a n y kindness, o r c an p lace a n y oonfidenee i n , t h a t is a l l , as t h e y have been b r o u g h t np b y t h e i r m o t h e r f r o m t h e i r i n f a n c y to' deceive and disobey me. ' I t i s necessary f o r m e to p u t d o w n a t onoe a n y a t t e m p t o n t h e p a r t o f m y son E d w i n t o c o n t r o l aay intent ions , , o the rwise , I suppose, I shou ld have to c o n s u l t h i m " before d i s t r i b u t i n g a n y o f m y char i t i e s for t h e t i m e to come. ' T h e affa i r i s n o w t h e sensa t ional topic o f t h e ' scandalmongers o f t h e t o w n , a n d has c rea ted m u c h surpr ise , as m o s t people k n e w n o t h i n g of t h e m a t t e r • u n t i l t h e appearance of t he h a n d b i l l . " .1
• T T T - . • C a r l i s l e R e l i e f C o m m i t t e e . — A t t h e o r d i n a r y
m o n t h l y m e e t i n g o f t h e Car l i s l e R e l i e f C o m m i t t e e h e l d ' i n t h e T o w n - h a l l m t h a t c i t y , i t was r e p o r t e d t h a t since l a s t m e e t i n g some a d d i t i o n a l subsc r ip t ions b a d . been received, a n d t h a t t h e ladies ' c o m m i t t e e o f ' the Car l i s l e s e w i n g schools, deeming i t undes i rab le t o r e ' . open t h e schools at. p resent , h a d r e m i t t e d £ 1 5 0 t o t h e r e l i e f c o m m i t t e e , t o a i d t h e m in c a r r y i n g o n t h e i r ' opera t ions f o r some t i m e longe r . B u t f o r t h i s a i d , t h e f u n d o f t h e relief c o m m i t t e e w o u l d h a v e been n o w nea r ly exhausted. T h e r e c e i p t , u p t o t h i s tim? h a v e been £7 ,718 , a n d t h e expend i tu re ( £ 7 , 6 3 2 , s—si» i a balance o f £ 1 8 6 o n h a n d . D u r i n g t h e past m o n t h t h e n u m b e r of r ec ip ien ts o n t h e books has been r a t h e r under 200, a n d t h e w e e k l y cost o f r e l i e f has been a b o u t A 1 C . A v o t e of t h a n k s to tit* ladies ' o o m o ' t h e i r cons ide ra t ion was u n a n i m o u s l y passed.
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