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PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS. --+--

MELANCHOLY DEATH OF A PHYSICIAN.

'J THE PRIZES WON AT WIMBLVWM.

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[TEE OUTRAGE ON A LADY AT…

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[TEE OUTRAGE ON A LADY AT BEADING. At the Oxford Cironit Assizes, held at Abingdon on Wednesday, beforeMr. Justice Shee, Neville Maskelyne Toomer, a widower, between 30and40yeais, of gentle- manly appearance, wag placed at the bar, charged with committing a rape on Georgiaca Tartridge, at Beading, on the 11th of June last. Mr. Sawyer and Mr. R. Harington conducted the ease for the prosecu- tion; Mr. Huddleston, Q.C., with Mr. J. O. Griffits, appeared for the defence. The prisoner, a widower, occupying a good position at Reading, engaged the prosecutrix (a. young lady 23 years of age, most respectably connected) as lady housekeeper, in the month of May, representing to her that he was an ironmonger, having cue daughter, and that he occasionally let apartments. Upon this understanding prosecutrix entered his ser- vice, but she found thai prisoners daughter ¡ was not at home, and also that nc apartments were let. On the evening of Wednesday, the 6th of Jane, the prisoner requestei her to play the piano and sing, which she did. Thfe occurred :n the dining- room, and while she was performing prisoner drew down the blinds of the two windows and closed the curtains. In consequence cf this proceeding prose- outrix rose from the piano ind walked to the door, but prisoner reached the doer first, and saking hold of prosecutrix, forced her on to the scfa, where he struggled with her for sone hours, bit did not, it appeared, succeed in effecting his object. In the morn- ing she packed up her clottes, &c., intending to leave for her home in Saffolk, when the prisoner used various threats and pleas, and he also promised ihat if she for- gave him he would never again assault hff. She there- upon consented to remain. Hid at his Irgent,request she walked with him in the iown on the Smdayevening following. The servant in the house slept with her after the assault on Wednesday night, Jut on Sunday night this girl had a friend with her in the kitchen, and did not go to bed at the same tim) as the prose- cutrix. Prosecutrix went to her bedroom, and left her door unlocked, to allow the servani to enter when she came to bed, but the girl went to a room on the floor above, and prisoner came upfron his room, and making his way to that of the prosecutrix, got into bed with her. She immediately called ait and knocked at the wall, and gave as much resistance as possible. Prisoner, however, committed a rape upon her. Prose- cutrix said she was afraid to offer a grBater resistance than she did, as prisoner threatened tc choke her, and he also had a loaded revolver, which was afterwards found by Mr. Purchase, the superintendent of police at Reading, to be loaded and capped. Several articles of jewellery, which prosecutrix wore ?n the occasion of the first, assault, were broken wiile prosecutrix offered resistance to the prisoner, the prosecutrix was nearly three hours under examination, and she repeatedly stated that on each occasion of calling out for the purpose of attracting notice, prisoner put his hand over her mouth, and prevented ier being heard. After the conclusion of plaintiff's ca.se, Mr. Huddleston made an able address to the jury, and contended that, though thera had been familiari- ties, and even grosa immorality between the two parties, there was nothing in the evidence to justify the charge of rape. Up to the present time, the prisoner had occupied a respectable position, and it was altogether improbable that he would commit such an act as would involve him in utter ruin. Mr. Justice Shee summed up the evidence with great care and impartiality, occupying upwards of an hour. The Jury retired at six o'clock, and deliberated for three hours, when they came into court and requested to look at the depositions. The learned judge said that was an unusual and unnecessary course; but his lordship read an extract or two from his own notes. The foreman said the jury had not agreed, and there was no chanca of their doing so. Mr. Justice Shee: This is a most important ease, and you must decide it, gentlemen. The simple ques- tion for you to decide is this—was there, on the Sunday night or early on Monday morning, a criminal connec- tion between the prisoner and the prosecutrix against her will ? If so, you must say the prisoner is guilty; if not, you must acquit him. The jury again retired, and soon after eleven o'clock at night they came into court, and returned a verdict of Guilty, but recommended the prisoner to mercy. His Lordship: Mercy! On what grounds could they make that recommendation ? A jnryman said they thought there was some en- couragement on the part of the prosecutrix. His Lordship asked what part of the depositions showed that. No reply was given, and his lordship declined to act upon the recommendation. The learned judge then addressed the prisoner in the most solemn manner, and sentenced him to fifteen years' penal servitude. On the arrival of the last train from Abingdon, at Reading, there was much excitement amongst a large crowd on the platform anxious to know the result of the trial, but the intelligence did not reach Reading until Thursday morning.. The case lasted 13t hours.

THE SUICIDE OF DR. WARDER.

! - > THE CHOLERA. ••

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