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1 FAMOUS TRIALS. ..

TABLEAU VIVANT. ___I .----1

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1 FAMOUS TRIALS. ..

1 FAMOUS TRIALS. ..

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by bathing or immersion in cold water on at full stomach. Dr. PSynd had once seen a patient from all parts of whose body blood was exuding. It was not uncommon for persons to scream freq uently in epileptic fits; the first scream would certainly be the most violent. Putting a wet cloth over the nose and mouth, would produce all the effects of drowning or hanging. Pressure on the chest that would produce the effects in question would product*, some external mark. Yt herever compression sufficient to cause death was used on soft parts the parts compressed would become decomposed sooner than others. I Mr. Justice Crampton having summed up the evidence with g-reat minuteness, the jury retired to consider their verdict. ) The nature of the evidence produced by the Crown was such as to require the most careful deliberation, but when some time had elapsed without any verdict being- announced Mr. Jus- tice Crampton sent for the jury, and inquired whether they were likely to agree. Tho foreman replied that there did not seem any chance of their agreement and they again retired. At eleven o'clock they were again summoned, when it was founcl that they were still unable to come to a con^ elusion,; and they again withdrew. The court remained crowded, and the hesitation of the jury caused the most breathless anxiety. AK length, near midnight, the jury came intb oourt and pronounced their verdict of "Guilty. The prisoner, Avho throughout the whole pro* reedings-both in the preliminary investiga-, tions and at the trial—had exhibited the utmost* firmness and composure, seemed start-led, but not appalled, by the verdict, and on being' asked whether he had anything to say why, sentence of death should not be pronounced against him, addressed the court in a perfectly; calm and collected voice, and at considerable length, giving a narrative of what (as he said) had passed on the island, and protesting his entire innocence of the crime. 4 Mr. Justice Crampton., after stating that himself and Baron Greene (who had also sat on the bench) perfectly concurred in the correcto ness of the verdict, passed sentence of death upon the prisoner, holding out not the slightest hope of mercy. ) The result of this trial beca.me a. subject of great controversy throughout the kingdom. It was generally felt that in this instance tlW circumstantial evidence adduced had failed to prove the crime, against the prisoner, and many were of opinion that there was no probability --iiot to say no proof—that murder had becJt committed at all—that, in truth, Mrs. Kirwan had been accidentally drowned, or that, being seized with a, fit while bathing, she had perished in the water. Many circumstances afterwircla came to light showing that the evidence of thfl boatmen had been warped by strong prejudices' On the other hand, the prisoner's treatment of his wife gave occasion to 9 strong feeling against him, which wa* greatly aggravated by rumours of other Crimea of the deepest dye. His execution was de4 ferred until the evidence could be further sifted. The result was that the seat?;.ic4. was commuted into transportation for life.' This mitigation completed the mystery in which the whole c-ase was involved, for it is quite evident that if Kirwan was guilty of the murder he deserved the utmost penalty ol the law. but if innocent the punishment of transportation was a, great injustice. Tha sentence of transportation was actually carried into effect—an illogical result of the trial which is wonderfully suggestive of the punish- ment inflicted on Mrs. Maybrick for the sup- posed murder of her husband.