The Cardigan Bay Visitor

MERIONETH SUMMER ASSIZES. The Summer Assizes for the ccnntv of Merioneth were opened on Monday at Dolg l ey b fore the Hon Sir Alfred Willi k<vght. one of her Majesty's judges of thp High Court or Justice. Tne Court being overcrowded, Chief Constv Je Host and his officers had a difficulty in finding 'o ii;, but suc- ceeded in admirab'y keeping order. The Judge arrived on Saturday by the mi.chy tra;n and was met by Colonel Patclutt, son cf the high sheiiff (Colonel Patchetl, th- «!:eri:l' --i; x a- tbrvr^h illness), John Chari ot H.;g:e s, ![., « ;er<hrr-?f. and an escort of police. Ia the afternoon his Lrrcl- ship drove to Feitioirg to the scene of rh* murder and arrived back at Doigeliey about bine p.m. Ou Sunday, the Judge a*d his entourage attended! divine service at the Parish Church when the Rev- Tudor Fitz-Johu, Cai-diugtin. nt* .r Shrewsbury, preached an appropriate sermon. 0 o Monday morning the commission of ass:zes was n ad by Mr Henry Crompton, clerk cf the assize. THE GRAND JURY. The following ^ntlemen wc:e sw rn on the grand jury :—Jo-in Yaugi-.an, Xanruut, F q., fore- man C. E. Munro Edwaras. Dol erau K. Evans- Lloyd, Moelygaroe id Owen Slaney Wynne. Dol'- rhyd Charles Wil iatns. Hengwm C. E. -J. Owen, Hens?wrtu<.ha R. S. Wayne, Rryi.l'wy i> Edward Griffith, Springfield R. Prys Owen, Aelybeyu II. J. Lloyd, Ty ay coed R. K. L' Ri-hsrds, Ca rv- nwch Roger Hughes, Bala John Hughe* J -a-s. Bodfor-terrace Edward R. Jenki's, B dwe: i John Leigh Taylor. Penma-nocha .Jor:n W ill' am*, Gwernhciin; J. E. Jones, BryntFyj.on R. C. Anwyl, Llugwy J. O. Puyh, ir.e Ba k W J. Morris, GlaDglasfcr R. Wynne W il.i im-, Dol- gelley Owen Lloyd. Waterloo Ho-se\ 1 > dg lh>y and Thomas Edwards, Blaenau, E-qrs, THE CHARGE. Addressing the grand j.«ry, rising to receive the enargj of he J od^e -t the assizes the grand jury pe; formerl an ancient time-honoured custom which was intended to mark the deep respect which he wss happy to think the administration of law in the county was regard: d. It was a thing which belonged not to him, but t > hi-? office. He had no right to interfere wtta it or give .t away, but that mark of r speet having he • paid, there was no reason why he should not a>k them to be seated during the few remarks h" had to make to them. The grand jury having seated, the JuJge continued by saying that he met t em by expressions cf deep regret. In the fir t place, their highly-respectecl tfigh Sheriff, whose place ou that occasion was so worthily tilled by ivs <qtiilly- respected and gallant son, w as stricken by illness, it was to be feartd, of a very grave character. Another subject of very detp regret was tbt a case would come before the Court 01 the most serious nature relating to a charge of murder of a very serious and very cruelchancter. His Lr'ship then referred to the rtetails and said he had gone into them fully to save the grand, jury trou ie, for it was advisable that, a case of that kind should be tried though it was in the province of the grand jury to find no true bill. THE PETTY JCRY. The following were sworn on the petty j iry :— Messrs John Davids, Morfa. lnffryn Griffith Ellis, Dolizelley Evan Evar.s, Gesai!. Towyn Richard Evans, Benuar Fawr Farm: Edward Hughes. Tymawrmorfydd John Oen Jones, Sea View, Friog; Evan Lewis, T^id-street, Bala David Lloyd, Pant, Llanegryn Thomas Lloyd, Penybont, Talyllyn Robert G. Lloyd. Upperfield-street, Doigeliey H. Parson, H dfway House, Bontddu, aud E. L. Rowlands, Abertovey. THE FESTINIOG MURDER CASE. The only case on the calendar was the Festining murder case in which Thomas Jones, 35, hawker, of no education, was indicted for having murdered Mary Bruton on or about the 2nd day of March at the parish of Festiniog. Prisoner was aIm ndieted for murder on tho till.ling of the c-routi-'b jury. Mr Yates and Mr Ralph V. Bankes (instructed by Mr R. 0. Jones, Festiniog) prosecuted and Mr Ellis Jones Griffith, M. P. (instructed by Mr J. B. Marston, Mold), defended. The Judge, in addressing the grand g-ive t. very ccucise summary cf tilt) ca-e uim th, physical features of the kea'C>, fl., ha j. personally visited the scene and made careful observations. His Lordship observed that the scene was near Llan Fe-tiniog on the high land above that town. The time was the 1st of March. The prisoner and the woma-j who undoubtedly me- her dentil trait n^i t Wdl; to a lodging-house at Llan. They were there from six until ten cr thereabouts and during tr at time there was coaveisat on which created the im- pression that the unfortunate woman was much afraid of the n:an. He was a married man, but the woman was not his wife and "1 been tramping the coun: ry with him for some weeks and was apparently deeply attached to him. H I-emetl to rather boast cf tne influence he had o\e her nml exerted it by < rdering her to take h-r hrlOJ sofT, a command which was immediately complied with Leaving the house about ten he wanted 'o get back the money he had paid for lodging. but did not succeed. He left the house uif, an t\n-ewou indicating that he was not unlike y t) use vi 1-nce ot some sort to tIle Wotran. He appeared to have turned to t'.ie right when he '.eft the house, but after parsing the Police Station which was a few yards away from the lodging h use, a turned to the lefc and went down a st ep hit of roa in the direction of the road which led to Llanrwst. He must have known the Llair^st luad be tans-e the night before he was seen by the polices an approaching Festiniog with the woman aloi g the Llanrwst read. Very probably he can from Llanrwst or that direction. O. the sh<rp seep bit of road which led from the Police S at ion t" the beginning of the main read tba" led to L'ai he passed a policeman and asking received directi'-n to Llanrwst from the effieer—" Bottom of the hill, turn to the right, keep straight on and that leads to Llanrwst. A very few yards from the turning at the bottom a r.ad branched ofif to the right from the main Llanrwst road. Having go ic ov* r the locality, he thought it difficult for auybody to mistake the branch road for the Lhxnrwst road. It turned off not at a high angle but at a small angle and was a good cart road to with and hy and ended in a gats which led to a farmhouse and thence it was a mere mountain tuiek leading up to the quarry where the'only ofthe unfor'uoate woman was found. About threp quarter-i of a mile fr m Festiniog therewere ae ;upl- cf small houses, at one of whish the woman asked her way to Llanrwst. She was inf rmed tnat she was on lae wrono road and the person who so informal her saw the nun passing on in the same direction and the woman after receiving the information follow him. The moon did not rise until long aftr davligiit and the night \a. dark. Nothing was actually known of the man or woman aft-r that except from the traces found afterward and from wr.at was s3.id. They must have pa?sed on and in some way or other found tceir way into the mount.in road which led to the quarry They must have passed by or very near a small farmhouse above which he road began to rise very steeply. It was something under three miles from Festiniog to the quarry and in course of that distance there was a rise of nearly 1,100 feet and the bulk of the rise occurred after that small place, Cae Canol. The road then became very steep and was better marked than before, but it was nevertheless a very bad roid. Shortly after the farm was a gJte through which the two must have passed apparently right up the quarry road. The next thing known was that about six o c)ock on the following morning the man alone, coming down from the mountain, made his appearance at Cae Canol when he said that he had been up the mountaiu the night before with a woman who had followed him that she had suddenly be- haved like a mad woman; that she had stripped herself of her clothing and ran up; the moun- tain as naked as on the day she was born except for her boct3 that he had followed her and found her in a hut on the mountain that he had left her there; and that she would not be long alive as it was very coid. It had been a very rough and cokl night, there was no doubt about that. On the way down the mountain he <1.;d he had picked up her shawl and he was allowed to put it and a basket into the cowhouse. There must have been some mistake in the time or he must have loitered about, because one of the quarrvmen going to his work met Jones about seven. He did not speak to that man and went down to Festiniog. He had t-id people at Cae Canol that he was going to the police. To the police he told the story with sorm variations and the Police Inspector and another officer accom- panied him back to the mountain. After coming to the sheep gate they found a number of articles ot woman's cloihing, a hat torn into two pieces, a akirt, and other things. He explained that that was the place where she began to get wild and stripped herself of her clothing. There were at that place groups of rock of no great size and he stated that she had there dashed herself against the rocks and had attempted to do herself mischief. He said she had thrown herself down, that he had struggled with her until he was dripping with per- spiration, but she was stronger than he and got away from him. The evidence was that, beyond the "fact of there being a quantity of Nothing there more or less torn, there was no physical evi- dence of anything like a struggle. The officers went on about three three-quarters of a mile and they came to a rough stone wall on one spot of which began the physical evidence or something much more serious. There was a pool of blood in the path and some of the stones of the wall were flecked and dashed with blood and in some way or other some violence must have come to the woman. Thence for about a quarter of a mile there were marks of blood dripping along the path which was a very rough and broken piece of way. Then the ground opened up to the right over a small pieos of more level ground covered with turf. There there were marks of a very serious encounter, because the ground was more or less torn up and a great quantity of blood appeared. The woman's body, however, was not found there. It was a curious fact in the case that it was found vards further on and that there were no marks of olood between the marks of the struggle and the blood and the place where the body was found. J The body was found on a level piece of swampy ground a little below the path on the light hand and very near a powder magazine. It would look as if the poor woman had died at the spot where the b'ood was foand and that she had been allowed to grow sufficiently cold for the wounds to cease t i bleed and that the dtad body had been carried there and ca:t out on the mountain side w.ero it was found. Tne body was naked vdth the exception of one boot, but was covered with some at ticles of clothing. The man was found with marks of blood on his coa and frothy matter whioh the medical nnn sad was like th" mucus which came from tile: months of people killed under c'rcumstances of violence. The man, however, denied that he had anything to do with it. Prisoner, in reply to the c..a s, pleaded not guilty. Mr John Foster, C.E., Fes iniog, having been called to give evidence as to pi sand measurement s, the Judge suggested that the Unoer Sheriff should be a-ked questions as to what he had seen to tne same effect (1' that the questions should be put to the police officer. Oa the visit he (the Judge) was accompanied by a constable wr.o conduct-d himself most admirab'y, only ans.ver.ng qmsaions which were put to him. S'-rgeant Ovven Williams, Amlwch, was the first witness. He said he the prisoner for eighteen vears and he also knew M iry^Bruton. They wre in the habit of being to^eUur, living in a small house at Rhos-place. Prisoner had a wife living. On t ;e 27th November last Aas called in when he found prisoner drunk and creating a disturbance. Mary Bruton took Jones's part and said the fault wa" Win. Ovveus's. Prisoner gave her a push and eaid You stand back or I wil: murder you." He sugg. sted that he should take Mary Bruton to a common lodging house, but he replied "I would rather be with T m ihaa anybody the." Prisoner was given twenty-me days for having been drunk and crrating a d sturbanc?.— C; oss examined Jones and his wife had not be. n living together for years, but he could not siy that prisoner and Mary Bruton had been for ten years going about together. They had roeen living together in a simll house at Rhos-p'ace from 17th November till the middle of December. He knew prisoner eiguteen years and Mary Bruton about twelve months. Wm. O* en, seaman, R os place, Amlwch, said on the 21 at and 2bth December, e saw abundant evidence of damage being done on her body by Thomas Jones. He put her on the ground, h-r and k eked her. and took her boot and beat her about the face until she", a, beyond recognition He abused her very often, more" the pity, and he would have killed him (witness) too it he could have open-d his door. Put hmi in ga-1 for a month once for assault. Night and day they were at it. Mary Bruton was brought up at the same place a* he (witness). She was brought up very well by her grandfather.—Cross-examined Had no ill-feeling. Was eighteen yesrs ago in a lunatic asylum for a short time. P C. David Jones said that on March 1st at five o'clock in t"eevt ning he sa v Jones and Bruton going to Llan. On the folIrjwiug morning went up Graig- ddu Mountain and saw marks of blood as well M^ry Bruton's body.—By the Judge It was about three-and-a-half-miles from LJan towhfrethe body was found. Llechwedd-isa was thre^-quarter mile from L'an.—By Mr Elhs Joues Griffith A portion of the path was somewhat undefined and on a dark night it would be easy to loe one's way. Mrs Carroll said she was a widow and kept a lodging house at Llan. About half-past the Jones and Bruton came and wanted lodging for the night and Jones paid fcr it. Brut"n was quite frigotened at the man. every word he said. The woman seemed foberand was quiet. About six she fe:cbeci a pint of beer and when she was out prisoner said he would make her take her boots off tn let witness s:e what command he had on her. When she re- turned he told her to take her boots off as he was going to sell them to witness. The woman trembled, but stooped down to take the boots olf when wit- ness told her to stop as she did not want them; whereupon pr soner said he did not want to sell them, but-to show the command he had on her. i'risoner said it was not a nice thing to make a row n a lodging-house and witness aicl it was not a nioe thing to make a row anywhere, whereupon prisoner observed "On the road it will be." He afterward wanted to send Bruton for another pint of bPH, but witness would not allow it. Af:er that witness went out to her son's house, but re- turned and between half past ten and eleven Jones and ISruton went cut. Hruton returned for her apron, Jones standing at toe door. Asked her where she was going ana she rep'ied that she did net know, when prisoner leaned against toe door and .-aid Arc you comirg. you ckvi! ?" On her going rut, he met her with mr tis7s up to her face and said "On the road you wili catch it, you devil." (hi-s-s in Court). On the following day she saw the w man's djad body. Thera was a d fferenca in t- e appearance of the face. There WPS a mark over th., Y brow. On the Tue-d .y nijht he had a black "ye beginning to heal. —Cross-examined She had boen summoned for not ha\ inga i,aw ker'slic. nce, he 1 eing also a hawker. She had al-o been fined for druuke- nes* with assault thrown in. Hal no words with Mary Bruton that night. She only asked her r,) goto her bed and not: with him that ni" t. Jones did not say "Never mind her and her lodg- ing, you wi 1 get a farmhouse not far iff with some straw to lie down." Did net me the poker that nig'ot: he did not insult her. (Laughter.) Had never used the poker in her life her 1 and was h-avy euougb. (Laughter). She did not otTer to give her own boots and Is Gd for the boots Bruton was we-ring. When Jones said Are you coming you ilr.il," he added "Do you want to stay for pe pie to kill me." Nobody spoke about the bed b ing dirty Prisoner had said they were going to Llanrwst in the morning. J. hn Cirroil, 16, on of witr.es?, said Jones remarked that he would net stop at Penybryn Barracks to be kdled. Jones said on leaving to Bruton, On the road you will have it." She was afraj. 1 of him.—By the Judge There was no man in the hou-e that night except Jones. Ellis Roberts, Llechweddisa, a WOlmtll called at his house, which wasabout a mile hom Festiniog, between half past ten and eleven and askel the "ay to Llanrwst. He advised herto return toFes- tiniogilstherewas nothing but mountains in front of her.—Cross-examined he asked if there wasafarm house and he said there was a farm cr two and she left in their direction. It was possible for a strallg, r to mistake the way to Llanrwst Tne Judge said he could hardly see how that cwIll be ft r the road to L'anrwst ran nor h and the way to where the body was found ran on to the southward. It was stated, in reply, that a sheep track could be made from the Cae Canol road down to Pen- machuo and Llaurwst. Ann Ephraim, Cae Canolmawr, said that Jones called her at six on the 2nd and said there had been a great s'orm on the mountain with some woman. He said she had stripped herself on the mruntin, that he failed to find her for some tim". but at last 'ound her naked in a hut on the mountain and it was impossible for her to live on such a night. John Hughes, Pantyrhedyd'?, working at Griig- ddu Quarry pear where the woman was found, said he met Jones and not a. word pas-ed between them Ann Kphraim told him something and he afterward found the rim of a woman's hat and then the remainder. Saw footmarks in thA snow not following the zig-zag pith, but coming straight down the mountain from where the body was. There was only one set of fo]tmarks"ablJut the body which had bpen pIacd backward on an embankment on the side of the read. The body was covered with portions of clothing placed over it with the exception of one of the arms. He lifted the clothing from the face to see if the woman was alive and left it as he found it for the police officer to see. Henry Davies, quarryman, Station-road, Llan, said that going to his work at six be met prisoner who first a?ked for tobacco and then said he had had a te rribls time on themountain that night that the woman who was with him had become lunatic that she was on the mountain as naked as she came into the world that she was in a hut on the top and that be was gOing to put the case in the hands of the police. With John Hughes followed the footmarks up in the direction where the body was, went for the police, and met Inspector Morgan and an officer coming up accompanied by the prisoner. Inspector Morgan said prisoner went to him at seven in the morning and said, My wife is naked on the mountain she tried to commit suicide I tried to prevent her; she is now sleeping nicely by an old house I want you to come to her." He re- plied. You have not killed her, have you?" The man looked very excited and said, "God knows, I have done nothing to her." He called P.C. Davies and went off at once, but prisoner being very ex- hausted gave him a cup ot coffee before starring. Met Henry Davies near Pandy Bridge who mid there wasa woman dead on the Graigddu Mountain. Thos. Jones said nothing. The body was upon its back and must have been so placed by someone in that posi- tion. With the exception of a stocking and boot the body was naked, but was covered over by gar- ments. There was no blood about, but footmarks of one person. John Hughes who came from an- other direction arrived aboat the same time. The Inspector produced the garments or fragments of garments, some of which were blood stained and described how they covered the body. The face was covered by a piece of calico doubled. The face and body was quite clean and appeared as if they had been washed, there being a well of water in the vicinity. The garments must have been placed on the body by someone. The Inspector also described the scenes of struggle and marks of blood and pro- duced a blood-mat ked stone from the wallas well as two handkercniefs which he found thoroughly wet in prisoner's pocket and smeared with blood. Took the prisoner up to the body, then sent him back to the station in charge of the officer and sent for the doctor. Finding that the body was stiffen- ing, he thought it advisable to take the left arm which was twisted under the body and place it by her side, but with that exception the body was seen by the doctor as it was found. When charged with tne murder in the evening, prisoner said, "I have nothing to say. The Lord was helping me. I did all I could to save her."—Cross-examined Until reminded by the prisoner, he forgot to say in giving evidence that prisoner said he had done him- self up by trying to prevent her and that he held her head on his breast to prevent her injuring her- se'f. He had oiten heard prisoner say when in custody that he was too fond of Mary Bruton to harm her. He had not produced either of the stock- ings and did know what ha,1 became of them Tney might have been taken to the dead hcuse with the body. Tne other boot and stocking were found about a yard away from the body. P.C. Nathaniel Davies. Llan, said he at Mrs Carroll's house about eight o'clock and sa -v the deceased and Jones there who s'id they were both Welsh from Anglesey. He afterward >ê1.W them on the road when Jones said," Here is the policeman," and asked to ba put on the right roid to Llanrwst. He (the officer) tol i the two that they appeared to be happy enough at the house and asked if there had been a row when Jones said he found that they had been staying at a ba 1 house and that he did not like 10 leave his wife there. He directed them to Llanrwst. When he went up next day on the moun- tain with Jones and when he came to the gate, Joins said, This is where she began to get wild and to throw herself upon the rocks and from this phce up I did my best to prevent her killing her- self. I said, My cariad fach, don'c kid yourself, hut she kept beating herself again-t the rocks. She was strong-r than I. I stuck to her until I was dripping with p rspir^tiou. Yes, I did, and He who is above knows all." -Cros-. xaminell Two of the brushes f unrl near the basket had traces of blood on them. There were rocks at a certain point down f( ur feet deep and if a person fell on them he would hurt himself. P.C. Stephen O.ven, Festiniog, having given evidence, Dr Richard Jones, FtStiuirg, said he saw the deceased about nine when she had bten dead about six hours and afterward made a postmortem examination. Concluded t at the body had been placed where it was found at the time of d-ath or immediately after death. There was no blood on the body except below the knees and none to corre- spond with the stains on the clothing. Dr Jon s tnen proceeded to give a detailed description of the wcunds on deceased. There was a starred wound penetrating the lip. Tnere was a ragged lacerated wound above the left eye about an inch in length and down to the bone. At the back of the he'id were two similar wounds down to the bone on the left and one on the right. There were bruises on the abdomen, sixteen bruises on the left leg, and eleven bruises en the right leg. Tne wounds on the head nuut have bled treely and must have been caused before death. The hair mat ed with blood. T e deceased w> s a woman of medium height—about five feet two—and fairly well nourished. In company with Dr Robert, he made a postmortem examination on the 3rd Ma-ch. The surface of the brain was slightly pale, pointing to the fact that there was no blood in it. There was no fracture of the skull or of the base of ir, and the brain was healthy and of normal weight All other of the internal organs were fairly healthy. There was, however, chronic mtral disease of the heart probably from chddhood, but there were natural compensations. There was also slight cystic disease of the ovaries. There were no indications of poison. The wounds were caused by some blunt instrument —a staff or a stick, or by prisoner's iron-tipped bo t. Did not think they could have been caused by a person knocking himself against reeks or stones or by falls. It was very improbable that a person would have self-inflicted the bruises on the inside of the thigh. In his opinion they were not self- inflicted, because if they were self inflicted they would, in all likelihood, have been in an upward and downard direction,1 whereas the direction of all the wounds and bruises was transverse or across the body. The wcunds taken altogether were in his opinion sufficient to account for death. Did not see any marks on prisoner's hands or body as far as he could see. There was a mark like blood on tne left shoulder as well as the frothy matter.— Cross-examined One of the wounds on the head might have caused death by causing concussion of the brain. The wound in front might have been caused by a stone in the hand, but the wounds at the back were caused by upward blows and all mint hav-e been made by the same sizèd stone or instrument. Suffering as she was from valvular I disease of the heart and the other disease to which he had referred, he would not pass her for insurance. The ovatian disease was so slight as to be difficult of diagnos's whn the patient was alive. The con- dition of the heart rendered recovery from shock less likely than it otherwise would be. The cause of the death was shock, but how far the condition of heart accelerated death or caused it he could not form an opinion. The condition of the heart under ordinary circumstances would not have caused death. People, it was true. had died from expo-ure on mountain sides, and the absence of clothing would make the risk gr, ater. The wounds were all of the sime siz and that led him to say that they were not s lf-inflicted. He could not imagiLe the serious bruises m the lower part of the abdomen or on the inside of the tlrgh to be sdf-inflicted. It wss not absolutely impossible, but very im- probable. He had seen much worse injuries cured; but the wounds in Ehe head nrght have caused concussion of the brain and he did not know what the effect of the bruises would have been if the person was seen immediately afterward. Women suffering from ovsrian disease and in ceitiin cir- cumstansej were more liable than otherwise to hysteria, but one condition which had been re- ferrei to was carefully xamined for and was not present.—By the Judge Hysterical persons generally stopped short at inflicting great pain on themselves. Tney generally stopped when their sslf-infliction became very painful.—In further reply to Mr Ellis Jones Griffith, witness said that one wound on the head might have caused concussion of the biain if self-inflicted and so have stopped the other injuri' s and, if the other injuries had been self-inflicted first, the injuries to the head could not have been done afterward. Dr Roberts, Isallt, thirty-two years in practice at Festiniog, practically gave corroborative evi- dence and said that though it was net absolutely impossible it was very improbable that the injuries were caused by falling. He thought the three wounds at the back must have been caused by a repstit on of the .• arne sort of force. Tne injuries caused shock and shock caused death.—Cross-ex- amined The injuries al,ne were not irrecoverable. The mitral disease had almost compensated itself but he would Lot have passed her for insurance. The disesse of the ovaries would eventua ly prove fatal, but could be cured by operation. From the evideuce at the Coroner's inquest and from loss of blood, he arrived at the conclusion that the repeated applications of the violence would sooner or later end in shock or syncrp and her maimed heart would not recuperate htr and enable her restirt in life. Apart from mitral disease, exposure such as had been described might have caused d-ath, but there was no actual disease of the mitnl valve going on at the time. Persons in certain con- ditions were apt to be hysterical and, though actually weak, then exercised great strength.—Re- examined Mitral disease of the heart was not a very serious disease of that organ and people suffering from it otten get better and lived long. In his opinion, the woman must have become insensible by one of the blows on her head and it was highly improbable that she began to strike her- self about the body before giving herself a stunning blow on the head. The Judge saying that no one had given the age of the woman, Dr Roberts replied that she was thirty-five years of age. He had never met with an hysterical person who covered herself from head to foot with wounds and bruises. Prisoner's statement before the magistrates was then read in which he said I have nothing to say. I am as clear as you are." The Court then adjourned until half-past ten on Tuesday morning, the evidence for the prcsecutiou having been completed. On Tuesday morning, Henry Davies was re- called, who said he found a portion of the woman's stays near the placa where the struggle was. Mr Hughes, the undersheriff, said in reply to the Judge, that he accompanied his Lordship on Saturday and found that Llan Festiniog was 850 feet above the level of the sea and Graigddu Quarry 1,850 feet above that. Counsel addressed the jury. Mr Ellis Jones Griffith, in his address, asked if if was fa'r in a serious prosecution of that kind, that on the Satur- day preceding trial no Monday three of the witne-ses for the prosecution should be taken to a solicitor's office to read ever the'r evidence ? Before the jury could find a verdict of guilty they would have to answer two questions in the affirm- ati\e—first, that the prisoner intlicted the wounds second, that the wounds, if inflicted by prisoner, caused death. Were the jury going to place reliance rn the evidence of the Llan lodging house ? Before the Coroner Mrs Carroll said as to deceased, Are you coming out?" Before the magistrates, Are you coming out, you devil ?" Before the Judge As she was on the step of the door Ie met her with his fist like this clenched and said On the road you shall catch it, you devil. The evidence was concocted and invented, amended and improved as time went on, and could not be relied upon for conviction for the most trivial offence. Between eleven at night and six the following morning there was a blank. The two were on the mountain alone and there was no dirict evidence. Prisoner asked at Llech- wedd if there other tarms onward and probably he was going onward for shelter and that when he was looking for it the woman wandered away off the indistinct pathway and that he lost her. The Judge observed that prisoner had never said he went to look for shelter. Mr Ellis Jones Griffith admitted that that was so, but submitted that when prisoner again saw her he found htr in that terrible condition—that she had taken her clothes off, and threw herself against the rocks, and that he struggled with her to pre- vent it and had put her htad upon his breast and wiped her face with his handkerchief. Dealing with the doctors' evidence, Mr Jones Griffith ob- served that doctors were not infallible in a court of law any more than at a bedside. They believed that the wounds were not self inflicted, but admitted that they might have been caused by falling. The probability was that, being at th'; time under hysterical conditions, the woman became suddenly hysterical and self-inflicted the injuries. If prisoner took the woman up the mountain to murder her, would he not have given her one fatal blow and not a number of wounds and bruises, all if which, in ordinary circumstances, were recoverable ? The Judge commenced summing up at twenty minutes past eleven by observing that the law was perfectly simple. If a person inflicted violence, intending to cause death, or if a person inflicted g'ievous bodily harm aud happened to go beyond what he intended, that was murder. He did not thiuk such refinement of meaning occurred in that case, because it the man beat tne woman in that Ion ly part it was impossible to suppose that he did not intend taking lite. If the woman died from sudden disease ot the heart, it was a visitation of God for which no one could be blamed. If, how- ever, a person beat ano her 'vho happened to have disease of the heart, with intent to kill, it did not matter if it took less to kill that unsound person than to kill a sound person. If the injuries were infl cted with the intention of taking life, it did not matter whether there was disease or not. If, on the other hand, the injuries weie inflicted without deadly purpose < r intention of taking life and the person, being in that unsound state, died from the injuries, then it was a case of manslaughter. It was very difficult in that case to look to any middle course of that kin Injuries iike those, delivered upon a helpless woman, would scarcely have been de ivered w i;h any intention except ene and if that were so, it was quite immaterial whether the woman had hE art disease or not. The injuries must have been inflicted during life, there were a ere at many of them and must hive taken considerable time. She did not die from any sudden seizure of heart disease. He would not ileal much with what took place at Carroll's or other doubtful or controver- sial matters. The Anglesey evidence, remote though it might be, was admisssible as showing the relationship existing between the parties, or other- wise it might have been said that the relationship was always amicable. The relations were precisely of that character whichlusuallyattended irregu- larities of life. A good deal would depend upon the condition in which the body of the poor woman was found. Though one foot was naked the foot was not cut. Was ic possiole for any human in- genuity t, suggest that the stocking and b, ot wire n.)t pulled otf after the body w as taken there and was it possible for any human ingenuity to suggest that she did it herself at that spot or that they were not pulled < ft by the person whose steps were found round about ? The fact that there was no blood between the last lot of blood and the place where the woman lay and that there were no wounds on the body corresponding with the stains on the clothing covering the body led to the con- clusion that she mus: have died at the lower spot and lay there dead long enough for the wounds to cease bleeding and then to have been carried to the spot where she a found. Referring to the blood marks on the way, his Lordship observed that the first sp.t showed signs of a life-and-death struggle. Tne discussion about hysteria might well be put in the background. Was not the prisoner's version negatived by the broad facts of the evidence and by the position of the body ? Let the jury look at the wounds and the number of them. There were no fewer than twenty-seven distinct marks of in- juries. They ran across the body and the bruised skin of the legs was curled up as if caused by kicks. It wa-i not at all likely that the injuries were caused by falling about; whereas if they were caused by boots it would be exactly what would take place. But there were other injuries which could hardly have been done by the woman herself when standing up. There was a long bruise on the hip which might have been done on the ground and the two parallel wounds on the back of the head might also have been caused by kicks. The doctors, he thought, were on safe ground in saying that, taking the wounds generally, they could not have been caused by falls and that if not altogether impossible it was most improbable that they were caused by herself. Details might be contradictory and misleading, but did not the broad facts of the case show that the man took the woman up that lonely mountain and inflicted tLe injuries ith the most serious inten- tions? He would not fay that the prisoner's ver- sion was not worthy of comment. It was enough to say he told a story that at any rate presented features of improbability and criticism. The fact that pieces of clothing were found at ditfrent places on the way suggested that they were dropped there to help to hear out the story that the woman ha-1 been taken with tearing her clothes off, though it was true the fragments might have been blown about or were torn off in the c mrse of the struggle up- ward?. The Judge concluded by observing that he saw nothing in the case to suggest the middle course of manslaughter. Thf. jury retired at half.past twelve and as they wire absent for nearly an hour it was thought that a verdict of manslaughter would be returned. Oa the jury being asked by the Clerk of Assize, on returning into Court, if they found a verdict cf guilty or not gui ty. Mr John Davies, Dyffryn, the foreman replied, "Guilty." The Clerk of Assize—You say you find him guilty of murder ? The Foreman—Murder. The Clerk of Asize-And that is the verdict of you all ? The Foreman—Unanimous. The Clerk of Assize (to prisoner)—What do you say why tne Court should not say that you are to die ? Prisoner—Only to 'ay that I am not guilty, sir. The Judge (having assumej the black cap and speaking with emotion)—Thomas Jones, you have been found guilty after a most careful trial, of one of the most cruel murders that it has ever been my fate to come in contact with. I know nothing in the course of my long experience as a judge that has touched me more deeply than the thought of that unfortunate creature led out by you on a dark night to perish hy the blows inflicted by you with the intention ot taking her life. That that is the real history ef the case there can be no shadow of doubt, I think, iu the minds of those who have listened to th evidence. For mch a crime there is but one sentence and that is that you be taken hence to the place from which you came and thence to a p'ace of execution and there that you be hanged by the neck until you be dead and that your body be buried within the precincts of the gaol within which you shall have last been confined before your execution and the Lord have mercy on your soul. The Chaplain—Amen. The prisoner, who is about the msdium height and of somewhat brutal appearance with deep sunk eyes, sat without uttering a word or communi- cating with his counsel throughout the day and a half's trial, for the most part of the time erect, but as the case proceeded, and particularly when the Judge was summing up, bent his head and body downward. When he was brought back into Court to hear the verdict, he was very pale, but he heard the verdict and left the Court afterward without betraying outward emotion. The evidence was very largely given in Welsh and what was given in English was, for prisoner s benefit, translated into Welsh. The translation was most excillently performed by Mr W. R. Davies. At the conclusion of the case, the Judge, who has been seventeen years on the Bench and seems to have been deeply touched by the case, sent for Major Best, the chief constable, and complimented him on the behaviour of the police in regard to the matter and particularly praised P.C. David Jones, who accompanied his Lordship to the scene of the murder on Saturday and only answered questions when they were put to him and showed no bias. CIVIL ACTIOX. The only civil cause entered for hearing was that in which Hugh Evans, late Brynmeurig, Arthog, wss the plaintiff and Edith Emily Marguerite Simner, Grosvenor mansions, Westminster, the df. ndant. Mr Bryn Roberts (instructed by Messrs Griffith, Son, and Adams) appeared for plaintiff and Mr Marshall, Q.C., and Mr Yates (instructed by Mr E. G. Elves, 8 and 9, Essex-street, Strand) for the defendant. By the opening statements, it appeared that the claim was tor sheep left on the farm by the out- going tenant on valuation according to an agree- mpnt and the custom of the country and was for £575. less £27 due for rent. Defendant put in a counterclaim of about £20 for neglect to keep the house and fences in repair. By the agreement, the outgoing tenant and the landlord were each to appoint a valuer of the sheep, and Mr Stevens for the tenant and Mr Evans, late of Gwaoas, for the landlady valued 460 sheep at 25s a head which constituted the claim. The defence was that the valuation was excessive and incomplete inasmuch as thirty-six of the 3heep were not present when the valuation was made, but were fcuud afterward. The agreement said that only such sheep as were usually bred and grazed on the farm were to be taken by the landlady and it was thought that 460 was an excessive number. There were also counterclaims by the landlady for selling hay and straw off the premises and for having ploughed up meadow land near the sea, but those claims were not gone into. A counterclaim, however, was made of about £20 for neglect to keep the fences and the premises in good and substant'al repair which the tenant, by his agreement, coven- anted to do, and, it was alleged, he had not done. Plaintiff, giving evidence, said he took the farm in 1893 from Miss Reveley who afterward sold to Miss Simner. Gave notice in March, 1896. A few days before his notice came into operation, made an agreement with Miss S:mner to continue on the farm. He received notice on the 19th August to quit last March and according to the agreement, tenant and landlady were to appoint a valuer of sheep bred and usually grazing on the farm. Mr T. J. Stevens, for him, and Mr Evans, Gwanas, for the landlady, were appointed valuers. He asked 26s a head for the shepp, but told Howell Jones, acting for the landlady, that if he was authorised to buy them he would try to meet him. Gave 23s a hf-ad for the sheep in 1S93. Sheep were much dearer now than in 1893. Sheep born and bred on a farm generally fetched more by a great deal than strange sheep bought a id put on to a farm. Tne practice was for the out-going tenant and in-coming tenant to appoint eich a value. At his valuation there were presmt Eliis Will;ams, Bwlchgwyn John Evans, the shepherd, and Hugh Pugh, Heu- ddol. After the valuation, the alieep wore de- livered over. He delivered tiiem, Ellis Williams kept the reckoning, and William Williams, the clerk of the quarry, received them. Four hundred and twenty-four were delivered on Friday. The remainder, thirty-four, WHO deliveied next day, the 19th. James Lewis, working in the quarry. received them. The remaining two were found by theshcphprd. With the exception of two rauis which he had exchanged for others to improve the treed, all the sheep were bred or grazed on tne farm. There was not s word of truth in the sug- gestion that he bad bought other sheep to get a higher price for them in valuatiou than the market price. The mountain was capable of carrying the sheep in summer, but not the lowlands in winter. That was the case with all farms aud the yearlings had to be sent out to other farms to graze. He had to winter 120 to 140 sheep.—Cre ss-exam- ined The valuers did not see the thirty-four sheep brought in on Saturday except on previous oc- casions among the sheep generally on themountain side. He bought 413 when he went in. The moun- tain would carry 400 sheep and Murneuadd en- closure sixty-se^'en sheep. He did not agree with Mr Dew in saying by his particulars when the place was sold that the mountain including Morm-uadd enclosure held 400 sheep. Could » ot say the mar ket price of sheep at the im" the sherp wire trans- Always sold i is sheepannually to Willi un Ed wards and to noooeel-e. Believed he got about 16s each for them. Gener- ally got from 16s to £1. Was not quite certain, but believed that in 1896 got ISs. Had received more than 163 at the end ot last year for the last lot of thirty ewes—got 17s 6d. They were ewes expecting to lamb and were LO fat, but w re takel, from the mountoiu. The valuers gave him 9s a htad more than the market price and there was abundant reason for doing so. If strange sheep were bought for the farm they would scat.er and strange sheep would not thrive. One shepherd would do the work with home-bred sheep tnat three shepherds could only do w th strange sheep. There were sixty three-year-old wethers among tne sheep and they were generally sold in the: month of June.—Re-examined: The reason tne valuers did not see the thirty-.our sheep was be- cause it was a misty day and they could not be found on the mountain. They were the wethers and the best and strongest sheep. The Judge said those sheep would have to l e taken under the agreement and it was ouly a ques- tion of another valuation. By Mr Bryn Roberts—Witness said it was usually the s-rongest sheep that grazed on the highest part of a mountain. At the transfprence, the shepherd was an independent petson. He had been sheph-rd for several farms and was paiel so much per score of sheep shepherd or so much per farm. The old ewes would be sold in October. Thomas Jones Stephens, valuer for the out going tenant, said he had bpen agricultural valuer for thirty-two years. In Merioneth tenancy changed in March. Knew Brynmeurig fifty years. Saw Mr Evans of Gwanas in Doigelley spriug fa r who showed a letter saying that ne bad been appointed valuer for Miss Simner. At the valuation there were Mr Williams, Bwlchgwyn, the shepherd, ami others present assisting. The sheep were not counted. On an open mountain a farmer often did not know how many sheep he had himself. Knew very near how many Brynmeurig would carry. The valuation was made in the ordinary way. Sometimes did count sheep in valuing. The Judge said the outgoing tenant was anxious to sell as many as possible and therefore brought down all he could. Mr Marshall said they had the figures of those which had comedown and those which were brought down afterward. By the Judge—The custom was for the incoming tenant to take to those found afterward at the usual price of those counted. When the sheep were counted and valued they were generally marked so that it would be to tell which had been valued and which had not been valued. By Mr Bryn Roberts—Twenty-five shillings was a fair price for sheep to remain on a farm. If sold in the fair to go away they would not fetch so much. More was put on tor remaining sheep because of the less cost of shepherding. The shepherding of stray sheep would cost double and strange sheep would thrive nothing like home- bred sheep. The Judge said he had lived long enough to know that sheep accustomed to a place did better than strange sheep; but it was for an expert to say what was the actual increased value. By Mr Bryn Roberts—Home-bred stoeep would be worth It would Llk. four or five years to accustom a flock to a mountain. The Judge eaid the way w itnees pn tit wou 1 d m Qn that the whole flock would be killed before the sheep got accustomed to their home. (Luifhter.) lIe supposed they did not get four-year old mutton. Mr Bryn Roberts said that the lambs would be bred on the land and the older on-s killed ott' There was nofour year-old lowland mutton, perhaps, bjt that was about the run of mountiin The Judge said if the other valuer agived with plaintiffs valuer it was immaterial according to the agreement what the price was. Witness said defendant's valuer did agree. In reply to Mr Marshall, witness jaid the incom- ing tenant very oft-n lost on the valuation and he could not say whether that was reasonable or not. By Mr Bryn Roberts—About 120 sheep a year would be sold from the flock and th" tenant could never get what he gave for tnem at nr-t: but be got the advantage when h-, in turn, went out. Sheep were much elearer than in 1S93. Hugh Evans, farmer, Brynl'ynmawr, formerly of Gw ar.as, aid he was a farmer all his life and de- Valued Bryn- meurig sheep at 25s and agreed with Mr Stevens. \Vas an outgoing teoant of Gwanas about the same time. Mr Bryn Roberts saying he had no further evid- ence to oller, Mr Marshall contended that whereas 460 sheep were cla med tor, 36 sheep had never been seen and therefore could not he claimed for. The Judge said it was the regular way and he saw nothing unreasonable in the practice. As many sheep as possible were brought down aud taking the rough and smooth together, it was reasonably assumed that the sheep lefc on the mountaiu side were no wnrsj than those brought down. Mr Marshall intimated that the landlady might not want to carry the farm on that the sheep were kept there pending conclusion of the action and that it she sola them she could not sell but at a loss. The Judge said if she re-let the farm she would get the advantage from the incoming tenant. He was agains1; Mr Marshall on the point as it was a custom msde and assented to by people who knew the value of money better than he or Mr Marshall. Mr Marshall then contended that the va'uatim was not in writing and that according to the Stamp Act all valuations should be in writing under a panalty of £50. The Judge said it might be that a valuation if made in writing must be stamped. The valuation was not very formally made, but there was. he thought, sufficient indication of valuation com- municated to the defendant. He was agiinst Mr Marshall on the two points. Mr Bryn Roberts then called evidence to prove the delivery of the remaining sheep. Evans, the joint shepherd, said that on the first day 424 sheep were brought down and thiity-six were afterward found by James Lewis and witness. All but the two rams were bred en Brynmeurig. Mr Bryn Roberts asked many changes of tenancy had occurred at Brynmeurig since Evans had been there, but the Judge s.1id "Oh, let us go into that." (Laughter.) Evans, the shepherd, on being asked by Mr Marshall if the out-going tenant ever got more than 16s for sheep, witness r plied Yes," and on being asked how much more, answered 16s 6d. (Laughter ) From 16d to 17s was obtained for sheep at Abergynolwyn fair. This concluded plaintiff s evidence. Mr Marshall opened the claim for the defendant for breaches of tenancy, consisting of neglect to keep the buildings and fences in repair, for which £20 or f25 was claimed. The Judge asked Mr Bryn Roberts if, having suc- ceeded in his cla m, he was going to fight so small an amount as that ? Had he ever seen a case where breaches were not committed ? He (tne Judge) was a good tenant, himself, hut he had never ltft a house himself without having to pav. Mr Marshall offered to take £20; but, after con- sultation, Mr Bryn Roberts said his client felt strongly in the matter and wished to fight it. Mr Bryn Roberts paid the house was not in gcod repair when plaintiff had it; that it was now con- demned by the Sanitary Authority and that the owner had said it was no good to repair, but must be rebuilt. Tne Judge having had the clause in the agree- ment read, said it was rather more than to main- tain. It was to deliver up in good, tenantable, and substantial repair," Thomas Taylor, Harpendenbury Farm, St Albans, a farmer who came down to value the sheep, said he should be sorry to have to put the house only into tenantable repair at £20. Only saw three gates—two new ones and another consisting of a few sticks which were against a wall. Portions of walls were also down. In the yard manure had been put against a wall which damaged the wall; and the premises were filthy—about the untidiest place he ever saw in his !ife. Abal Sumner, plaintiff's father and formerly sur- veyor, said the place was in a most disgraceful state. It was a disgrace to Wales the way the place had been carried on and the plaintiff was given notice.—Cross-examined It would cost JE150 to put the place in good order and f30 to put it into tenantable repair. Cross-examined: Did not know that the place had been sold to the quarry people, and did not know that the Sanitary Authority required structural im- j piovements. Diel kuow that the Authority re- quired the removal of pigsties which effected the houses. (Mr Bryn Roberts a letter from de- fend tilt's -olicitor of April, ISUï, in which he inti- mated that the property belonged to the Cambrian Estate Co.. Miss Sillllln being the uupaid vendor). Witness, continuing, said the manure was stacked against a wall and scattered about. The stables and cowl onses were about eighteen inches deep in muck and the whole place kept so that the tenant could have the place condemned if a claim was made rn him under the agreement for repairs. Mr Willhm Jono«, sanitary inspector, for the plaiutifl, said the Louse was dilapidated from roof to floor oa account of age. It was beyond repaii. The pigs were kept almost on a level with the first floor. That was the place for pigs the tenant had when he went there. Hal complained of the place for the past twenty years. When he went there in .ipril of iast year thc kuse was particularly clean-as cLan as possible. He did noc know any- thing about Mr Evans's habits, but Mrs Evans kept the house particularly clean. U m. LhYII. builder, and Cadwaladr Roberts al.'o gave evidence. Judgment was ^neci, for Evans for the full amount claimed for sheep and tor Miss Simner for £20