EXTRACTS FROM THE WEST BRITON
21 October 1825
The marriage of Benedict Hammill
An extraordinary scene was witnessed at Gwithian on Monday last in consequence of a wedding which took place there, between two persons who have for many years been inmates of the parish poor-house. The bride-groom, Benedict Hammill, is a most decrepid object, aged 68 years; the bide, who is in her 49th year, is the mother of a numerous progeny, though she never before submitted to the trammels of matrimony. The report of their intended union collected a great crowd round the church,who became so clamorous for admittance, that the clergyman, fearing that they would force an entrance, suspended the service and went in quest of constables to disperse the mob. After some time he came back accompanied by the village conservators of the peace, who succeeded in getting the mob to a respectful distance from the sacred edifice. When his reverence was about to resume the service, the bride was not to be found. The greatest confusion now prevailed, and messengers were dispatched in search of the truant, who was shortly seen emerging from the village inn, leaning on the arm of the aged sexton. The sexton, who has no objection to a cheerful glass, took the opportunity of indulging in a similar libation, and thus interestingly employed, the friendly couple forgot the lapse of time. Order being restored, the sacred rite was performed, and the happy couple returned to the poor-house.
25 February 1831
The black sheep of East Crinnis Mine
A miner named Edward Remfry, of the parish of St Blazey, was on Saturday last, placed on an ass, his legs being tied under the belly of the animal, and two pieces of paper, with "I am the black sheep of East Crinnis mine" inscribed on them in large characters, placed one on the beast, the other on his back; and in this situation he was led from Tywardreath to St Austell bridge, a distance of four miles, accompanied by more than five hundred miners. It appears that Remfry had subjected himself to this novel mode of punishment by taking a pitch at East Crinnis mine, whilst he, at the same time, held one at Pembroke mine.
6 April 1832
The exodus begins
The rage for emigration that now prevails in the north of
this county is wholly unprecedented in Cornwall; in different parishes from
200 to 300 persons each, have either departed or are preparing to leave for
Canada or the United States. Last week a vessel named the Spring-Flower,
sailed from Padstow, having on board 180 passengers, and another the Economist
- is now ready to sail with 200 more. The recent regulation of the Privy
Council, requiring that a regular medical practitioner be engaged for the
voyage, in every vessel taking more than 50 passengers, has caused some delay.
9 February 1836
Charge of Murder
John RUSDEN, 28, was indicted for the willful
murder of Grace RUSDEN, his wife.
Mr. SMITH conducted the case for the prosecution, and Mr. COCKBURN defended
the prisoner.
Alice TRUAN - I knew the prisoner and his wife, they lived near me. I have
seen the prisoner beat his wife. On the Monday after Whit-Monday, between
nine and ten o'clock in the evening, I heard the deceased crying murder in
her house. I went to the house, and a man broke open the door, and I went
in and found the prisoner knocking his wife's head with his fists, and beating
her head against a piece of wood that projected from the wall. I saw him through
the window beating her before I went into the house. TONKIN, who went in with
me, took the prisoner by the collar and pulled him away. I then took the deceased
into the air; she complained of her head. She had fetched the prisoner from
a public-house; he said that he was in liquor, and Tonkin had taken advantage
of him. He said his wife had pulled him by the hair of his head. The deceased
slept at my house that night; she had a bruise on the forepart of her head.
She died in about five weeks afterward. I saw her ever day till she died,
and she complained of her head. During the night the deceased was at my house,
the prisoner came and called for his wife, and said he only wanted to put
his hand upon her once more, and he would see her blood. Cross-examined: She
returned to her husband's house the next day, and remained there till she
died. I don't think that I mentioned the prisoner's threat before the coroner;
I did not say that because I thought it was a bad circumstance, but I mentioned
it to several others before. I persuaded her to go back to her husband the
next day. I did not suppose that he intended to take her life.
Joseph TONKIN, a miner living in St. Agnes, near to the prisoner: I was at
Mrs. Truan's on the night in question, when we heard the cry of murder. My
wife came and fetched me; I just looked in at the window, and saw the prisoner
beating his wife with both fists. I then broke open the door, and went into
the house - he was still beating her in the same manner. I stepped in between
them, and said, Rusden, do you mean to kill Grace? And he swore he would,
and he struck her twice over my shoulder and said he would kill her. I laid
hold of his collar, and he struck me with his fists in the face. I then overpowered
him. I then went out and saw the wife lying on the bank with her hands to
her head crying "oh, my head." She did not appear to be in a passion. I saw
her frequently before her death, and she always complained of her head. Cross-examined:
I did not hear him say yes, I will kill her and that she has been dragging
me by the hair of my head. He said he was in liquor, and that I was taking
advantage of him. I believe he had a little drop too much, but not to be a
drunken man.
Henry DOBLE examined: I am a surgeon, and was called upon to attend Grace
Rusden on the 21st of June; she was in bed; she complained of violent pain
on the back part of her head. I examined her head. I did not find any external
injury, she was in a very low state, laboring under delirium. I was of opinion
that the pain arose from external violence that she had received. I attended
her until her death on the 29th of June. Sometimes she appeared to be a little
better. After her death I opened her head - moving the skull, there was a
thickening of the pericranium - we found an effusion of the watery part of
the brain - there was slight extravasation - we found a considerable quantity
of pus in the brain. There was an abscess occasioned by compression; the result
of some external set of violence - similar results have been occasioned by
a fall on the ice. These things, in my opinion, were the cause of the death
of the woman. Cross-examined: I don't remember saying that she died a natural
death. She had fever. I might have said she had typhus fever. Water on the
brain might have produced the symptoms I saw. She had been confined of a still-born
child sometime before. Such an abscess might have been without external violence.
I have heard the wife was a quarrelsome woman. I never heard anything against
the prisoner.
Richard DOBLE, brother of the last witness, and also a surgeon, gave similar
testimony to that of the former witness.
Mr. Cockburn then addressed the jury for the prisoner, after which, the learned
judge summed up, and the jury found a verdict of manslaughter. The judge immediately
sentenced him to be transported for life.
The court then rose. [Regarding the Rusden case, in the Charge to the Jury,
the Judge had said on Friday: "The last of these cases is that of John Rusden,
committed for killing his wife. It appears they had previously quarreled,
and struck each other. On the night in question, the man went to a public-house,
and his wife went to fetch him. He had probably been drinking to excess. On
their coming home they quarreled, and the witnesses found the man beating
the head of the woman against a post, with violence. On their rescuing her
she began to cry, and died shortly thereafter. I should add that when the
witnesses interposed, the man said "I will strike her again and again, for
she has been dragging me round the room by the hair of the head." "I cannot
but observe - and the fact must have struck you also - that there is a dangerous
laxity growing up in the country as to the question of murder or manslaughter.
Case after case we find decided to be only manslaughter which a few years
ago would have been murder, and that according to all the authorities of the
text-books. In a matter of this grave consequence, it is a very sad thing
that the distinction is not clearly understood... the law of England. makes
no excuses for the unjustifiable indulgence of violent passions. There is
the same law for the man of colder disposition. It would be a monstrous thing
if the passionate man had a law for himself.."
12 February 1836
The exodus continues
For New York, the barque Royal Adelaide, 1650 tons burthen, now lying at Falmouth, will sail from that port, for New York, on Wednesday the 16th of March (weather permitting). The Adelaide is well adapted for affording comfort and convenience to passengers, being about six feet high between decks; and the extraordinary quick and regular voyages made by her across the Atlantic hitherto, are a convincing proof of the superior sailing qualities of the vessel. This offers an excellent opportunity for persons wishing to settle at or near "Mineral Point" (in the lead-mining state of Wisconsin) or in any other part of the "States" of America.
28 February 1840
Ploughing Match in Tywardreath
All being ready, the signal for starting, a bugle, was sounded, and all was animation; the ploughmans' eye seemed riveted on his object, whilst the driver appeared to vie with his superior in his determination to cut a straight furrow. Amongst the single ploughs was one partially constructed with iron, having a wheel to assist its progress; its work was particularly admired, as was also John Martyn, the skillful manager of it. It was the only one of the sort in the field and belonged to Mr Samuel Anstey of Menabilly farm. Amongst the shifting ploughs was one belonging to Mr Andrew of Tregaminion, which was drawn by two horses, cleverly managed by the ploughman, Edmund Paynter, without the assistance of a driver.
