A PAINFUL CASE.

Evening Star, Issue 4270, 2 November 1876, Page 1

A PAINFUL CASE.

At the Tamworth Circuit Court on Goto, her 4 (states the Sydney ‘EcS), a Z named, George Whitton was charged with having, on the 21st day. of August '• at Scrubby Knob Creek, shot at with intent to kill him. • case was pecu« harlyi»inftU, and one in which sympathy was felt with the prisoner. About the beginning of the current year George Smith took up a selection at a place called Scrubby Knob, on the Edgeroi run, near where the prisoner resided. A little time after® the prisoner's wife left , him, and went to live in concubinage with Smith. This woman had borne five children to the prisoner at the time she deserted him, Nothing was done m the matter by the prisonertifl some months afterwards, though he threatened to shoot Smith. On the 21«t of Augnst he went to Smith s place, bringing with him five of his children, and walked into the house and saw his wife. Smith was at this "Ue. working in a paddock near, and, hearing voices, he went up to his house. As he drew near Whitton came out and asked »mith for a match, which the latter produced, when Whitton, having lit his pipe, shook hands with Smith, and expressed himself as follows : -‘I have not the slightest animosity against you: my wife u "S™* y o ® tbe Bame “ she did me. I have LSOO, and am going to England, and 1 wish yon every happiness. I shall leave three of the children with you.' The dishonored .Whitton and his wife a paramour, Smith, then strolled into the paddock, the foimer chatting in a friendly and civil way. They then returned to the house, and Whitton, with his frithless wife, the children, and Smith all sat down to tea, which passed over in a perfectly amicable manner. After tea, as Smith was passing through the doorway, Whitton bred a shot sharply from behind, the ball entering the hip diagonally, fgfrneing off and taking a course parallel with the surface, under which it remained. Smith im. mediately Jgrappled with Whitton, and m the scuffle the revolver again went off Whitton himself being wounded this in the fleshy part of the arm. During the struggle Whitton’s wife brought out a rope and_a light, and Smith, having got Ms assailant down, made his limbs fast Whitton said, “I suppose I shall be taken and bung for. this." The jury returned a verdict of guilty of shooting with intent to kill and .murder. Xb* prisoner made a veiy affecting speech, in which he said his wife had been a faithful and affectionate woman to him and a kind mother to his children for 20 yean, until Smith came and broke up his home and made his life miserable. He still bora his wife as much love as he had ever felt for her. His Honor briefly but impressively passed sentence of death, and the prisoner was removed.