Old Bailey.

Samuel Green, a Greenwich pensioner, was indicted for maliciously cutting Rebecca Green, his wife, with intent to murder her. Rebecca Green being sworn, stated that that she had ceased to live with her husband upwards of four years. She had resided during that time in Whitechapel—her husband lived at Greenwich. On the 14th of July last, witness seeing the prisoner passing near her house, sent a little girl after him, saying she wished to speak to him. Upon the prisoner coming up, witness begged of him to go home, as he seemed wet and uncomfortable. He, however, refused to do so, as he said it was his determination to be a pauper upon the public, rather than return to the hospital. After some further altercation, witness discovered the prisoner had a knife in his hand, with which he aimed a blow at her throat and cut her severely. He was then prevented by the bye-standers from doing any further injury. Prisoner was intoxicated at the time; and at such periods he was never conscious of what he did, a very trifling portion of liquor having such an effect. Mr. Percival, a surgeon from the London Hospital, described the nature of the wound, but said no dangerous consequences were liable to have ensued. The prisoner in his defence, stated that he was unconscious of what he was doing at the time he committed the offence. Mr. Justice Alderson having summed up the evidence, the Jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty—the prisoner being at the time in a state of temporary insanity. The prisoner was ordered to be detained to await his Majesty's pleasure for the future disposal of his person.