Edwin Colocitt, 25, was brought up to receive sentence, having been convicted at the February Session of maliciously wounding Maude Kerton and several other young women by stabbing them with some sharp instrument. Mr. Torr prosecuted for the Treasury; and Mr. Lowe defended. After a consultation between counsel, Mr. Somes bound the prisoner over to come up for judgement when called upon. He accepted the father's and uncle's sureties each in £100, with a proviso that a competent attendant should be engaged, who would be responsible for the prisoner's safe conduct. The father also engaged to exercise such care and supervision over the prisoner as to protect the public from the possibility of any repetition of the offence.
During the hearing of the case, one of the jurors was observed leaning forward in a very strange manner, and, being found to be in a fit, was promptly carried away out of the box and at once attended to by a doctor who happened to be in court. The question now arose what should be done as between the prisoner at the bar and those trying him, Mr. Somes observing that he had no precedent to guide him and really did not know what to do in the circumstances. Mr. Hutton observed that he could assist the Court in the difficulty in which it found itself. A similar accident had occurred not long since at the Central Criminal Court, when the jury had been formally discharged, a fresh gentleman called to join the 11, and the case proceeded on their being sworn again. This course was therefore adopted, the evidence being read over to the new juryman.
