The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-03-13 00:00:00

Doroctsbirt.

DORSET SPRING ASSIZES.

The business of these Aisises commenced at ten
o'clock on Tuesday morning Lot in the County
Hall, before Mr. Baron Channel!, who presided in
the Crown Court, and Mr. Baron Martin, who
presided in the Nisi Prie4 Court. The calendar
contained the names of 24 prisoners, 12 of whom
were on bail. The cause list contained 5 cases, for only
one of which a special ,jury was called. The follow-
ing gentlemen, composing the Grand Jury, answered
to their names :
John Floyer,

Esq.,

T. D. Bayley, Esq.
J. T. Sullen, Esq.
R. H. Bingham, Esq.
R. J. Bourchier, Esq.
John Bryiner, Esq.
Elward Castleman, Esq.
George Churchill, Esq.
C. W. Digby, Req.
R. F. Eliot,
0. W. FarreNeisq
Augustus Foster, •
B. P. Gundry, Esq.

~ Chairman.
H. C. Goodden, iFeq.
W. C. Gordon, Esq.
W. L. Henning, Lig.
W. C. Lambert, Esq.
C. A. Manning, Fay.
J. S. Weed, E.
H. N. Middleton, Esq.
H. W. B. Portman, Esq.
C. J. Parke, Esq.
W. H. Solly, Seq.
E. 0. F. Steward, Esq.
J. L. St. Lo, Fay.

The usual proclamation against vice and immorality
having been read, Mr. Baron Channel delivered the
following
CHARGE TO THE GRAND JURY.

Gentlemen of the Grand Jury for the county of
Dorset,—l am very happy to have the honour of
again meeting so large a number of the magistrates
of the county of Dorset, who, by their attendance,
show their anxiety to discharge the duties involving
upon them; at the same time I have also to congratu-
late you on the probable lightness of yonru,
at least, as contrasted with former occasions when I
have had the honour of meeting the gentlemen of the
grand jury of this county. The number of cases in
the calendar is about the average number —perhaps it
exceeds the average number—but they are mostly of
an ordinary character, there being scarcely a case of
an aggravated nature among them; and most of
the eases might as well have been tried by the Court
of Quarter Sessions as by the Judges of Assize. But
let it be understood, gentlemen, that I do not mention
this by *ay of complaint—far from it; it is the first
gaol deliver/ at which the prisoners could have been
tried, and I merely inention that the cases might
have been disposed 'of by the Court of Quarter
Sessions, with • view of expressing my opinion how
well they might have been disposed of by the
learned gentleman who has for Do many years
laboured as chairman of these Sessions. I exceed.
ingly regret to learn that your chairman is at present
suffering from indisposition, but I sincerely hope he
will soon be restored to health, and that the county
will soon again have the advantage of his valuable
services. There are but two or three cases in the '
calendar which 1 think it all necessary to offer any
remark. These are the cases of Hannah Collis and
Mary Collis. Hannah Collis is charged with con-
cealing the birth of a female child by secretly dis-
posing of its dead body, and Mary Collis, the mother,
is charged with aiding and abetting Hannah Collis to
secretly dispose of the dead body of her child, no
doubt with a slew of endeavouring to hide from the
world her daughter's shame. His Lordship here
read the law of the ease, which was, that if it could
I be shown that the two acted in concert for one
I common purpose, then both were equally guilty of
the crime, although it might appear that the mere
• act of concealment was the work of only one of the
parties charged in the indictment. His Lordship
added, there is no other case, gentlemen, I feel it
I necessary to offer any remark, and you will, there.
fore, have the kindness to return to your room for
the discharge of your duties.