The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-12 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT.—HERTroao, Dic. 10.
(Before Mr. Baron Chanoell.)
Thos. Pmentain, 26, a morose-looking man, was charged
with feloaiously smaulting and wouuding Mary Stone, with
intent to murder her. In a wood count the prisoner was
charged with committing the same act, with latent to com-
mit the crime of wilful murder, but without stating upon
whom.

Mr. W. A. Clark conducted the prosecution, and in open-
ing the case to the jury he described it ss one of a very
extraordinary character. The prisoner and the prosecutrix
appeared to be entire strangers to each other, and according
to the evidence the pnsoner had, without saying a word,
attacked the provecutrix, and inflicted two most severe
wounds upon her throat. The injuries were of such a
character that it appeared almost an interposition of Provi•
deuce that she had not lost ber life, and he believed the
only question would be whether the prisoner really intended
to commit the crime of wilful murder, or whether they
would be justified in convicting him upon the minor counts
of the indictment.

The prosecutrix, a very respectable-looking young woman,
whose neck was still bandaged, and who appeared to be
suffering from the injuries she had received, stated that
she wee in the service of a gentleman named Cole', at Not-
ting-bill, but et the time the occurrence took place she had
gone down to a farm called Bushey-lodge Farm, which bad
been taken by her master's brother, and she was sent to
assist the family in putting things straight. On the after-
noon of the 3rd of October she had been sent to Watford
upon an errand, and set out to return to the farm between
five and six o'clock. When she had gone about a mile she
heard some one walking behind her, and upon looking
round she saw it was the prisoner. lie overtook ber and
passed on and when he had gone a short distance he
stopped and turned round, and gave a fixed look at her.
She kept walking on, sod the prisoner came after her, and
suddenly ebe felt herself seised by the shoulders by the
prisoner, and he pulled her bonnet off and pulled her heed
back and drew a knife across the right side of her neck, and
she felt that she was wounded, and blood began to flow. The
prisoner then endeavoured to pull her towards the hedge,
and she screamed, and be put his fingers into her mouth,
and upon her putting up. her hands and her shawl to protect
herself the prisoner inflicted another severe wound in
the left side of her neck, and in doing so be cut through
her gloves and her shawl, and cut her fingers.. When the
prisoner had done this, he suddenly left her, arid jumped
over the hedge and rev away ; and immediately afterwards
• farmer, named Thurlow, and his wife came up in a cart,
and she told them what bad taken place as well as she was
able, and pointed out the direction in which the prisoner
had gone. The prosecutrix stated that, while the prisoner
•as attacking her in the way she had described, be did not
utter • word, but she believed from his appearance that he
was the worse for liquor.
When the prosecutrix had given ber evidence, the pri.
soner was asked whether he wished to put any questions to
her, and he replied, in • surly tone, "No, I have nothing
to oak her."
A woman named Jane Elliott was called as a witness for
the prisoner, and she stated that the had known him two
or three years, and she observed that when he was drunk he
was not like other men who were in that condition, but did
not seem to have any control over himself, or to know what
he was about.

e learned judge having summed up, and remarked epos
the extraordinary nature of the case, the jury, after a short
&lib entice, convicted the prisoner of wounding the prole.
nutria. with intent to do her grievous bodily harm.
The learned judge, after remarking upon the serious cha-
racter of the offence, said that but for the absence of any
evidence of malice on his part against the peosecutrix, be
should hams passed a much more severe sentence. He felt
it his duty, however, to per a sentesee of penal servitude,
but it would be for the shortest period allowed by the law.
He then ordered the prisoner to be kept in penal servitude
for five years.
_ .

Paina. Nulligtua, 25, and Joseph Rice, 24, who had
pleaded guilty to indictments charging them with feloniously
settles hie to stacks, were brought up for judgment
These prisoners had eAmitted their guilt when taken lob
custody, and stated that their object was to be transported.
The learned judge said that they bad been convicted of •
most mischievous and wicked offence, sod be was determined
to do all io his power to put • stop to crimes of this descrip-
tion, and be then sentenced the prisoners to be kept in penal
servitude for six years.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—Yoes, Dec. 10.
(More Mr. Justice Keating.)
William Branton. 44, was charged with setting firs to a
stack of grain belonging to William Watson, at Withers-
wick, on the 2nd ult...

,
Mr. Thompson sod Mr. Newton prosecuted ; the prisoner
wse undefended.

On the day stated the ecutor, who is a farmer, sod
his servants were e in thrashing, and they finished
their labours at half-past five o'clock. The prisoner, who
had lived in the rervice of the prosecutor's father, came up
at the time. He was somewhat affected with liquor, sad
began to smoke a pipe. The prosecutor told him it warn
dangerous to smoke in • stack-yard, upon which be said
that he did not want to do any horn; and put the pipe into
hie pocket The prisoner then asked the prosecutor if be
would give him something to eat, and be consented. The
prosecutor went with the prisoner in the direction of
his house for a short distance, when the prisoner said
that be need not go any further, as he knew the road very
well. The prosecutor returned to his eogine.bouse, but it
seemed that the prisoner did net go to the house for refresh.
moot, iossmoch as in • short time afterwards the prisoner
came up to the eagles-house, sod cried out, ]taster, our
stacks are on fire • I wonder who the devil's done it." Upon
this the prosecutor saw that one of his stacks was in flames,
and he and his men eodeavoured to put out the fire, but
they were net able to do so until nearly the whole of the
stack was consumed. The prisoner polled off his coat,
pretending to assist, but be never did so, and be was
afterwards found loitering about in the lane near to the
prosecutor's farmstead. He was then takes into custody.
The prisoner, whilst under detention, and before being
given in charge of the police, had a quantity of matches in
his pocket, and these be threw into the fire, saying that the
fact of his baying on many matches would tell against bicc.
The prisoner was found Guilty and, sentenced to 10 years'
penal servitude.