The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-20 00:00:00

abilities which have not been altogether unoultivated. In
his deism* he said I ant 3 inch:flake?. and have been
unfortunately for me very short of work. I had no moan
to get a bed. and Mr. 51illitiron, in whom brick-yard I
was found, told mu that I intaht sleep th,re, and that he
would give me work. I hal nothing to do with this of-
Puce. I have never be, n here before, and if I had had a
little money I should baw Lad witnv.ws here who would
have cleared iztc."
The Judge cautioned the fury on the sultiect of the foot-
marks. Too much reliance (he add) must nut be plaited on
any evidence of that kind, it being always open to a good
deal of suspicion.
The prisoners were all found Go.lty, as was also an old
man named Beritkiy, charged with rixeiving the
mutton, knowing it to have been stolen.
Mr. Wad. said that the pros:cut/sr had bad no leas than
three sheep stolen from the .3111 e field.
The three first prisontra were sentenced to seven years'
transportation, and Bentley to sea months' imprisonment.
Mr. Justice l'atteson sat until eleven o'clock at night.
Ills lordship left here on W.dneaday at 2 p.m. to open the
commission at !Shrewsbury,
The as,ile luls been the heaviest so far as the criminal
business is concerned, that has taken place at Stafford for
so rural sears; the crimes charged w, re many of them of
the mo-t revolting character. NotwithLtandiag the fact of
the magistrates having held a spi chit sow ions the week bc-
for: the assizes, whereat 10 persons were tried, there were
still 140 left foe the judge of assize.

MIDL.LND CIRCUIT.—Arens, Miarll 11.
The :wises closed at 7 o'clock hat night. 31e. Justice
Coleridge was occupied from 9 o'clock in the morning until
half-past Gat night with the trial of twelve men, charged
with the St:stelae I'ark poaching affray, in which one
poacher was shot on the spot and a gamekeeper nearly
killed. The names of the prisoner. are—John Chapman,
W. Sheppard, J. Sheppard (son of William), IV. It urriU,
Robert Grundy, W. Clarke, J. Wilde, W. Dobbs, John
Ergots, !oho Goodtad, George Curs, and Thomas
the major part of them residents at Buboner in this county.
Gentr.,e Cutts pleaded guilty.
The evidence went to show that the primness were seen
snore or less together at public houses at Bolsoeer on the
' Saturday night of the affray. Seared& Park is two miles
from Bolsoeer. The prisoners, with the exception of Worrill
and a man named Rhode., were seen to go in the direction
of the perk by a woman with whom Rhodes was connected,
and who was anxious to prevent his going. Rhodes was in-
toxicated, and said he would go this once and then give
over. One of the parties lead • sword, several were armed
with gun., and the rest with bludgeons. Their face were
blackened with soot. and a piece of white ribbon was tied
round one arm of each person, to distinguish themselves
from any other party. They got to Searchffe Park shout 1
o'clock, at which time Booth (the head keeper), Farmer
(the under keeper). and five tentere were in a cabin in the
park. These parties heard a gun ged, and they then left
the cahiu and proceeded towards what is called the ride
near to the wood. Farmer gave Booth his gun ;
the rest of the keepers had sticks in their hands. It
was agreed to divide the party, Booth and two others
going stnkhtforward, and Farmer and three others taking
a circuit. Booth advanced a little before his two comrades,
the gun hanging down under his left arm, and having •
stick in his Aght nand. On getting nearer, • second gun
was fired, and Booth caw two men come out of the wood
into the ride. They cried, " Heigh-up, heigh-up and
the whole body of poacher. came out of the wood and ad-
vanced towards Booth in • menacing attitude. Booth com-
menced a retreat, and the poachers set upon him, he en-
deavouring to ward off the blows with his gun and stick as
well as he could, and begging of the poachers to
be men and he merciful, stating that tiny were too
strong for them, and that there would be no
resistance, and they might take the game. So far
from desisting, according to evidence, they continued to
press upon him se he retreated with his face towards them,
and Chapman,. who had a sword in his hand, struck Booth
dewu with a violent blow upon the head, inflicting a fearful
gash and clean cutting through the bone, and separating
two pieces of the scull, which were produced iu court.
Whilst down he cried for mercy, but they beat ben with
their gun stocksand bludgeons. Seeing that the poachers
were about to turn upon them the other two keepers ran
away. When Booth was struck down with the sword, all
that he remembered was bearing a gun go off and seeing
something fall near to hini.The person who fell was Rhodes,
who, it was stated, was beating Booth ; and whilst the'
latter was warding off the blows with his gun and stick the
gun went off and shot Rhodes, who fell, and died shortly
after he was conveyed home by his comrades. Booth heard
a voice say, "On into him." Amongst other injuries Booth
received, the small bone of nee of his legs was broken, seve-
ral wounds were inflicted on his head, and his hand was
eerioudy injurd. The under-gamekeeper, Farmer and
his party, hearing the report of the gun and Booth's cries
for mercy, hastened to the spot, and as they approached
they heard a gun snap, but it did not goo ff; and when
nearer one of the poachers levelled his gun at
Farmer, saying he had a good mind to give him
sonic of it, but the urn was drawn away by an-
other poacher, who said `• there was enough done already."
Flint, one of the teeters, and Farmer, conveyed Booth to a
cottage, where a cart was obtained, and he was taken
home and medical aid procured. Ile remained in immi-
nent danger for some time, and had to have medical at-
tendance twice a day for a fortnight.
The jury, after consulting, acquitted John Sheppard, the
bey, and found all the others Guilty on the third count,
with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
His lordship, in an impreweve address, sentenced the
prisoners is. follows:—Chapman to he transported for life;
W, Sheppard for 15 years; Grundy, Clarke, Dobbs, and
Thom. Cutts for 10 years each; George Cutts to be im-
prisoned and kept tee hard labour fur 2 years ; and Worrill,
Esime, Gooillail, and Wilde, IS months' imprisonment,
with hard labour.

LEICF:iTER, 111AR0.1 19.
Baron Alderson and Mr. Justice Coleridge arrived at I,
Leicester to-day, awl having opened the commission for the
county the court was adjourned until nine o'clock on
Thursday morning.
Mr. Justice Coleridge then proceeded to the Town Hall,
and disposed of the °lily case for trial, in which the prisoner
was charged with manslaughter. Ile was found guilty and
sentenced to nine tutiaths' imprisonment.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—YoaK, 141.azu 18.
Cameo corm—Baroas Ma. tisane purr.
'rut CRAROX or M•NSLAVORTIR AGAINST A
MAGI/1111AT*.
At the opening of the court this morning Joshua Ingham,
Esq., chairman of the West Riding bench of magistrates,
surrendered, charged, upon the coroner's inquisition, with
the manslaughter of a child at Dewsbury.
The learned Judge stated that there was no necessity for
Mr. Ingham appearing in the dock, whereupon Mr. Bien-
shard said !that it WAS Mr. Ingham 's own wish to do so, so
that there might be no distinction between him and any
other person charged with a similar offence.
The jury having been sworn,
Mr. Illanshard said that Mr. Ingham was the owner of
some collieries in the neighbourhood of Dewsbury, from
which there was a trainroad, on which the coal waggons are
worked, by means of a rope. This tramrosid is crossed by
a public road. and the cause of the accident was the de-
ceased running across the tramroad whilst the waggons were
in motion. Ilis lordship, in his charge to the grand jury,
had referred to the present case, and the grand jury having
ignored the bill, he (Mr. Illanshard) felt it to be his duty
to say that he was not in possession of evidence which would
in law be sufficient to call upon Mr. Ingham to answer the
charge, and therefore it would be the duty of the jury to
acquit him,
Mr. Serjcant Wilkins said that ho was instructed to state
that no person could possibly regret the melancholy affair
which had taken place more sincerely than did Mr.lngham,
and no one was more anxious to maks reparation so far as
he possibly could. Mr. Ingham had already done, and
should continue to do, everything in bis power, to prevent a
i repetition of such a melancholy occurrence.
The jury then returned a verdict of Not Guilty.
EXTRAORDINARY CAISZ Or FRATD.—Hzin AT LAW
SOCIETIES.
.

Hugh Williams and Edward Kay were charged with ob-
taining money under false pretences. There were a variety
of counts in the indictment.
Mr. Hall stated the case. The prisoners at the bar stood
charged with obtaining money under false pretences, and
conspiracy to defraud various persons. The pretence
adopted by the two prisoners was that pretence which is
very tempting in this country, viz., to obtain cheap law.
They found the prisoners acting together as agents for •
society, purporting to be " The Legal and Equitable l'ro-
tedium Ollice'*—Williams7aeting in London on its behalf and
Kay at Leeds. This sucietylwas said to be under the ma-
nagement of John Ross and others who carried on busi-
ness under the firm of "John Martin and Co." The
pretensions of this society are "to assist such persons tin
reclaiming and recovering such property as in justice they
are entitled to, making no charge until that object
is effected, and then only a moderate charge for agency
upon it." In order to connect Williams and Kay, he
read a letter, dated " 19th Feb., HMO," addressed by
Williams to Kay, which was headed "Re Cockcroft and
Others," and Williams undertook in this letter to conduct
the case, which was a claim put forward by Cockcroft to the
ownership of a hall near Leeds, called Burleigh Wood
Hall. The neat document found upon Williams was
beaded " Dec., 1949. Legal Protection Office." It gives
• list of the managers, and number of cases taken by them
tato the Court of Chancery ; then followed a list of bills,
Yd 32 eases in which bills were about to be filed in that
mart, among which was "Cockcroft and Others." The
learned counsel went on to show that shortly afterwards
Williams left "The Legal Protection Society," and began
business for himself, still, however, retaining Kay at Leeds
as his agent. In a letter dated March 6, 18.50, signed by
Williams and addressed to Kay, he wrote in confidence to
Kay, telling him that, as the parties interested were
strangers to him (Williams), he (hay) should not let them
see his letters, nor make the matter known to Mr. Row,
as he did not wish to prejudice the latter, or to be on un-
friendly terms with him. The case of Cockcroft had been
first in the hands of the Heir-at-law Society, and then in
the hands of Martin and Co., and in this ease they had
received several small sums from Cockcroft, telling him
that they had taken the opinion of Mr. Watson in the case.
The opinion of this gentleman was unfavourable to the
snit of John Cockcroft. Then they represented that Wil.
liana had taken the opinion of Mr. Bowler, who appeared
to favour the claim. Thus they induced the plaintiff in
Ibis case to advance small sums of money from time to
tat. The case was conducted almost entirely by letters,
sMilairveral sums of money had been obtained from the
=fromtime to time on a variety of false pretences.
rued counsel then read a number of letters showing
imam frauds.