The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-02 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT.—HERTFORD, MARCH 1.
The business of this circuit commenced to-day. The
commission was opened on Tuesday, and this morning both
courts proceeded to business, the Lord Chief Justice pre-
siding at Nisi Prins. and Mr. Justice Coleridge in the
Crown Court. The cause list is heavier than usual, there
being twentv.two causes set down for trial, six of which are
special jury cases. The cases on the criminal side are of the
ordinary character. None of the causes disposed of yester.
day contained any feature of public intersst.

SOUTH WALES ClRCUlT.—Swansea, Fee. 28.
The commission having been opened on Saturday evening,
the business of the South Wales circuit commenced thy.
morning before Mr. Justice Vaughan Williams. His lord-
ship briefly charged the grand jury, after which he disposed
of two undefended actions, possesang no features of interest.
In the course of the day the grand jury returned a " true
bill " against Richard Mabony and John Lloyd, charged
with the highway robbery to the extent of 1,0001. of Dr.
Bowring, M.P., and Mr. C. Bowring, the horse in whose
vehicle was shot by the robbers. The trial is appointed for
to-morrow morning.

CRIMINAL COURT.

OLD COURT.—Before Mr. Justice Coltman and lir. Jana=
Post-arms Eminent's.— T. Eagle, a Postoffice clerk,
wee indicted for stealing a letter containing a half sovereign,
the property of the Postmaster-General. The accused was
a clerk in the inland department of the General Poet-office,
and, in eonsequence of several robberies that had been com-
mitted, suspicion fell upon him, and, on the lit February, a
watch was set upon his movements while engaged in sorting
letters, and he was observed to secrete two letters. The pri-
soner was immediately celled into the president's room, and
taxed with what be bad done, when he appeared very con-
fused, and Peako, the officer, wee called in, and, upon his
marching the prisoner, the letters were found in his pocket.
The prisoner was convicted and sentenced to be transported
for ten years.
R. Steele, also a clerk in the Poet-office, was indicted for •
similar offence. This case was precisely similar to the last,
incept that it appeared the prisoner bad been in the service
of the Post-office for nearly eight years, and on that account
received en augmented salary, amounting to 1101. • year.
It also appeared that when the prisoner was searched, and
the stolen letter taken front him, a sum of 81 10e. in gold
and silver was found in his purse.—The jury returned a
verdict of Guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to be trans-
ported for 12 years.
CUTTING AND WOUNDING.—Edward Charles Fitzmeyer
was indicted for cutting and wounding his wife, Mary Anne
Fitzmeyer, with intent to do her grievous bodily harm.—
The eircuMetances of this case have been so froaumitly re-
ported, that it will be unnecessary to give them at sny length
on the present occasion. It was made out most satisfactorily
that at the time the act was committed, the prisoner
was not in • sane state of mind, and it was also 'flown that
bikes the occurrence he had always been conadered of
weak intellect ; sad the jury, under the direction of the
court, returned a verdict of Net Guilty, on the ground of
insanity.—Mr. Justice Erie gave directions that the prisoner
should be detained in safe custody.
NEW COURT.-13efore they mon Serjcant end Aldermen Challis
ffinnis.
A natal CHARGE.—J. Wright was indicted for having
stolen three pairs 01 trousers and other articles, the property
of Joseph Basendale and others.—Mr. Prendergast for the
prosecution, stated that the prosecutors were the well-known
railway carriers, Messrs. Pickford and Co. The
which learned
gentleman shortly, stated the facts of the case, clearly
established the prisoner's guilt. A policeman saw him with
several parcels in his possession, and riving a very unsatis-
factory account of them, he was detained, and it was dis-
covered that the goods had been stolen from one of Messrs.
l'ickford vans. This being proved in evidence, the prisoner
was called upon for his defence.— He said that a man had
hired him to may the parcels.—The Common Serjeant said,
" Gentlemen of the jury, if you believe what he says, acquit
him ; if you do not, you'll convict him. Consider your ver-
dict, gentlemen".—This laconic mode of summing up caused
considerable laughter in court—The jury returned a ver-
dict of Guilty..—The Common Serjeant said it was evident
that this species of offence was only committed by expe-
rienced thieves.—The prisoner was sentenced to be kept to
bard labour for 6 months.

POLICE.—YESTERDAT.
GUILDHALL.—A POLICE TRAP.—W. Banal, the
keeper of a marine store shop, at No. 60, Shoe.lane, was
charged with receiving goods knowing them to be stolen.—
A few particulars with regard to the above house will enable
the public to judge in what a wholesale way business has
been carried on there. For a long time past the police have
had • look out on the motions of the former owner, named
Barrett (fathetin-law to the prisoner), well knowing that a
gnat quantity of property was taken there which had been
stolen. Lately Barrett transferred the business to his son-
in-law, who managed to keep out of any scrape until the
early part' of last week, when he was taken into custody on
the above charge, and remanded. In the meantime police-
constables in private clothes were placed on the premises to
apprehend all parties entering to sell roerty, unless they
could give a satisfactory account of howl hey become pee-
, sassed of it. The result of this proceeding was, that not a
single day has since passed without several parties being
brought to this court, and either summarily convicted or
committed to Newgate for trial.—Dalton, the constable, said
that he was now enabled to briar several charges home
theto
the prisoner; and evidence having been given thereon,
prisoner was again remanded.
W. Cantrill, a porter, in the employ of Mr. Healy, of
Fleet-street, a young lad named H. Davie, and
Mr.
W.
Bertram, a plumber and glazier, in the employment of
Fulligar,,Queenhithe, were charged with having property
which they bad stolen, and afterwards came to sell at Bozall's
shop. The tint and last were remanded, and the other
committed for trial.
WORSHIP•STREET.—Powxa OF ARRESTING PASSEN-
G FOR NON-DELIVERY OF RAILWY TICKETS.—MF. W.
B ERS ,
Fen-court, Fenchurch-streeAt, was charged with
room
having unlawfully refused to deliver up his ticket as a pas-
senger by one of the trains on the Eastern Counties Railway,
and also with resisting and assaulting the officers of the
company in the execution of their dutyß. Richardson, an
inspector appointed to collect the tickets from passengers at
the Stratford station, stated that on the arrival of the Bury
train on the preceding evening he found the defendant re-
clining against the partition in one of the second-clasa car-
riages with his feet resting on the seat, and having requested
him, in common with the other passengers, to produce hie
ticket, he positively refused to comply, assigning as his reason
that the seat was so damp that he was unable to occupy it.
Witness explained to him that unless he produced the ticket
he must immediately quit the carriage, but he refused to do
either, and he accordingly directed two other officers to effect
his forcible removal. Aftera severe struggle the
was ejected from the carriage, but the instant he reached the
platform he made • violent blow at the witness, which
knocked off his hat, and afterwards seized him by the hair
and continued shaking him until he was rescued by the by-
standers, and the defendant was given into custody.—ln
answer to the charge the defendant said that he cu.
tautly expressed his determination to retain the
ticket until the train arrived at its destination, in
order that he might direct the attention of the proper offi-
cials to the state in which he found the interior of the car-
riage, the seats of which were so saturated with mud and
slush that it was impossible to occupy them. He must also
admit that he resisted to the utmost the unwarrantable
amount of violence that was employed to eject him from the
carriage, and complained that no application was made for
his name or address before such harsh measures were re-
sorted to.—Mr. Arnold said that he entertained considerable
doubt as to whether the company's servanta were justified
in giving the defendant into custody, or even off • his
forcible removal from the wrier, without making. a • t
application for his name and addrem in the first instance,
and preferring their complaint in the form of a
summons. It did not appear that any step had been
taken to obtain the defendant's same and address pre-
vious to his removal from the carriage, which course ought
certainly to have been adopted, and it became, therefore, •
question how far he was justified in the resistance he offered
to such a proceeding. As the question was one of some im-
portance he should take time to consider his decision, and in