The Express.
London, England, 1868-03-09 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORFOLK CIRCUIT.—Noi

nr, MARCH '7.

This morning Mr. Serjoant Tow sat in a third court to
assist in the trial of prisoners and with his amietanoe it is
expected that the bininese will be concluded on Monday.

Caows Comm —Meter* Mr. Baron Bnunwell.)
Oliver Drage, Alfred Drage, and John Smith, shoe-
makers, and Joh* Palmer, a labourer, were charged with
wounding Polies-Sergeant Berridge with intent to murder
btm.

Mr. Merewether appeared for the prosecution; Mr.
Palmer defended the Prisoners.
It sppeared from the evidenoe of tho prosecutor that
on the night of the 7th October last he was passing
by Aseart-wood, in the parish of Geddington,
when he saw four men coming up a bridle
road. Thinking one of them was the keeper be
called to him by name, and was answered by one of the
men. However, when they came up to him he found that
he was mistaken. The prisoner Palmer was one of them,
and he called out several nods, "Up Up." The prod
onto, said, " Don't make any noise, I am not going to
interfere with you," and walked on. When he had got a
short distend be heard a stone fall near him, and he taw
the prisoner Oliver Drage throw another at him, which
struck him on the awls and knocked him down. When
he got up the men were close to him. Palmer and Alfred
Dregs seised him, and he managed to throw them into the
ditch, but while ho was doing this Oliver Dregs struck
him on the back of his head with a large stone which he
held in his hand. Re was again knocked down ; some of the
prisoners kicked himwhile on the ground, end he became in-
sensible. When became to himself the melt were still near
him, end Oliver L=l snuck him three times with a
hedge stake, and to the others, " Turn him round,
and I'll put my stick In his mouth." The others actually
did turn hie lead round, but they were luckily unsuoosse-
ful in their atimempte to put the stick into his month. The
prisoners led two dogs with them, which they tried to
" saton" preseenter, but they' were more helmet
than their rester, and one refused to go near him, while
the other hiked his ear. The prosecutor then because in-
sensible spin, and the prisoners left him. When the pri-
soners were eppreheaded they admitted that they were
poaching on the night in question is Illawsley.wood, which
was some little distance from where the affray took place.
A sap was picked up near whore the prosecutor was as-
saulted, bat it was not proved that it belonged
to the prisoners, and they were all seen at
five o'clock on the seeedig after the assault
with caps on. d witness was NOM en behalf of the pri-
soners, who mid that on the nes he in quells he and •
man named Jolly were out with the prbrosen on a poach-
ing expedition in Hawley and Drawly woods, but that
they never went DM Assad wood on that eight ; and
other wilneeees wen celled, who proved that an that
night the priateen went oat in, and returned from,
directions eentrar7 to that where the assault took place.
gin lordship, in summing up, add the foxy must du-
els great cant en in coming to a conclusion on the evi-
dence. In one ors tried before him jury found four
poachers guilty of assaulting a keeper, sail it was after
wards proved eonclasively that they were not the guilty
parties, but another party, there being two partiss of
poachers, one of four and one of six, out on that night,
The jury, after deliberating for about • quarter of an
hone, returned • verdict of Guilty of wounding with intent
to do grievous bodily harm.
The primed, all protested their innocence, and one of
them declared that he bad never seen the prosecutor
before in his life. . _ . .

Oliver Dregs was sentenced to Ave ma' penal servi-
tude, Alfred Drags to one year's, and the other prisoners to
eight months' imprisonment with hard labour.
Henry Daskley, 31, labourer, wee charged with fele-
otiosely
.kiWag • My, the property of Walter George, at
Oeykie on the lith Desember last.
Mr. Metailto =red for the prosec•li
a rm ; Mr. Yen-
wether deleedled
apposed AU =our was employed by Kr.
pew, whs le • burr at Dayton, and that it was hie
In WAnd end leek after the hawses and male. Early
ernmeher lest various animals eau the prisoner's care
were from time to time liken ill and died in greet agony.
At fret no esepicion was exalted, but as animal after
animal died, it was thought that some investigation should
be made, and the bedies were accordingly deg up, and the
result of the pest marten eurninatios was that it was
fined that all bed been poisoned with arsenic. A
watch wee set bet no one was ems to go neer
the pleas where the stook were kept but the prisoner.
No poises was found an the prisoner or in his hoes., bat it
was shown thee he had been reproved by his muter for
negligees*, and that there was some little ill-feeling
between them, and it was also rather • curious °mum-
stenos that an one or two occasions the prisoner predicted
the death of animals which at the time appeared perfectly
healthy. In the whole three horses, two bulls, four oxen,
and Su cows died, and one of the bells and • filly were
as wild that It would have been Minh for any person to
get neer them bat the prisoner, whom they haw.
Mr. Nerewelher addressed the jar, for the Ildernsr,~
dwelling on the fast that be was not shown es bus per-
shield or horn in poemniart of any poison, and that the
animals MEI eentinned to die whoa the prisoner knew
that they wee being watched.
Hie Laideldp bathe summed up, the jury /gritted the
prisoner.

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