The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-08-10 00:00:00

SURREY ASSicks.

GUILDFORD, FRIDAY, AUGUAT 7.
The Assizes for this county coin neared here yes.
terday with the mural form.. mid this morning the
Judges proceeded to Initiates. Mr. Justice A usorr
in the Cibil Court, and Mr. Serjeant LENS in the
Crown Court. In the former the cause 14,4 pro-
duced thirty cases, of which live are Special Juries;
aud in the latter the business is very great, cont.'.
dering the shortness of the interval between the
last sad the present Assizes. the number of crimi-
nal cases being upwards of one hundred and three.
CROWN COURT.

MEN.

Thomas A#o4 and William Mirth's! were in-
dicted for asmultiog John Sharpe, on the 30th of
Norris)her. in the pariah of St. Mary, Luintreth.
with intent to kill and murder him. There was a
'mod count for a common 'smolt.

It will be recollected, that these Defendants were
indicted at the last Assizes for this county, before
Mr. Baron Wood, under Lord Ellenborough% Act,
for cutting and maiming the Prosecutor, with in-
tent to kill and murder, or do him some grievous
bodily harm; but that on that occasion. the Jury
having negatived the intention to kill and murder,
the ease was reserved for Ilie opinion of the twelve
Judges, who were unanimously of opinion, that the
case. wider the circumstances, did not come within
the statute upon which the indictmeot was founded.
This decision operating in leo as an acquittal, the
DePildatitis were 1100 indicted at commou law fur
nit assault, with intent to kill and murder, as mat-
ter of aggravation, leaving out the charge of a ft.
Winos intention.
Mr. MATH conducted the prosecution.
The Prosecutor stated, that lie was sexton of the
parish of St. Mary, Lambeth, and was in the habit
of employing the liefouslaida as watchmen to guns d
the burying ground against the depredatioist of
persons eugaged in the unpopular occupation of
procuring subjects for tl.e hospitals. Suspectim;
that the Defeudatits, under colour of their official
employment. were themselves engaged in this oh.
noxious traffic, hr determined to put an end to his
doubts upon the subject, by trying Si. experiment.
On the night of the day mentioned in the indict.
1131:11t. lie told them he could dispense with their
services for that night ; and, in tact, desired them
not to attend nt the burial ground. It appeared,
that on that day five bodies had been buried in the
churchyard. In she mems lime lie collected other
:issirsauce, for the purpose of watching what sus` ht
occur in the isight. The traps which were usually
placed in the burial groutist erre yet, and the Pro.
sectitor and Isis friends took their stations on the
ground. During their walk, they braid the gate
of the buriat-ground usilocked, and opened more
titan once. A trap went off, us if removed by some
person who knew of its being placed tlwre. About
soolsoglit, they award the door of the tool-house
terult. ; and isreresitiy afterwards collected, Isom
the discousee of two persons io she burial-grousid„
sir t y west boring the slilli•retit graves iu swarth
of subjects. At length they torrid them, in Ilse
course of their employmetss, strike against a coffin.
Their interference now Its came sircessary—thet
rushed from their corsceoleisent, recogidzii g
Use Prisoners, called out to them to summit r, or
they would be shot. The depredator., however,
cominroced a resistance; and, in the course of it,
mode tomtitl deamrate blows at the Prodecistor with
a cuthor. With much difficulty they were over-
powered and secured ; and tiirbe facts being snort
clearly and satisbiciorily proved, the Jury, without
hesitation. found them guilty of the assault. l'lwy
pleaded, in mitigation of ptinislimeui, the long
Imprisonment they had undergone; but
Mr. Serjeasst LENS, after a abort but most jodi.
addrrsN sentenced them to two years isupri.
mimeot each in the county gaol.
There were tan other indictments, upon which no
evidence was ',tiered.