The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-05 00:00:00

CROWN COURT.

William Balcombe Simpson, 40, solicitor ; Caroline
llawtree, 46 ; John gopkins, 23 ; Richard llawtree,
17 ; Caroline Wood,9atc ; Dinah Drayton, 35 ; and
Francis Johnson, 50, baker, were indicted for conspiracy.
This case occupied the court for a great many hours,
and was not brought to a conclusion until nine o'clock
at night. The charge arose out of the indictments that,
WCI 3 disposed of on the first day of the assizes, im-
puting a series of extensive corn robberies to different
parties, Mr. Clements, a baker and flour factor at St.
Albans, being the prosecutor. The offence imputed to
the present defendants was, that they had conspired to-
gether to defeat the ends of justice, by getting a mate-
rial witness in support of the original charge out of the
way.

The jury, without any hesitation, returned a verdict
of not guilty, and at the same time expressed their
opinion that there was not the slightest foundation for
the charge made against Mr. Simpson.
The learned judge said that now the case was con-
cluded, he had no hesitation in saying that he entirely
concurred in the opinion expressed by the jury, and
that gentleman would leave the court without the
slightest imputation upon his character.

OXFORD CIRCUIT.—READING, MAnca 3.
EMBEZZLEMENT BY A COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER.
John Wood, about 40 years of age, described as clerk
and traveller, surrendere,l to his bail for trial on the
charge of having embezzled certain sums of money, be-
longing to his employer, Mr. Langton, brewer and wine
merchant, living at Maidenhead.
The prosecutor, Mr. John Edward Langton, carries
on an extensive brewery business, and the prisoner
Wood, in July, 1352, became the London consignee of
ale, fair which he had a considerable demand. The busi-
ness did not proceed to the satisfaction of Mr. Langton,
and during the year 1853 a balance was struck, when it
appeared that there was the sum of 7881. due from
Wood. A new arrangement was made, by whiab Wood
was to become traveller and collector, at a salary of
400/. per annum, to include travelling expenses; but it
was proposed that from this sum 2001. was every year to
be set aside towards liquidating the debt of 7881. iiseurred-.
whilst he was Mr. Langton's consignee. This was never
carried into effect ; but on the Ist of January in tdie pre-
sent year it was agreed that he should be paid 4/. weekly
and the expenses incurred by him in travelling. Accord-
ing to the evidence of Mr. Langton, jan. (who managed
the business in consequence of his father being an
invalid), it was the duty of Wood on returning from
a journey to make an entry in a book of all money re-
ceived from customers and to pay the same to the
cashier, or whoever might be in the office. A short
time since a list was made of the balances due ft-cm the
customers up to Christmas last, and amongst th. ese ap.
peared the name of Mr. Tindall, the landlord of the
Waterloo Tavern, Haymarket, London, for the- -suns of
32/. Mr. Tindall being known to be in good circum-
stances his arrear 3 excited surprise, and Mr. Langton,
jun., spoke to Wood on the subject, on the 12th. of last
month, when he represented that Mr. Tindall complained
of the times being bad, and would pay as soon as pos•
Bible ; but as he was that day going to town, he 'would
call and see Mr. Tindall, and arrange for payment. Mr.
Langton, not satisfied with Wood's explanation , left
for town by a subsequent train, and ascertained from
Mr. Tindall that a balance of 32/. was paid on the 12th
of January, but no entry was made in the cash-bot tk as
required by the arrangement made at the begin ning
of the year. According to appointment,iWood met Mr.
Langton on the railway platform at Paddington, on that
afternoon, and when asked what Mr. Tindall had é lone
with respect to the balance, he said Mr. Tindall was
sorry he was behindhand, lut would pay in a mtx nth.
Mr. Tindall produced his receipt, signed by Wood, for
the balance which was still represented in Wood's I; ,00k
to be due to Mr. Langton. The next case was Oa .t of
Mrs. Light, of the ,Feathers inn, Taplow, who )aid
Wood 331. Bs. on the 19th of February, but he had. only
accounted for 25/. in the cash book ; and the t hird
case was that of Mr. Ames, of the Wellington rms,
Reading, who was represented to have paid only '. on
the 30th of Deceaeber last, whilst his receipt sha iwed
that he had given Wood the sum of 151., the total
amount if his account.
On cross-examination, Mr. Langton admitted that
Wood had paid him a cheque for 3401. for sund. f,y ac-
counts ; and also that although he had paid a s' am of
3SI. and 20/. it was discovered three months after wards
that credit had been omitted to be given him, by • the
clerk neglecting to carry those sums from the sash
book into the ledger.
Mr. Huddlestone •made an able address for W •od,
and contended that there was no wilful intentio n to
keep the money, bu t that what was paid was only ' on
account. A sum from 5,0001. to 6,000/. passing thr, 'sigh
his hands annually (which the prosecutor admitte, 4) it
was not unlikely art error might occur ; but he de wed
any criminal intent ion.
Several respectable persons were called, who ga .ve
Wood a good charm :ter for honesty and uprightness.
His lordship sum reed up, and the jury returned l a
verdict of guilty, with a strong recommendation to
mercy. The learnted Baron said he would give fi ull
effect to it, and apart from it he should have passed is ut
a slight sentence, as he believed. the conviction its, elf
would be a severer punishment on a person in the : re-
spectable position o f the prisoner than any lengthem ed
imprisonment. IL • then sentenced him to a fortuigh.
hard labour.

WESTERN Cir:CIIIT.—WINCEIESTER, MARCK :t.
ATTEMPT TO MURDER.
James Ha;Tis, a labourer, g,iged 27, was indicted
maliciouslylcutting and wound ing Caroline Wilkins, wi th
intent to kill and mnursh 1 Ler, at 'Winchester, on tbe
13th of September last.
It appeared that the prissm er was a man of low graoe,
and obtained a living by ha,vi king fish, watercress, &c..,
having also a wooden leg. 'Pb e prisoner habitually slept
at a public-house called the P heasarst, and the girl Wil-
kin., his intended victim, had for souse time cohabited,
with him at that house. On tl .e day steed, the prisoner
came home early in the even ing, and at that time the
girl was drinking in compan y with a soldier, who re-
mained with Ises. some considerable time. The prisoner
was in and out of the house several times (luring the
evening, and at 12 o'clock be and the girl Wilkins were
the only persons in the house not retired to bed. About
this time the landlady was alarmed at hearing loud
screarniurr, which proceeded f coin the tap-room, where
she bad left the prisoner ant 1 the girl. Onlhastening
down stairs, she found the gir I leanin,, against the wall
of the passage, and bleeding profusely from her throat.
The prisoner was standing al :ainst the door. The girl
said, "He has done it," and quickly became insensible.
The prisoner in the meantime absconded. The prisoner
did
he j
no t
uddegneydtihreeeted statementssentea c: made against him, and the
jury, after a short consults ition, found a verdict of
Guilty.
T
aganist the prisoner,

d of death to be recorded