The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-18 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.— Dorchester, March 15.

The Learned Judges (Sir W. Erie end Sir T. N. Tal-
fourd) reached here on Saturday, and were mot at their
entrance into the town by the Sheriff's son in a carriage
and pair. To-day the courts were opened for business,
the criminal calendar and the cause list being both light.
In the Nisi Prius Court the senior judge was occupied
all day in trying a family case, in which a sister (the
plaintiff) sued her brother (the defendant) for six years'
rent of a piece of land left to him by his uncle, she being
the residuary legatee. The jury found in her favour
for 3601.

CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice TALFOURD.)
William Thompson, a horrible-looking fellow, was in-
dicted for attempting to murder James Cullum.
The panics were convicts under confinement in Port-
land Prison, and were working in the stone-yard, when
Cullum was de•ired by the warder to take a seat. He
did so, and whilst the warder was at a short distance,
Thompson c:mo up and claimed the seat, and on Cullum
declining to give if, up without the warder's leave, the
savage rcoundrel lifted up his stoue-hamtner and struck
him vrnieless to the ground, afterwards striking him
two other blows on the head, and swearing he would
kill the outright, lie further declared that, but
for the warder's timely arrival, he would have served
atiothi‘r in the same fashion.

His LORDSRIP, on the prisoner being convicted, ordered
son' eree of d air' to be recorded against him, and inti
mated that he must make up his mind to spend the rest
of his days under the severest penal discipline.
James and John Hayward, two young fellows, were
convicted of breaking into the church of Durweston, and
stealing the communion plate, which bad been used by
the rector, the Hon. and Rev. S. G. Osborne, on the day
before the robbery. The prisoners were taken on some
other charge, arid in their possession was found some
other stolen property and some pheasants and partridges;
anu in a cave, to which it was evident they resorted to
enjoy a roast pheasant occasionally, was found the
plate, and a chisel corresponding with marks on the
church door.
Sentence—Fifteen years' transportation.

D CIRCUIT.—Derby, March
CROWN COURT.—(Before the Lord Chief Justice

.lEnv's.)
Robert Dixon, aged 30, was indicted for the abduction
of a girl under 16, and in other counts for the offence of
abusing a child between 10 and 11, for the attempt to
abuse, and for an assault.

Mr. Boden prosecuted, and Mr. W. 11. Adams de-
fended the prisoner.
The circumstances of this case were very peculiar.
The prisoner is a travelling "lecturer on the mysteries
of magic necromancy," and the prosecutrix, Mary Anne
Farringdon, is a little girl just 11 years old. On the
morning of the Ist of January last, about eight o'clock,
she left her home in Derby, for the purpose of going to
work, as her parents supposed; but, according to her
own statement, she was accosted by the prisoner, who
asked her her name, and whether she bad a father or
mother? After answering these questions she went to
the factory, but being too late she went to the house of
a Mrs. Mansfield in the neighbourhood. Later in the
day the prisoner addressed her again, and told her that
he bad seen her father and mother, and that
they said that she was to go with him. Another little
girl, whom she knew, was with him, and the three went
together to the railway station. There the girls were
left together by him, and they waited in the waiting-
room until eight in the evening, when the prisoner came
again and took them off to Nottingham by the railway.
They slept in a lodging-house there, in a double-bedded
room, and the next day the prisoner bought some clothes
for the prosecutrix. The next day the prisoner and
prosecutrix went to Codnor Park, leaving the other girl
at Nottingham, and they travelled together for several
days from place to place. They always slept in the same
room, and on the second and subsequent nights, accord-
ing to the girl's statement, the offence was committed.
Her story was confirmed by the evidence of other wit-
nesses, to the extent of showing that the two had been
travelling about together; and the medical evidence led
to the conclusion that violence had been done to her
person; but in several particulars the story of the child
was contradicted. The parents of the prosecutrix
heard nothing of her from the Ist of January to the 7th,
when they received the following letter, which bore the
Alfreton post-mark of January 6:—
" Jan. 6; 1852.
"My dear Parents,—l am with a gentleman that
treats me very kindly. lam quite comfortable;
frock,The
first day I went to Hollingharn he bought me
and a skirt, and white silk bonnet, and a pair of nice
new boots and stockings,and
ttg
ame a
new
fur for
pmryintnefrt,kamndadae
shawl. To-day be
at the dressmaker's, which cost 55.; and he is going to
get me everything I want new, till I look very nice and
respectable. We shall come to Derby before long to see
you, after lam dressed genteel, and I will bring some
nice presents with me fur sisters. How are sisters? I,
is a great deal better for me to be out to service as I
am now, than being at home, because I am getting mo-
ney as well as clothes. Give my love to Ehasbeth and
Sarah. I send you this to let you know I am treated
very well. The gentleman is writing this for me, and I
am telling him what to say. Hoping you are all in good
health, as I am at present,
" I remain, my dear Parents,
" Your affectionate daughter,

" MARY ANN FARRINGDON.

" P.S.—I get plenty of good food to eat."
The prosecutrix herself stated, that at the time she
knew neither the names of the places to which she had
been taken, or of the people at whose houses they had
stopped; but she had learnt them since; and Mr. and
Mrs. Fletcher, who kept the Dog Inn, at Pentridge,
proved that the prisoner and prosecutrix passed three
nights at their house while the prisoner was lecturing iu
the town. Their evidence was favourable to the prisoner,
because the girl had made no complaint to them; nor
bad they heard her scream, as she bad said that she did,
and their bed•room was close to the double•bedded pas-
sage-room, in which the prisoner and prosecutrix slept.
In fact, there was nothing which excited their suspicions
of any impropriety in the prisoners conduct towards the
prosecutrix. When the prisoner was apprehended, he
stated to the constable that it was a bad job for him
that he had brought her away; he should not have done
so if she had not said that she had no father or mother.
He also said that he meant no harm to the girl; he
meant her to stand at the school-room doors while he
was at his performance, and it had cost him two beds
every night.
The parents of the prosecutrix, on cross. examination,
admitted that the girl had played truant sometimes, and
had been beaten by her father the night before she left
home. _

Mr. ADAMS addressed thn jury on behalf of the pri-
soner, directing his observations principally to the
charge Of violating the person of the child.
The Learned JUDGE summed up the evidence, telling
them that, as to the charge of abduction, the offence was
complete it the prisoner took away the child without the
consent of the parents; and that it was not necessary
that he should have resorted to any trick or deception to
induce her to go away with him.
Tho prisoner himself then made a statement, com-
plaining that his case had not been conducted as ho de-
sired, and he was permitted by the Learned Judge to
address the jury in his own defencr. In the result,
however,
The jury found him Guilty upon all the counts, and
ho was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard
labour.
THE PUGILISTIC RIOTS AT BELPER.—Ilenry Poul-
son, aged 32. Thomas Paddi:ck, 26, Thomas Whiting,
22, Joseph Eaton, 37, James Williams, 23, John Taylor,
30, John Callaghan, 29, Alfred Trot, 24, James Whar-
ton, alias Jemmy the Bleck, 38, John Handley, 27, John
llirst, Robert Wade, John Ribber, John Maiden, and
John Tootal, pleaded guilty to an indictment which
charged them with committing a riot, and assaulting
two constables in the execution of their duty. They
were also indicted for feloniously remaining together
for one hour after proclamation made according to the
statute of 1 George IV., s. 2, c. 2, s. 1. no
To this indictment they pleaded not guilty, anda no
evidence being offlired in support of the charge, au
quittal was directed.
a
at Turndith,
ght between
lacr Belper,
prosecution arose took place
p ...fi
It appeared that the transaction out of which this
on the 16th of December last.
11
expectation had collected an im-
that occasion. and the e Poulson and Paddock had been arrant grleii to com® off on
h d Wharton to ten
mense mob.
one e lawless violence of
passing sentence, Con-
C ag "H Ta
o appeared to
uilty, and sentenced P
m eTnhee d
vo at CHIEFg JUSTICE,e
tvh
severity
yr
rpt i n w
which the prisoners had been_got
an . cu.-
son,
P dd.
months' Riot Act was read,have
gone away when the _ _ to four mouths,
and the rest to six months' imprisonment, all with hard
m°tp.kr'isonmen ,
labour.

NORFOLK CDICUIT.—NorfoIk, March 16.
01011 opened the commissions for the county
mend the city of Norwich, yesterday, at two
ina'd in the course of the afternoon Lir. Sergeant
London, to take the pule() of Mr.
oAo'fedLlNaoomcori Ids
t:uC
arrived
Justice Crompton, who is still detained by indisposi-
tion, but is expected to join the circuit at Bury St.
Edmund's.

e
In
ny
tohffu four specialiPriits Court tho cause list contains an
en t
jury and three common jury causes.
The calendar for the county contains the names of 50
prisoners, presenting 7 cases of larceny, 1 of fowl steal-
ing, 5 of perjury, 9 of feloniously wounding, 2 of night
poaching, 3 of highway robbery, 4 of arson, 1 of rape,
2 of murder, 1 of concealment of birth, 1 of manslaughter,
1 of forgery. In the city gaol there arc nine cases of an
ordinary character.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Sergeant ADA3IB and
a County Jury.)
wtha,s, n6dt
hi c toefd
ofor
cr,tbs:ra,ulvrtiin
Michael Vesey, at Upwell, i
George Stinzpson, aged 200 n,
intent to rob him, he being then armed waiithtialrsrteiciwi.,lB a
preav'iiioeujaucr'YonetZtv.iioca eld the)ro
ve,ipargisaoinnesrt,haimm,lho was sentenced
to be transports 1 for seven years.
Iu the Nisi rrius Court Lord Campbell disposed of
the three common jury catries, which were not produc-
tive of any materials for a report, and afterwards took
prisoners, to whose cases the same remark applies.

IV ORT HERIV CI RC C IT.—Yorh, March 16.
NISI PIIIUS COUR r.—(Before Mr. Baron AL-

- -
DEIISON.)
LISTER v. DESBOROUGII.
This Was an action on a policy of fire insurance, in
which the plaintiff, s cotton manuracturer at Embrey,
near Skipton, sought to recover 2800 for the loss of
hie mill and machinery, which were consumed by fire
on the 231 of I‘l,,vetuher, 1850, from the detende.nt, as
the secretary Of the Atlas Fire Insurance Company.
The defendant, pleaded, among six other pleas, fraud
and arson.
Mr. Watson, Q.C., and Mr. Hall appeared for the
plaintiff; and Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, M. Lull, (4.c., and
sa*. 1)", Jileudepoi Or the defendant,