The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-27 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT—MAIDSTONE, July 2G.
(Before Mr Justice Wilke.)
Seven labouring men, named Thomas Butler, Charles
Pearson, Thomas Cawdle, Thomas Moore, James Webber'
John Watson, and Geo. Beulkhein, were charged with mrs-
demeanour, in having been guilty of riotously assembling'
and assaulting divers persons.
Mr Barrow was instructed to prosecute. Mr Ribton was
counsel for the defendants, and by his advice they pleaded
guilty to the charge.
It appeared that the charge arose out of an ill-feeling-
entertained by the defendants against the persons whom
they had assaulted, who were Irishmen, and who had been
engaged to assist in some railway works which are going on
in the Isle of Sheppy. This feeling led to their assembling
in a riotous and disorderly manner, and in the course of the
proceedings several of the Irish labourers were assaulted•
The learned Judge told the defendants that the course
they had taken was a very unjustifiable one, and one that
could not for a moment be tolerated. In this country every
man, whether English, Irish, or Scotch, had a right to labour
wherever he could obtain employment, and it was well it
should be known that every one who interfered in any WaY
to prevent him from doing so was guilty of a very serious
offence in the eye of the law. In the present case, however,
he observed that some of the defendants had already been
in prison pending their trial, and he regarded their pleading
guilty as an expression of their contrition for what they had
done, and he should therefore merely order them to enter
into a recognisance to appear and receive the judgment of
the Court if the should be called upon to do so.
Jesse Gray, 36, herbalist, was indicted for misdemeanour.
Mr Russell prosecuted; Mr Ilibton appeared for the de'
fendant, who pleaded guilty.
The defendant lives at Chatham, where he carries en
business as a sort of quack doctor. The offence imputed to
him was the exhibition of certain figures in his shop-
window, giving representations of the condition of the
human body in certain diseases. These figures were stated
to be of a very disgusting description, and an indictment
was preferred against the defendant for the offence of ex-
posing them, at the last Lent assizes, which indictment
now came on for trial.
Mr Justice Willes said that the defendant had clearly
been guilty of an offence against the law, but as he had
promised not to repeat it he should not pass any sentence
upon him, but should merely order him to enter into
recognisances to appear and receive judgment if he should
be called upon.
Robert Smith, 25, porter, was charged with setting fire
to a stack of barley, value £llO, the property of George
Kelsey.
Mr Russell prosecuted.
The prosecutor is a farmer, living near Canterbury, and
on the evening of the 25th Maraa ono of his barley stacks
was found to be in flames, and the whole rick was eventu-
ally consumed. The prisoner was observed at the fire, and
he made the observation that it was a good thing the wind
was in the direction it was, or several other ricks might
have been consumed. He was taken into custody, but the
evidence was not considered by the magistrates sufficient to
detain him upon, and ho was discharged. On the following
morning, however, it appeared that he went to the police-
station and said that he felt so miserable and unhappy in
his mind at having destroyed so much property that be
could not bear it, and he had come to deliver himself up,
and he then stated that it was he who had set fire to the
stack, He afterwards made another statement, to the effect
that he had gone to the prosecutor's farm-yard to see if he
could find any place to lie down in, as it was too late to be
admitted to the union, and that he had set fire to the strict
accidentally while lighting his pipe.
The prisoner, who said nothing in answer to the charge,
was found guilty, and sentenced to ten years' penal
servitude.